Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

A-level grade percentages by nation and region

London is the region with the highest proportion of entries awarded grades of A and above, at 31.3%.

Ian Jones
Thursday 15 August 2024 10:53 BST
All regions of England saw a higher proportion of entries awarded A and above this year than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (David Davies/PA)
All regions of England saw a higher proportion of entries awarded A and above this year than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (David Davies/PA) (PA Archive)

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Every region of England has seen a year-on-year increase in the proportion of A-level entries awarded A and above, the 2024 exam figures show.

All regions also saw a higher proportion of entries awarded A* or A this year than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded A and above, at 31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023.

The East Midlands had the lowest, at 22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023.

The gap between these two regions was 8.8 percentage points, up from 7.7 points last year.

In 2023, north-east England had the lowest proportion of entries awarded A or above, at 22.0%, while south-east England had the highest, at 30.3%: a gap of 8.3 points.

But this year the gap between these two regions narrowed to 6.9 points (north-east England 23.9%, south-east England 30.8%).

Meanwhile, the proportion of entries awarded A and above in Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen sharply year on year, as these nations complete the return to pre-pandemic levels of grading.

In Wales, the figure has dropped from 34.0% in 2023 to 29.9%, while in Northern Ireland it has decreased from 37.5% to 30.3%, though both of these are still above the 2019 pre-pandemic figures of 26.5% and 29.4% respectively.

Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded the top grades (A*/A) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for both 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019:

– North-east England 23.9% (2023: 22.0%; 2019: 23.0%)– North-west England 25.5% (2023: 24.1%; 2019: 23.5%)– Yorkshire & the Humber 24.6% (2023: 23.0%; 2019: 23.2%)– West Midlands 24.8% (2023: 22.9%; 2019: 22.0%)– East Midlands 22.5% (2023: 22.3%; 2019: 21.0%)– Eastern England 27.5% (2023: 26.6%; 2019: 25.6%)– South-west England 26.9% (2023: 26.3%; 2019: 25.8%)– South-east England 30.8% (2023: 30.3%; 2019: 28.3%)– London 31.3% (2023: 30.0%; 2019: 26.9%)– England 27.6% (2023: 26.5%; 2019: 25.2%)– Wales 29.9% (2023: 34.0%; 2019: 26.5%)– Northern Ireland 30.3% (2023: 37.5%; 2019: 29.4%)– All 27.8% (2023: 27.2%; 2019: 25.4%)

Here is the A-level pass rate (entries awarded A*-E grades) by nation and region:

– North-east England 97.6% (2023: 97.6%; 2019: 98.3%)– North-west England 97.6% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.9%)– Yorkshire & the Humber 97.3% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.8%)– West Midlands 96.8% (2023: 96.8%; 2019: 97.1%)– East Midlands 96.6% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 97.4%)– Eastern England 97.1% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%)– South-west England 97.4% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.7%)– South-east England 97.3% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.8%)– London 96.9% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 96.8%)– England 97.1% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.5%)– Wales 97.4% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.6%)– Northern Ireland 98.5% (2023: 98.8%; 2019: 98.4%)– All 97.2% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%)

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in