In Wales, students have been assured they will not get lower grades than their AS-level results.

Anna Brychan, of University of Wales, Trinity St Davids, warned Welsh students may be disadvantaged as the system in England - where grades cannot be lower than mock results - is different.

"Your students could be marked down because of [the school's] historic results and that feels, and is, deeply unfair," she says.

"In the appeals process, if we can look at prioritising or giving a voice to those schools in that position, that would be a very valuable thing to do."

You can follow results day in Wales on our dedicated live page here.

It's expected that despite disruption due to the pandemic, a majority of A-level students will get A* to C today.

But around 40% of grades will be different from teachers' predictions.

About 8% of students will get A* - with 27% getting A* or A. 78% will get A* to C.

Psychology is now the second most popular subject, after maths. Girls will outperform boys, except in A*s.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland will get more top grades than England and Wales.

There will be 25,000 university courses available in clearing, including 4,500 in top Russell Group universities.

More students have been accepted on to UK degree courses this year, Ucas figures show.

In total, 358,860 people from across the UK have had places confirmed, up 2.9% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.

The figures show that 34,310 international students from outside the EU have been accepted, up 2%, while acceptances from students within the EU have fallen by 15.2%, to 22,430.

A total of 415,600 students have a confirmed place on an undergraduate course in the UK. It's a 1.6% increase on results day last year.

For some students, the wait is over and they have finally found out what results they have been awarded.

At Wilberforce Sixth Form College in Hull, Will says he is "really happy" to see he has got two As and an A* and will be going on to study marketing at Hull University.

“I think it’s been very difficult because obviously some people aren’t going to have got what they expected to get but, however I think for me it’s worked out really well," he tells the BBC.

“I feel fortunate because it’s reflected the hard work I’ve put in over the two years.”

Image source, PA Media

In England, head teachers have complained of a "shambles" at the last-minute switch to a "triple lock" system for results.

It's essentially a guarantee this year's cohort will get the grade that was highest out of three assessments:

• their estimated grade
• an optional written paper in the autumn
• or an appeal through their school if the estimated result is lower than the mock exam

School leaders have warned mock exams were run in many different ways by schools and it was wrong to try to use them to decide exam results.

Read more here.

Mr Williamson told Today that the government had been working with the university sector to ensure institutions keep their admissions open until 7 September.

He also pointed to “early discussions” with universities about running a “late clearing process” that could enable young people to start university later than normal – in January, rather than September.

Image source, Reuters

It's a busy morning for Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.

He's told BBC's Radio 4 Today programme 90% of pupils will either be awarded the grade the school gave them today, or within one grade of it.

He said the “overwhelming majority” of students who wish to go to university would know by the end of today where they’d be going.

And he said schools could appeal on behalf of students on the basis of a “valid” mock exam, which he described as one done “with proper rigour” and in a “controlled environment.”

As long as schools get their appeals in “early”, he said, then Ofqual - which regulates qualifications - and exam boards would ensure they came back to schools by 7 September.

If picking up A-level or BTec results wasn't memorable enough, for students in the class of 2020 it comes after a final year to their studies unlike any experienced before.

Three students reveal how they feel.

Examinations and assessments were cancelled as part of the coronavirus lockdown in March – so this year’s results have been estimated.

But controversy has surrounded how results have been decided - with head teachers angry at the use of mock exam grades.

In Scotland, disadvantaged pupils lost out from changes which tried to standardise results based on a school or college’s previous performance - a problem that caused protests and a U-turn.

For England, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson unveiled a so-called “triple-lock” system to prevent the same from happening. It means students will get the higher of:

• their estimated grade
• an optional written paper in the autumn
• or an appeal through their school if the estimated result is lower than the mock exam

Read more here.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage as thousands of students receive their A-level and vocational results across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Join us throughout the morning for updates.