79 per cent students get first-choice university place

Seventy-nine per cent of 18-year-old pupils in the UK have gained a place at their first choice university, after receiving their A-Level results.

16,530 students who received free school meals (FSM) have also gained a place at university, which is a 60% increase from 2019.

This year has seen mathematics continue to be the most popular A Level since 2014 as well as record-breaking numbers of A Level entries in computing, producing over 16% more entries than last year. The data from this year’s results day show 34.8% of entries from free schools and 25.4% of entries from academies getting a grade A or above - compared to 22.0% of entries from local authority maintained comprehensive schools.

Around 3,400 T Level students received their results as the second ever cohort completed the new, high quality technical qualification. 90.5% of T Level students achieved a pass or above.

Over 250,000 certificates were awarded for those completing their Level 3 vocational and technical qualifications.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: "It’s fantastic to see the number of young people accepted to university - including to their first choice - continue to be up on the years before the pandemic, while thousands more go off to exciting apprenticeships and the world of work.

"As always, there are a wide range of fantastic options for those who did not get the results they hoped for, and students can find out more by visiting the UCAS website or through the National Careers Service."