Key statistics in this year’s A-level results

Maths remains the most popular subject, but economics has entered the top 10 for the first time.

Around one in 11 A-level entries in 2023 received an A*, down from around one in seven in 2022 but still higher than in 2019 (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

Here are the main figures in this year’s A-level results:

– The proportion of candidates receiving top grades has fallen from last year, but remains higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 27.2% of entries were awarded either an A or A*, down from 36.4% in 2022 but up from 25.4% in 2019.

– Around one in 11 (8.9%) of entries received an A*. This is down from around one in seven in 2022 (14.6%), but higher than the figure in 2019, which was 7.7%.

– The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.3%. This is down from 98.4% in 2022 and also below 2019, which was 97.6%. It is the lowest figure since 2008, when it stood at 97.2%.

– Some 76.0% received a C or above, down from 82.6% in 2022 but just above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9% in 2019.

– The lead enjoyed by girls over boys in the top grades has narrowed. The proportion of girls who got A or higher this year was 27.5%, 0.6 percentage points higher than boys (26.9%). Last year, girls led boys by 2.2 percentage points (37.4% girls, 35.2% boys).

– By contrast, boys have reclaimed their lead over girls in the highest grade, A*. The proportion of boys who got A* this year was 9.1%, 0.3 points higher than girls (8.8%). Girls had moved in front of boys in 2020 and remained ahead in 2021 and 2022. Boys had led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019.

– The most popular subject this year was maths, for the 10th year in a row. It had 96,853 entries, up 1.3% on 2022.

– Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 80,493 entries, up 2.2% on 2022. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 74,650 entries, a rise of 3.7%.

– Economics has entered the top 10 most popular subjects for the first time, with 39,141 entries, up 7.3% from 36,483 in 2022. Geography has slipped out of the top 10.

– German saw the biggest drop in candidates for a single subject with more than 1,000 entries, falling by 15.9% from 2,803 in 2022 to 2,358 this year.

– Computing saw the biggest jump in candidates of any single subject with more than 1,000 entries, rising by 16.7% from 15,693 to 18,306.

– A total of 867,658 A-levels were awarded, up 2.2% on last year’s 848,910.