The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades has soared to its highest level for six years, with more than one in four gaining an A or A*.

But there has been a drop in the percentage of entries handed the best result.

National figures show the A*-A pass-rate for the UK has risen for the second year in a row.

EDUCATION Alevels
(PA Graphics)

In total, 26.4% of UK entries were given one of the two top grades – up 0.1 percentage point on 2017, according to data published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

This is the highest percentage since 2012, according to Press Association analysis.

About one in 12 (8%) entries scored an A* grade, down 0.3 percentage points on last year, according to the JCQ. This is the lowest it has been since 2013.

The overall A*-E pass-rate has fallen 0.3 percentage points to 97.6% – the lowest since 2010.

Boys continue to outperform girls at the highest grades, the figures show, with 26.6% of boys’ entries awarded at least an A, compared with 26.2% for girls.

A subject breakdown shows that Chinese has overtaken German in popularity for the first time.

There were 3,334 entries for Chinese this year, up 8.6% on last year, while 3,058 took German – down 16.5%.

EDUCATION Alevels Chinese
(PA Graphics)

Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) are attracting increasing numbers of students.

More than a third (36.2%) of A-level entries were in these subjects, up from 34.5% last year, and 28% in 2009.

The results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland come after a major overhaul of the qualifications in England.

AS-levels have been hived off to form a standalone qualification and there has been a move away from coursework and modular exams.

Grades have been awarded for the first time for new A-levels in languages, geography, dance, drama and theatre, music, PE and religious studies.

They join the 13 A-level subjects for which the first grades were handed out last summer.

Students celebrate their A Level results at Peter Symonds College, Winchester (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Students celebrate their results at Peter Symonds College, Winchester (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Exams regulator Ofqual says it has processes in place to ensure results are comparable with last year, and no students are disadvantaged by being the first to sit reformed qualifications.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds rejected suggestions that the changes meant that students were not able to fully demonstrate their abilities.

“Reformed A-levels help to prepare young people better for what comes next, which for many of them will be going to university and for others, other routes of further study,” he said.

“Doing A-levels is a complete course over two years, and without having to do public exams at the end of the lower sixth year, that does enable you to look at the subject as a whole.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “Eleven new A-levels were sat for the first time this year, 13 last year and a further tranche will be sat next year, and there have also been major changes to vocational qualifications.

“All this is in addition to the biggest overhaul of GCSEs in their 30-year history.

“The sheer weight of these reforms has placed an intolerable additional strain on staff and students and we have no doubt that this has affected the mental health and wellbeing of a proportion of young people and teachers. The Government must pay heed and ensure that any future reforms are introduced in a more manageable and considered manner.”

As A-level results were published, separate figures showed a fall in the number of students accepted on degree courses this year.

Ucas data shows that 411,860 students – from the UK and overseas – have taken up places, down 1% on the same point last year when 416,310 had been accepted.