More than a quarter of A-levels were awarded an A or A* this year, despite a record drop as the Government attempts to reverse pandemic grade inflation.

This year, 27.2 per cent of A-levels in the UK were awarded top grades, down from 36.4 per cent last year, but still higher than in any pre-pandemic year on record.

In 2019, the share or entries achieving an A or A* was 25.5 per cent.

Hundreds of thousands of school-leavers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their results today. This year’s A-level cohort received the highest GCSE results on record when exams were replaced with teacher assessments in 2021. However, they have faced the harshest exam conditions of any Covid cohort for their A-levels.

Pupils in England were awarded the lowest share of As and A*s, at 26.5 per cent, compared to 34 per cent in Wales and 37.5 per cent in Northern Ireland.