Exam results 2025 | A Level success soars, but employers say real-world skills outweigh grades

A Level results released today have brought both celebration and complexity. In England, a record 28.2 % of students achieved A or A* - and 9.4 % earned A*, the highest proportion outside the pandemic era. Notably, boys outperformed girls at the very top of the scale, though girls retained the lead on A and above overall.

Meanwhile, UCAS reported a record 255,130 UK students securing university places, a 4.7 % rise on 2024. Most (about 82 %) landed at their first-choice institutions.

Subjects like mathematics, physics and economics gained traction, while arts, psychology and languages saw declines.

Despite the positives, regional inequality remains: London leads with 32.1 % top grades, but the north‑east lags at 22.9 %.