London's A-level students have achieved a record lead over those in North East England and the East Midlands, with 32.7% of entries in the capital awarded A or A* this year, according to exam results released today. This is up from 32.1% in 2025 and represents the highest proportion of top grades for any region in England. In contrast, the North East and the East Midlands recorded the joint lowest rate at 23.1%, creating a 9.6 percentage point gap between London and each of these regions – the largest since the current grading system began in 2010, based on analysis by the Press Association.
Regional Breakdown and Trends
The gap between London and North East England has widened from 9.2 points in 2025, even though the North East saw a slight increase in top grades, from 22.9% to 23.1%. The East Midlands, however, experienced the biggest fall of any region, dropping from 23.8% to 23.1% in entries awarded A or A*. This decline pushed the gap with London up from 8.3 points in 2025 to 9.6 points this year.
Two other regions also saw year-on-year decreases in top grades: eastern England fell from 28.0% to 27.9%, and north-west England dropped from 26.6% to 26.5%. After London, the region with the highest percentage of A or A* entries was south-east England at 31.5%.
A* Grades and National Comparisons
For the top grade of A*, London again leads all regions at 12.0%, up from 11.6% in 2025. North East England and the East Midlands share the lowest A* rate at 6.9% – a slight rise in the North East from 6.8%, but a fall in the East Midlands from 7.4%. The East Midlands is the only region to see a year-on-year decline in A* entries.
At the national level, Wales has the highest A* rate at 10.7%, followed by England at 9.6% and Northern Ireland at 8.8%. For A or above, Northern Ireland leads at 30.7%, ahead of Wales (29.6%) and England (28.3%).
Detailed Data for 2026
Percentages of A-level entries awarded A* by nation and region in 2026, with 2025 and pre-pandemic 2019 figures: North-east England 6.9% (2025: 6.8%; 2019: 6.7%), North-west England 8.4% (2025: 8.3%; 2019: 6.9%), Yorkshire & the Humber 7.9% (2025: 7.7%; 2019: 6.5%), West Midlands 7.7% (2025: 7.4%; 2019: 6.3%), East Midlands 6.9% (2025: 7.4%; 2019: 5.8%), Eastern England 9.5% (2025: 9.3%; 2019: 7.9%), South-west England 8.9% (2025: 8.9%; 2019: 8.0%), South-east England 11.3% (2025: 11.0%; 2019: 9.0%), London 12.0% (2025: 11.6%; 2019: 8.7%), England 9.6% (2025: 9.4%; 2019: 7.7%), Wales 10.7% (2025: 10.5%; 2019: 8.9%), Northern Ireland 8.8% (2025: 8.7%; 2019: 8.0%), All 9.6% (2025: 9.4%; 2019: 7.7%).
Percentages of A-level entries awarded A or A*: North-east England 23.1% (2025: 22.9%; 2019: 23.0%), North-west England 26.5% (2025: 26.6%; 2019: 23.5%), Yorkshire & the Humber 25.7% (2025: 25.3%; 2019: 23.2%), West Midlands 24.2% (2025: 24.2%; 2019: 22.0%), East Midlands 23.1% (2025: 23.8%; 2019: 21.0%), Eastern England 27.9% (2025: 28.0%; 2019: 25.6%), South-west England 27.2% (2025: 27.0%; 2019: 25.8%), South-east England 31.5% (2025: 31.3%; 2019: 28.3%), London 32.7% (2025: 32.1%; 2019: 26.9%), England 28.3% (2025: 28.2%; 2019: 25.2%), Wales 29.6% (2025: 29.5%; 2019: 26.5%), Northern Ireland 30.7% (2025: 30.3%; 2019: 29.4%), All 28.5% (2025: 28.3%; 2019: 25.4%).
Percentages of A-level entries awarded C or above: North-east England 75.8% (2025: 74.9%; 2019: 76.3%), North-west England 78.4% (2025: 78.2%; 2019: 75.6%), Yorkshire & the Humber 78.1% (2025: 76.8%; 2019: 74.7%), West Midlands 74.6% (2025: 74.2%; 2019: 72.8%), East Midlands 73.5% (2025: 73.6%; 2019: 73.0%), Eastern England 77.9% (2025: 77.8%; 2019: 75.7%), South-west England 77.9% (2025: 77.3%; 2019: 76.0%), South-east England 79.5% (2025: 79.5%; 2019: 78.0%), London 80.5% (2025: 79.5%; 2019: 74.8%), England 78.1% (2025: 77.7%; 2019: 75.5%), Wales 77.6% (2025: 77.2%; 2019: 76.3%), Northern Ireland 86.9% (2025: 85.8%; 2019: 85.0%), All 78.4% (2025: 77.9%; 2019: 75.9%).
These figures highlight a widening regional divide in academic achievement, with London's performance continuing to outpace other parts of England. The East Midlands' decline in top grades and the North East's stagnation underscore persistent disparities that may influence future education policy discussions.
