Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Record A-Level Gap: Boys Top Grades, Inequality Persists

8/14/2025

39 6

Summary

Story summary

The gap in A-level results between London and the North East has reached a staggering 9.2 percentage points, the widest since 2010. For the first time in seven years, boys have outshone girls in top grades, driven by a surge in math enrollments. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson condemned persistent inequalities, especially for white working-class students, despite an overall pass rate climbing to 97.5%.

1 of 1

Story summary

The gap in A-level results between London and the North East has reached a staggering 9.2 percentage points, the widest since 2010. For the first time in seven years, boys have outshone girls in top grades, driven by a surge in math enrollments. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson condemned persistent inequalities, especially for white working-class students, despite an overall pass rate climbing to 97.5%.