Summary

  • Boys outperform girls in terms of top A-level grades for the first time in seven years across England, Wales and Northern Ireland

  • Get in touch: It's also BTec and T-level results day and we're answering your questions about clearing, resits and more - WhatsApp us your queries

  • Headline stats: Record numbers get their first-choice university place, top A-level results rise, while T-levels in England grow in popularity

  • Regional differences: The gap between the highest-performing region (London) and the lowest-performing region (the North East) has grown, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson calling grade inequalities a "national outrage"

  • 'Time to celebrate': One Belfast student tells us he's off to Red Bull's F1 team as an apprentice, while these twins in Wales look forward to being "more individual" at separate universities

Live Reporting

Edited by Jenna Moon and Jemma Crew

  1. Northern Ireland's results broadly similar to 2024

    Robbie Meredith
    Northern Ireland education correspondent

    A-Level results in Northern Ireland in 2025 are broadly similar to those in 2024.

    Around 30.4% of A-level entries have been awarded A* or A grades in 2025 compared with 30.3% in 2024. That was widely expected as grades returned to pre-pandemic levels.

    Maths was again the most popular A-level subject, with more than one in 10 students in Northern Ireland taking it.

    Around 25,000 students received their A-level, AS-level and BTec results in Northern Ireland today, with around one in every 12 (8.7%) A-levels awarded at the top A* grade.

  2. ‘It’ll be nice to be a bit more individual’

    Ben Price
    BBC News Wales, reporting from Cardiff and Vale College

    Twins smiling at the camera as both hold their results papers in a busy room

    Identical twins Adrian and Łukasz Koman, from Newport in south Wales, have always had similar interests - taking the same A-level subjects and studying together for exams.

    Both took maths, further maths, computer science and physics and got the grades they needed, but will be separating for the first time as they both go their first choice university.

    They have been offered places to study electronics and electrical engineering - Adrian at Bristol University and Łukasz a short distance away at Bath University.

    Łukasz got one A* and two As and Adrian got two A*s and one A, but they insist there is "no rivalry" and that they have helped each other study.

    "I am just so excited and happy to go to the uni I want," Łukasz says.

    "We spend a lot of time together since we've shared the same room for all our lives pretty much. It's nice to go out there and be a bit more individual," Łukasz adds.

  3. Your Questions Answered

    What are the options if you can't pick your results up?

    Gemma Simmons-Blench
    Deputy CEO of Leeds City College

    A question from our BBC News Instagram account, asking what the options are if you can't pick up your results in person.

    If you can’t collect your A level results in person today then they will be emailed to you after 12:00.

    If a student would like their results emailed sooner, then they just need to contact their tutor of the exams team directly and they will be more than happy to help.

    All other Level 3 results have already been emailed from 08:00 this morning.

    BBC

  4. Join us on TikTok for live results and answers to your questions

    While we're busy writing up posts here, there's more A-level chat going on over on TikTok.

    You can head over to our BBC News TikTok page to join host Kirsty Grant as she answers your questions, which you can submit on the livestream.

    She's also being joined by reporters at schools around the UK getting results live.

    That's all going on for the next few hours, so head on over.

  5. Regional gap grows in England

    Hazel Shearing
    Education correspondent

    The gap between the highest- and lowest-performing regions in England has grown again.

    In London, 32.1% of A-level grades were marked at A* or A. In the North East, it's 22.9%.

    That’s a 9.2 percentage point gap – up from 8.8 last year, when the East Midlands was the lowest-performing region.

    The North East and the West Midlands are the only regions to see falls in the proportion of top grades this year.

    And the North East is the only region where that proportion is lower than both 2024 and 2019 - the last year that exams were sat before the Covid pandemic.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned earlier there were “entrenched inequalities that continue to blight the life chances of too many young people, especially those from white working class backgrounds who have long been overlooked”.

    Two maps showing the percentage of A and A* grades at A-level in each of the nine English regions in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, the percentage of top grades was 22.9% in the North East, 26.6% in the North West, 25.3% in Yorkshire and The Humber, 24.2% in the West Midlands, 23.8% in the East Midlands, 28% in the East of England, 27% in the South West, 31.2% in the South East, and 32.1% in London. In 2024, the percentage of top grades was 23.9% in the North East, 25.5% in the North West, 24.6% in Yorkshire and The Humber, 24.8% in the West Midlands, 22.5% in the East Midlands, 27.5% in the East of England, 26.9% in the South West, 30.8% in the South East, and 31.3% in London.

  6. Top grades up in England and Northern Ireland but down in Wales

    Hazel Shearing
    Education correspondent

    The proportion of A-level grades marked A* or A may have risen across the board, but there are differences when you look at the individual nations.

    Wales is the only nation where the proportion of top grades has fallen.

    This year the proportion of A-levels marked at A* and A was:

    • 28.2% in England, up from 27.6% in 2024
    • 29.5% in Wales, down from 29.9%
    • 30.4% in Northern Ireland, up from 30.3%
    A line chart showing the percentage of A* or A grades at A-level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2019 to 2025. In 2025, the percentage of top grades was 28.2% in England, compared with 29.5% in Wales and 30.4% in Northern Ireland. The share of students achieving A* or A in each nation was higher in 2020 and 2021 when grades were teacher assessed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  7. Top A-level grades rise
    Breaking

    Hazel Shearing
    Education correspondent

    Top A-level results across the whole of England, Wales and Northern Ireland have risen again – with 28.3% of all grades marked at A* or A, up from 27.8% last year.

    There are differences between the nations, and the proportion of top grades in Wales has fallen slightly (more on that shortly).

    Overall results were always expected to be similar to last year, after years of flux because of the Covid pandemic.

    There were sharp rises in top grades in 2020 and 2021 when exams were cancelled and results were based on teachers’ assessments.

    That was followed by a phased effort to bring them back down to 2019 levels.

    This is the second year that grading has returned to pre-pandemic standards across all three nations.

    The percentage of top grades this year remains higher than in 2019, when it was 25.4%.

    A bar chart showing the percentage of A* or A grades at A-level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2019 to 2025. In 2025, the percentage of top grades was 28.3%. That compares with 27.8% in 2024 and 25.4% in 2019. The share of students achieving A* or A was higher in 2020 and 2021 when grades were teacher assessed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  8. 'You should be proud' - Starmer and Badenoch congratulate students

    Starmer wearing black-rimmed glasses. behind him is a partial union jackGetty Images

    Praise has been pouring in from politicians on social media for students receiving their results today, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

    "Whatever the outcome, if you’ve worked hard, you should be proud," he says.

    "I want all young people to have the opportunity to realise their ambition, and get the skills they need to thrive."

    Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch similarly congratulates them, describing results day as "just one step on a much bigger journey".

    "If you’re not celebrating right now, don’t lose heart.

    "Remember, your results don’t decide your future, you do," she says, telling students that what matters most next is their attitude, their choices and their determination.

  9. Your Questions Answered

    What if I have an unconditional offer, but I still get bad grades?

    Samantha Sykes
    Ucas adviser

    Many of you have asked if getting bad grades can affect an unconditional offer

    If you’ve received an unconditional offer, your university place is secure, no matter your final grades.

    Even if your results aren’t what you hoped for, you can still look forward to starting your course.

    Universities understand everyone’s journey is different. If you’re feeling unsure, reach out to the university as there will be plenty of support to help you settle in and thrive.

    BBC

  10. It's straight to working in F1 for this apprentice

    Jake Wood
    BBC News NI, reporting from Bangor

    Harry smiles at the camera standing in the doorway of a school hall wearing an F1 t-shirt

    Nervous students are beginning to flood the main hall at Bangor Academy, just outside Belfast.

    However for Harry McClelland, there were no nerves this morning, as he had secured what he wanted before the results came in.

    “I don’t know who will let me loose on an F1 car," he tells me.

    Harry is set to head to Milton Keynes to work for the Red Bull F1 team as an electronics apprentice. He got two A’s and a C.

    “The results didn’t matter, I knew I had the place before the exams so I could relax a bit more," he explains.

    “Time to celebrate - and watch the F1 movie."

  11. Your Questions Answered

    What happens if I fail?

    Kate Arif
    Careers Adviser, National Careers Service

    Lots of you have got in touch asking 'what happens if I fail/don’t meet the grades/do badly?'

    Not getting the grades you were expecting can be disappointing, but it’s important to remember that there are plenty of options available, such as Ucas clearing, alternative courses, or even exploring different career paths that might be a better fit.

    Stay positive, seek advice from a careers adviser to explore your options. It’s easy to make contact on 0800 100 900, we would love to hear from you.

    Checking out the National Careers Service website and for further help you can book an appointment with a careers adviser to discuss further options.

    A long thin black graphic that says Your Voice Your BBC News in white writing
  12. Analysis

    Why are more UK students going to university this year?

    Hayley Clarke
    Education reporter

    There are a few reasons why more UK students are getting into university this year.

    Firstly, there’s more 18-year-olds in this year's cohort, which means a higher number have got in - even though the proportion of people with offers getting into their first choice - 82% - is the same.

    Secondly, universities are struggling financially, so many will be looking to secure as many students as possible, as well as their tuition fees.

    Some courses are closing around the country and staff are losing jobs, as universities struggle to make ends meet.

    Plus, as the head of Ucas explained last week, universities are keen to enrol more UK undergraduates this year because there is more “uncertainty” around international student numbers, following government measures to reduce immigration.

    Home Office figures from 2024 showed 16% fewer visa applications were made, after stricter rules around visas for students’ family members came into effect.

  13. 'I'd love to come back and teach here'

    Jake Woods
    BBC News Northern Ireland, reporting from Bangor

    Max looking into the camera as he stands in front of a stage which has blue curtains pulled shut

    Max Hamilton in Bangor, Northern Ireland, is celebrating this morning.

    He's just got his results - a double distinction in his science BTec, and a C in music, which he says is his passion.

    Max hopes to make it "big" in his own band one day.

    "I have a lot of emotions - nervous, happy, sad to be leaving Bangor Academy, I would love to come back and teach here," he says.

  14. A surprise 'A' has put a smile on this student's face

    Emily Doughty
    Your Voice Your BBC News reporter, reporting from Middlesbrough College

    Grace smiling at the camera holding her results paper, which is blurred out. There's people standing in the background and a tv camera too.

    While Grace was confident her exam had gone well, she is especially happy to receive an A in chemistry, having expected to get a B.

    “I really didn’t expect it, I am really happy” she tells us.

    She is now looking forward to start her degree apprenticeship in a few short weeks.

  15. Straight to the pub for solicitor-to-be

    Emily Doughty
    Your Voice Your BBC News reporter, reporting from Middlesbrough College

    A girl smiling holding her results papers in a reception area of a school. People mill about behind her and there's some balloons to mark the occasion

    While for some A-levels are a bridge to go to university, for Maisie in Middlesbrough, her results of A*, A and B is a bridge for her to start an apprenticeship to become a solicitor.

    “I like working while studying and this will allow me to combine working in law while studying at university," she tells me.

    “These results will allow me to do that.”

    She is now off to the pub with her family before a 04:00 flight to Rome tomorrow to continue the celebrations.

  16. In pictures: Scenes of joy as students open results

    Results are being collected as we speak now, by hundreds of thousands across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    We're mostly seeing scenes of joy, thankfully, as people learn the outcome of their exams.

    There's also a few nervous faces on show, understandably.

    A boy takes a piece of paper from an outstretched hand. He stands in a classroom with people stood behind himPA Media

    Students have been collecting their results at the Latimers Arts College in Northamptonshire this morning

    Two girls in hijabs holding white A4 envelopes. the girl on the left is gasping in happieness while the girl on the right is looking at the other's results with her ;left hand covering her mouth as she smilesPA Media

    There are joyous looks of surprise for these two at the Ark Academy in London

    Two men, one older and one a student, look at a piece of paper they pull out of a brown envelope. One smiles broadly, the other slightly. The room is packed behind themPA Media

    Happiness and possibly some nerves as this envelope is opened in Solihull School, West Midlands

    A brunette girl is hugging another girl while holding a brown A4 envelope. In the background on the right, there is a hand holding up a sheet of paper that is obscuring a woman's facePA Media

    This Solihull School student seems over the moon

    A boy and girl look together at their results. There's more people blurred in the background and a large tv cameraPA Media

    It's time to compare results at London's Ark Academy

  17. National figures to come later this morning

    Thousands of students have now seen their exam results and know whether they're off to university.

    But we won't get the full picture until 09:30, when we'll be able to bring you the national breakdown of results as well as information about T-levels from the government.

    Stay with us as we wait for those figures.

  18. You've got your results - so, what next?

    A long thin black graphic with the words Your Voice Your BBC News in white block lettering. There are three small headshots in the middle which are rendered blue with red or grey backgrounds

    Unsure on next steps now that you've got your results? You're in luck. We've got a panel of experts on hand to answer all your questions throughout the day.

    Fire away. You can get in touch in the following ways: 

     In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.   

  19. Nerves in college as results released to hordes of students

    Emily Doughty
    Your Voice Your BBC News reporter, reporting from Middlesbrough College

    Lots of teenagers milling around a PE hall. There's a table where people are handing out results papers

    Students have been flooding into this hall at Middlesbrough college to receive their results.

    The atmosphere here is nervous but as students start opening their results, the mood is starting to shift.

  20. Didn’t get the grades for university? Don’t panic

    As we've just reported, record numbers have secured their first-choice university places this year.

    But what happens if you missed out on the grades you needed?

    If you only just miss out on the grades you need, the admissions office might accept you anyway or offer you a place on a different course.

    It might also be possible to take a resit in some exams. You could also try applying for a different place through the clearing process.

    The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) runs the process matching students with university and college courses which still have spaces. Students can use it if they:

    • Do not achieve the grades for their conditional offer
    • Do not receive any offers they want to accept
    • Decide after 30 June to apply for university
    • Achieve better grades than expected and want to change universities

    Clearing closes on 20 October.

    You can add a clearing choice in your UCAS Hub from 13:00 BST today.