A-level results day joy for more students than ever: Pass rate rises for the first time since reforms

Record numbers of teenagers were celebrating today after the A-level pass rate increased for the first time since tough new exam reforms were brought in — and more students than ever before were accepted to university.

The percentage of pupils passing exams rose, despite more teenagers taking tough subjects universities demand.

The UCAS admissions service said 409,000 candidates have already been accepted on to courses — more than have ever previously been given places on A-level results day.

Despite the overall increase, there has been a drop in the percentage of pupils being awarded the top A* and A grades. This is the first year the “cap” on the number of students universities are allowed to recruit has been lifted.

It means top universities will be taking as many high- achieving students as they want and will no longer be fined for going over their allocated number.

Clearing is expected to be busier than ever because students who did better than expected can “trade up”. They will join the clearing system alongside those who did not get the grades they need for an automatic university

place. As the cap has been lifted on the numbers each university can take, there is more competition among institutions to grab the best students first.

Results published today reveal:

Today’s results come after the first drop in the A-level pass rate in more than three decades was recorded last year. Students collecting their grades today were the second cohort to take their exams at one sitting in the summer after some resits were abolished.

Exam board chiefs hailed today’s results as a success. Andrew Hall of AQA said: “This is a year of stability. There were no major system changes this year and no major outcome changes.”

Today’s results revealed the percentage of top A* and A grades has dropped every year since 2011. Mr Hall said this could be because the numbers taking A-levels has increased, so weaker candidates who previously would not have taken the exam are now sitting it.