As it happened: 45% of pupils get top A-level grades

1. Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results
2. The number of As and A*s awarded have increased to 44.8% from 38.5% last year
3. Because of the pandemic grades have been determined by teachers' estimates, rather than exams
4. Scottish Highers, National 5s and Advanced Highers results are also being confirmed
5. Students in Scotland received grades decided by their teachers after provisional grades were awarded in June
6. Hundreds of thousands of students who studied for BTecs - practical qualifications aimed at specific jobs - are also getting their results
7. They have also received teacher-assessed grades - although some practical assessments were carried out under social-distancing guidelines
8. The A-level results follow last year's chaos when grades were initially calculated based on an algorithm
9. This meant teachers estimates were used in most cases in 2020
10. The head of exams watchdog Ofqual says teacher assessments give a "more accurate reflection" of what students can achieve

Thanks for joining us

We're now closing our live page. Thank you for reading, sharing your exam result stories and putting questions to our experts.

There will be more coverage on Thursday, when pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their GCSE results - which have also been graded using teachers' estimates, looking at various pieces of work and mock exams over the past year.

The live page writers today were Mary O'Connor, Alex Therrien and Eleanor Lawrie. The editors were Emma Harrison and Robert Corp.

What's happened today?

PA

We'll soon be closing our A-level and BTec results live page. But before we do, here is a round-up of the main developments from today.

• Top grades for A-level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have reached a record high - with 44.8% getting A* or A grades. This second year of replacement results, after exams were cancelled, has seen even higher results than last year when 38.5% achieved top grades
• One inner city state school secured 55 places at Oxbridge, which is more than the offers made to Eton College students. The majority of pupils at Brampton Manor Academy in Newham, east London, are from ethnic minority backgrounds, in receipt of free school meals, or will be the first in their family to attend university
• National Association of Head Teachers' leader Paul Whiteman rejected warnings of "grade inflation", saying the results of this year could not be compared to others
• But Dr Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group of leading universities, warned increases in the top grades meant that some university courses "may not be able to accept students who narrowly missed their offer grades this time"
• Hundreds of thousands of students who studied for BTecs in practical and vocational subjects have been getting their results, with many having to undertake socially-distanced practical assessments

• In Scotland, Highers, National 5s and Advanced Highers results were confirmed officially
• The percentage of pupils achieving A grades hit a record high, though the pass rate for Scottish school qualifications dropped slightly

'I'm worried about starting uni without any exam experience'

'I'm worried about starting university without any experience of exams'

There are a unique set of school pupils who will be entering universities this year without ever having sat an official final exam.

Both Nicola and Mauvi in their fourth year of high school in Scotland decided to study two-year highers.

This meant they did not sit National 5 exams and then, due to exams being cancelled because of coronavirus, were not able to sit official final exams in 5th or 6th year.

They are both starting university and are worried about the academic year to come.

They are concerned their lack of official exam experience will make starting university even more daunting.

Dr Edward Sosu, an education expert based at the University of Strathclyde, says universities were aware that students starting with them this year were in an unusual position.

How did your region perform for As and A*s?

As we've been reporting, top grades for A-level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have reached a record high - with 44.8% getting A* or A grades.

But how do the results compare by region?

Here are the percentage of A-level entries awarded the top grades by nation and region:

North-east England 39.2% (up from 35.6% in 2020)

North-west England 41.4% (35.8%)

Yorkshire & the Humber 41.1% (35.0%)

West Midlands 40.9% (35.0%)

East Midlands 41.3% (34.5%)

Eastern England 44.8% (38.3%)

South-west England 44.7% (38.8%)

South-east England 47.1% (41.2%)

London 47.9% (40.7%)

England 44.3% (up from 38.1%)

Wales 48.3% (41.8%)

Northern Ireland 50.8% (43.3%)

All 44.8% (up from 38.5%)

What's happened to students doing coursework?

What happens to students who are taking subjects that include coursework? - Ali Hamza Rasheed, Manchester

Joanne Elliott from the National Careers Service says:

Teachers and tutors have taken an evidence-based approach this year. They have based grades on students' performance, using evidence such as coursework and other assessments done in class.

Students have only been assessed on content that they have been taught. So if you missed something because you had to isolate you will not be graded on that work.

Catherine Sezen from the Association of Colleges says:

Vocational technical qualifications such as BTec or OCR Technical include a mixture of coursework and exams. They also had adaptations this year, including teacher-assessed grades.

The results for these qualifications at Level 3 (the same level as A-level) have been announced today. The Level 2s will be announced on Thursday alongside GCSEs.

Results for other practical qualifications will come throughout the summer.

Read more answers to A-level queries, and submit your own question

Top BTec student 'wanted to prove everyone wrong'

PA Media

Ellie Curran and mum Margie

Hundreds of thousands of students have been getting their BTec and A-level results today, including Ellie Curran, aged 19.

She is celebrating after achieving A* in sociology and a B in business at A-level and a distinction in BTec law, meaning she can go to Liverpool Hope University and study criminology.

Ellie, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, says she is "in shock" at the results and working from home during the pandemic has been "dead hard".

She received her results at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool.

Her mother Margie says: "She's very dedicated, in lockdown she would be up at 8am at her desk.

"She's always been dedicated, I think she just wants to prove everyone wrong and show she can do it."

BTecs are practical qualifications aimed at specific job or career sectors such as engineering, hospitality and childcare.

Like A-levels, results have been based on teacher assessments this year.

Find out more about how they've been graded - and what to do if you're unhappy with your results.

WATCH: 'We've put in the work and we deserve the grades'

As we've been reporting all day - students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been getting their A-level results today - with almost 45% of those taking them getting the top grades of A* and A.

Click play below to see pupils sharing their grades with the BBC.

A-level results: 'We have put in the work and we deserve these grades'

'Exams uncertainty made it difficult to prepare'

Pupils in Scotland have today been having their grades confirmed for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.

BBC Scotland has spoken to a number of pupils at Portlethan Academy in Aberdeenshire who shared their results and views on the grading process.

Handout

Abbie Collett says she would welcome a return to the normal exams system

S5 pupil Abbie Collett says she is "very happy" with her A, B and two Cs as well as a pass in a foundation apprenticeship, and hopes to study primary education after sixth year.

But prior to the cancellation of exams, she found it "difficult" not knowing how her work would be assessed.

"I thought I might have done worse due to everything going on, but I was happy with my grades that I needed and the teachers were a big help this year with pushing you with what you wanted to do."

Nevertheless, Abbie says she would welcome a return to the normal exam system.

Handout

Ross Greenlees hopes to pursue a career in catering

Ross Greenlees feels the initial uncertainty around the exams process made it "difficult to prepare", but thinks the eventual assessment of his work is "fair".

He got two As at Nat 5 level, a C and a pass in an apprenticeship in food and drink technology.

"It was pretty good considering the circumstances," he says. "We sort of knew our grades before today but getting the confirmation those were the final grades was a good feeling."

Ross hopes to go to college for a cooking course and pursue a career in catering - but first comes S6.

Remote learning ‘difficult’ with eight siblings

Alice Evans

Newsbeat

BBC

Matt Calloway says university will feel like an extended holiday after the year he’s had trying to study at home.

Like every other student across the UK, the 18-year-old’s studies were interrupted by Covid – but he had to fit his learning around eight other siblings at home in Bristol.

“It made it a lot more difficult,” he tells BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat.

“Trying to do online learning with them was never going to happen.”

As the second eldest, he also had to help out his younger siblings with their school work.

“I didn’t realise how hard primary school work is,” he says.

After juggling all of that, Matt “surprised myself” by meeting the conditions of his offer.

He picked up a double merit in construction and an A-level in photography, so is going to Middlesex University to study criminology and psychology.

Will unis make allowances for next year's students?

I'm doing my exams next year and I'm very worried. I know some students wait a year to apply, so I'll be competing for university places against students with grades from 2021.

Will universities be making allowances for my year? - Harry, Yorkshire

Courteney Sheppard from Ucas says:

Each year, the universities will consider the current cohort of students with their grades on merit based on that year.

Make sure to look at the entry requirements of the courses that you are interested in, and do your best to get the grades that the universities are asking for.

I would suggest that you consider courses with differing entry requirements for your Ucas application. Some of these choices could be aspirational. Others could be "safe" if you think you will definitely meet the requirements, including achievable grades.

Read more and ask your own questions here

State school students who won Oxbridge places: 'The struggle was real'

PA Media

Students Ade Olugboji (right) and Nyat Aron-Yohannes celebrate at Brampton Manor Academy in London

We'll go back now to hear from students at the inner city state school Brampton Manor Academy in Newham, east London, after pupils there secured more Oxbridge places than leading private leading schools, including Eton.

Eighteen-year-old Nyat Aron-Yohannes, from Purfleet, Essex, got three A*s and is going to Oxford to study philosophy, politics and economics.

Reflecting on the work she put in to get the results, she says: "The struggle was real."

She adds: "We woke up early to come into school and sometimes it did not even seem like it was worth it at those times when the grades were not matching up to your work ethic.

"Then lockdown happened and you had to persevere on your own because you did not have your classmates or teachers physically nearby to push you. You had to find strength somewhere else.

"I am just grateful it paid off, we were walking in faith."

Ade Olugboji, 18, also from Purfleet, got four A*s and is going to study maths and philosophy at Oxford.

He says: "Brampton has a philosophy of hard work.

"I started at 6am and left at 6pm.

"I knew there was going to be work but I did not understand the level until I got here.

"The thing is once I saw everyone else working so hard and so well, it did not seem that it (success) was impossible."

In all, 350 students took their A-levels at the school this year with 330 getting into Russell Group universities, including the 55 who got into Oxbridge.

Analysis: This year the usual rules don't apply

Sean Coughlan

BBC News, education correspondent

PA Media

It won't just be teenagers with great A-level grades jumping in the air in celebration.

Away from the photographers, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, the exam boards and watchdogs might be tempted to have a quiet results' day leap of their own.

Because after the chaotic U-turns of last year's exams, this year has been a much smoother run.

It might be because results are way above anything ever seen before, thus fewer reasons to complain.

Last year, the algorithm process saw about 40% of teacher assessed grades being downgraded, this time exam boards only intervened to change 1% of grades.

As exam officials said in a briefing, these results reflect an ideal world where no one had a bad day in an exam hall and everyone had multiple chances to do well.

But there will be consequences for those chasing university places - with warnings of a crush for top places in a year when more people than ever have applied.

Once today's celebrations have finished, there will nervous glances ahead to next year.

Because having allowed results to rise like a kite, at what point and how do you pull them down again?

You can read more from Sean here.

The inner city school with more Oxbridge places than Eton

PA Media

Student Amina Lounici, 18 (centre), celebrates with her friend at Brampton Manor Academy in London

Pupils at an inner city state school are celebrating after 55 teenagers got the A-level grades needed for them to study at Oxbridge, which is more than the offers made to Eton College students.

The majority of pupils at Brampton Manor Academy in Newham, east London, are from ethnic minority backgrounds, in receipt of free school meals, or will be the first in their family to attend university.

Sam Dobin, Brampton's sixth form director, says he is "delighted" that 55 of its students are now set to study at Oxford or Cambridge University this year, which is more than leading independent schools.

At Eton, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson studied, 48 pupils secured Oxbridge offers, a fall from 69 last year.

'I didn't know any English when I came to the UK, now I'm off to Oxford'

Tiara Hardy

When Marty Hardy moved with her family to the UK from Italy in 2012, she says she did not know a word of English.

She tells the BBC: "I went to school from Year 5 and I was assigned a teaching assistant for extra English lessons.

"I used to carry around a dictionary at school so that I could understand what my friends were saying to me."

But nine years later, Marty, 18, has secured 2A*s and an A at A-level and is off to read psychology and linguistics at the University of Oxford.

Marty, who took her A-levels at Twynham Sixth Form in Bournemouth, says: "I never thought of going to Oxford University before, but in Year 12 I was getting high grades and my teachers asked me about options."

She says she also has a TEFL qualification and hopes to become an English teacher in the future.

Labour 'concerned' over inequities in results - Green

UK Parliament

Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green has been speaking to the BBC after top grades for A-level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit a record high.

She says we should "recognise and congratulate" students on their results after a year of disruption to their education and paid tribute to teachers and staff in universities and colleges for working to ensure young people got fair grades.

However, Green says she is "concerned" about the "inequities" between regions and the different education sectors in the results.

For example, in London, 47.9% were A* and A grades, while in the north-east of England, it was 39.2%.

She adds: "I think there are real inequities to be concerned about in these results and that was to a degree inevitable because the government left it to schools to decide how they would carry out assessments and we know that means students haven't been assessed identically in every school, in every part of the country."

Green adds there are "real lessons" to be learned about what extra help and protections are needed "to compensate for some of these inequities that we've got in the results".

Green insists the "focus" should now be on next steps if students haven't got the grades they feel they should have, with an appeals process that works "swiftly and smoothly" to help them - especially those whose university places depend on it, while also protecting those from less privileged backgrounds.

As the government hopes for a return to exams next year, Green urges ministers to give schools the plans for this now so they can prepare students properly for what the assessment process is going to be like.

'It was hard. But everyone was in the same position'

BBC Newsbeat

BBC

When the UK went into lockdown in January this year, Jack was tempted to give up on his exams.

He's just collected the results for his Scottish National 5 exams - the equivalent to GCSEs in other parts of the UK.

"When we first got told we were doing online learning, I was thinking to myself, at my lowest point: 'Let's just bin off the 5s, I'm not going to get what I want," he tells Newsbeat.

Jack, 15, who attends Braidhurst High School in Motherwell, got three As and two Bs, despite struggling with remote learning.

He says he's "really happy" with how things turned out.

Katie, 16, who goes to the same school, got seven As in her National 5s, and says it was "hard" getting there, but felt she "had to go on with it because everyone was in the same position".

She found that playing with her football team helped take her mind of the exam stress.

"I know that it was important to take a break and go to training, so I could get my mind off things and enjoy myself," she tells Newsbeat.

"I know it was important to do both.”

'We've experienced things that other years haven't'

Hywel Griffith

BBC News' Wales Correspondent

Coleg y Cymoedd

Leah Morgan: "We've had a lot of uncertainty"

Leah Morgan is off to study nuclear medicine at Swansea University, thanks to her four A*s in mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics.

"We've experienced things that other years haven't," she says.

"We've had a lot of uncertainty, and at the end of the day, our results came from tests that were done under exam conditions."

Leah, an A-level student at Coleg y Cymoedd Nantgarw campus in South Wales, says her year group's results are "very valid".

"My uni has taken them [my grades] into account and they're happy with them.

"And you know as soon as uni is done that's your next grade. That's what jobs will be looking at so these (A-Level results) won’t matter in a couple of years' time."

Aspiring student medics to be offered £10,000 to switch schools

University of Exeter

Students are being offered incentives to defer their place at the University of Exeter's medical school

Aspiring student medics are to be offered £10,000 if they need to move medical schools due to capacity limits.

The Medical Schools Council (MSC), which represents 44 heads of UK medical schools, has started a "brokerage programme" after more university applicants met the terms of their offers than expected.

The scheme for oversubscribed schools means that students who are required to move medical schools will receive £10,000 "for the inconvenience".

The method for distributing this funding will be confirmed "in due course", according to the MSC.

Last week, the Department for Education (DfE) announced extra funding would be given to England's medicine and dentistry schools to expand this year's courses.

Ucas figures released on Tuesday show 8,560 students from England have been accepted on to medicine and dentistry courses, up 23% from 6,960 on last year's results day.

The government limits the number of places on medicine and dentistry courses in England.

But the DfE has announced the cap will be adjusted to allow for more than 9,000 places on medical and dentistry courses for 2021.

The MSC says a "limiting factor" to the expansion of medical school places is the availability of clinical placements for students during their years on the course.

Recently, the University of Exeter wrote to students who had applied to study medicine with an offer of free accommodation and £10,000 cash if they are prepared to delay their course for a year.

'I worry we might not get employed'

Hywel Griffith

BBC News' Wales Correspondent

Coleg y Cymoedd

Back at Coleg y Cymoedd in Nantgarw, Dylan Coundley-Hughes is off to the University of Southampton to study biology.

He is a bit concerned employers might think this year's students had an easier time than the year groups before and after them.

"It is a worry because I can see people may be like ‘oh you were from this year’.. we might not get employed compared to someone else," he says.

"But we can't do anything about it, so we need to just get on with it."

Dylan received an A* in biology, and As in maths and geography.

Exams regulator defends A-level marking

The chief regulator of England's exams watchdog Ofqual has defended the approach to awarding this year's A-level grades.

Simon Lebus told Radio 4's The World at One "teachers were in the best position to make those judgements".

Holding nationally standardised exams would simply not have been practical, he said.

"If one thinks about it, at the beginning of June I think there were about a quarter of a million students in isolation because of problems with Covid, that had gone up to three quarters of a million by the end of June so it would have been complete mayhem if we'd been conducting exams in the normal way."

Lebus also rejected the notion that there has been grade inflation, suggesting it was not comparing like with like.

But he said there does need to be a discussion about returning to something like the distribution of grades seen in the past, noting that "there's clearly got to be a managed progression back to the old normal... I think there's a big debate to be had about how quickly that happens."

He added that the discrepancy between state and private school results was also consistent with the attainment gap already evident.

In independent schools 70.1% of pupils achieved A* and A grades, while this was 39% at comprehensive schools.