UK students achieve better A-level grades this year

LONDON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — The number of top A-level grades in the United Kingdom (UK) has increased this year, with mathematics remaining the most poluar subject, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) revealed on Thursday as hundreds of thousands of students received their exam results.
According to the JCQ, this percentage of A* to A grades rose by 0.6 percentage points to 27.8 percent compared to 2023, with A* grades up by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3 percent.
“Huge congratulations to students on their achievements, spanning a range of vocational, technical and academic qualifications,” JCQ’s Chief Executive Margaret Farragher said.
“While the pandemic is now behind us, we must acknowledge that this group of students faced disruption during their education and pay tribute to their resilience,” Farragher added.
This marks the first time top A-level grades have risen in the UK since 2021.
In 2020 and 2021, there was a notable increase in top grades when exams were canceled and results were based on teachers’ assessments due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, efforts to align top grades with pre-pandemic levels have resulted in a decrease in top grades.
Last year, grading in England returned to pre-pandemic arrangements, and this year, Northern Ireland and Wales have also completed their transition to pre-pandemic arrangements.
This year’s JCQ figures revealed that mathematics remains the most popular A-level subject, accounting for 12.1 percent of all entries in 2024. The number of students taking mathematics has exceeded 100,000 for the first time.
Short for the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level, A-level is a subject-based school-leaving qualification for students completing secondary or pre-university education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ■