Teachers should feel proud on A level results day, says Education Secretary

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has wished good luck to young people receiving their A level results this morning.

University offers will also be confirmed today, in a year where a record rate of 18-year-olds in England have applied to go onto higher education.

Provisional data in May showed a total of 745,585 A level entries in England this academic year. That included rises in the number of entries to science courses, as well as rises in computing and history.

The Education Secretary also thanked teachers and schools for their hard work.

He said: "Everyone receiving results today should feel proud of their achievements – as should the thousands of teachers that supported them in our brilliant schools and colleges. Today marks the culmination of years of hard work which it’s right to recognise at this time of year.

"Of course, the minds of thousands of young people getting their results will soon turn to the next chapter in their lives, whether that’s a place at one of our world class universities, earning on an apprenticeship or entering the world of work – and I hope every one of them is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for them and I wish them the very best of luck for their results today."

This year also sees the continuation of the Government’s reforms to A levels in England, with almost all A level exams sat this summer being reformed qualifications. The new A levels have been updated to provide the best possible preparation for further study and the world of work, with all exams sat at the end of the course. This removes continual testing and enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the subject before they are assessed. The new A levels are designed to have the same level of challenge as the previous qualifications.