Next generation | A-level results 2026: Why employers must protect the routes beyond university

Record numbers of young people have secured university places, but falling apprenticeship starts among under-19s and a difficult entry-level jobs market have prompted calls for employers to create more routes into skilled work.

Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level, T-level and vocational qualification results on August 13th, with the proportion achieving the highest grades rising slightly.

According to the Joint Council for Qualifications, 28.5% of A-level results were graded A* or A, compared with 28.3% in 2025. The proportion awarded an A* increased from 9.4% to 9.6%, while the overall A*-E pass rate remained unchanged at 97.5%.

The number of students taking A levels rose by 2.4% to 349,917, against a 3.9% increase in the population of 18-year-olds.