A-level results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have reached their highest point outside the pandemic years, prompting questions over whether changes to AQA's grade boundaries have contributed to the surge.
Figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications show that 28.2% of entries achieved an A or A* — a new high for a non-COVID year. The proportion earning an A* alone rose to 9.4%, the highest since the introduction of A* grades in 2010. Overall pass rates also inched up, from 97.2% in 2024 to 97.5% this year.
