Resources for school trusts around A level, T level, and VTQ results
Today is a landmark day for thousands of young people across the country as they receive their A level, T level, and vocational & technical qualification (VTQ) results.
These qualifications matter in at least two ways. Looking back, they capture the journey each young person has taken — the years of learning, effort, and growth that have brought them to this point. Looking ahead, they open doors: to higher education, employment, training, and the many paths a young person might choose for their future.
It is natural on a day like this for much of the commentary to focus on the big picture — the national and institutional trends, the data, the patterns that shape our understanding of the system. But behind every headline sits an individual story: stories of achievement and persistence, of challenges overcome, and of personal milestones reached. This is what today is really about.
For those of you with post-16 provision, today will be filled with celebrations alongside students — and, where needed, quiet moments of reassurance and guidance. Others will feel the day’s significance in different ways: perhaps you have family members collecting results, or your schools helped lay the foundations for the successes being recognised today.
Results days are community days. They belong to students, staff, families, and the wider supports that have sustained each step of the journey. So, to all of you, and to every young person marking this moment of transition, we offer our congratulations. And, while this chapter may be complete, the rest of their story is only just beginning…
L3 & L2 Results: Support for CST members
We provide below a summary of the key national headlines. If you would like to dig into this further you may wish to register for the free webinar our partners at FFT are running tomorrow at 10:00: A-Level, T-Level and other L3 results day 2025: The main trends in grades and entries.
Similarly they are running a session next week on GCSE and other L2 results, which is on Thursday 21 August at 15:00. Please note, this is not a CST event and any data you share with FFT during registration will be controlled by FFT not CST.
On Thursday, 11 September 09:30-10:30, we will hold a free member webinar tailored specifically for our trustees and governance leaders to discuss the 2024-25 results, including GCSEs, A levels, Vocational Technical Qualifications (VTQs) and T levels. Trustees and governors can register for this session on CST’s professional community platform – more information about how to join our professional communities is available here.
L3 Results - Headlines
Context
2025 results are regarded overall to be very similar to those from 2024, with a relatively small number of points worth noting. Ofqual has provided the following helpful information: “This year the number of 18-year-olds is up on 2024, and there are some small but noticeable patterns in the type of qualifications they have chosen. The number of A levels being taken this year has actually fallen slightly since 2024, by about 2,500, and the trends in the choices of subject have continued. STEM subjects such as mathematics, further maths and physics have risen in popularity, even in a slightly smaller cohort, whereas some arts and humanities subjects have declined.
“There has been a small increase in pass rates. We can’t say for sure why this is the case, but there are some factors that could be part of the story. Based on prior attainment, such as these students’ GCSE grades, and relative to the national population of 18-year-olds, this year’s cohort of A level students seems to be stronger than last year’s.
“Moreover, this year’s A level students made their post-16 choices in 2023, which was the first year GCSE grading returned to normal after the pandemic. That could mean those students had a more accurate picture of their strengths to guide their choices. We can’t be certain but it may be that some students who might have taken A levels in previous years instead opted for some of the level 3 vocational options, such as applied general qualifications (for example BTECs) or T levels.
So today’s results may reflect changes in the choices of students two years ago, and the types of qualifications they wanted to study to take their next step. It is important to emphasise that while each year’s cohort of students will be slightly different, the standard of work needed to get a particular grade remains comparable with previous years. This means any change in numbers achieving a grade is entirely due to a change in student performance, not a change in the standard expected.”
Regional differences
Established patterns of differential regional performance have largely been replicated again this year. For example, at A level London performed the highest with 79.5% of results awarded at grade C and above. The lowest regional figures were in the East Midlands where this figure was 73.6% and in the North East where it was 74.9%.
A levels
- 66% of 18-year-old students took 3 A levels.
- Mathematics remains the most popular A level, with a 4.4% increase in entries on last year.
- Physics and economics entries have increased too.
- Psychology, Biology and History saw drops in the number taking these subjects.
A Level results: Male and Female outcomes (with 2024 comparison)
A* % |
A*-A % |
A*-E % |
||||
2025 |
(2024) |
2025 |
(2024) |
2025 |
(2024) |
|
Male |
9.9 |
9.5 |
28.4 |
27.9 |
97.0 |
96.7 |
Female |
9.1 |
9.1 |
28.2 |
28 |
97.8 |
97.6 |
Diff (M-F) |
+0.8 |
+0.4 |
+0.2 |
-0.4 |
+0.8 |
-0.9 |
Core maths
- Entries to core maths increased overall and for males and females. If this growth continues it is projected to overtake AS level maths in the next few years.
Vocational Technical Qualifications (VTQ)
- 220,553 Applied Generals were awarded.
- Of the medium sized VTQs, 11.9% were awarded at distinction*.
- In the large sized VTQs, 4.9% achieved 3 x distinction*
T levels
- This is the fourth year of T levels being awarded. There is a 61.4% increase in students receiving results compared to last year, representing a growth in the number of young people taking T levels.
- 11,909 students received overall results.
- 0.2% achieved Distinction*, with 15.9% achieving distinction* or distinction.
- 65.3% achieved a merit or above.
- 91.4% achieved a pass or above.
- Due to increases in pathways, providers and student entries, direct year-on-year comparisons should be treated with caution.
UCAS
- 255,130 UK 18-year-olds have been accepted, compared to 243,650 in 2024 (+4.7%).
- Overall 82% of those holding an offer who received their decision this morning have been placed on their first choice (UCAS’ firm), the same proportion as last year.
- In total, 439,180 applicants (all ages, all domiciles) have been accepted, up +3.1% on 425,860 last year – the highest number of placed students on results day on record.
- There has been an increase in the number of 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland gaining a place. There have been 35,920 accepted students from IMD Quintile 1 (+6.4%), 1,260 accepted students from WIMD Quintile 1 (+5.3%), and 1,060 from NIMDM Quintile 1 (+5.5%).
- Overall, 226,580 UK 18-year-olds have been accepted at their first (UCAS ‘firm’) choice compared with 216,750 last year (up 4.5%), while 26,330 have been placed at their insurance choice up from 24,850 in 2024 (up 6.0%). This means the UK 18-year-old entry rate on results day stands at 32.0%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points.
- The number of UK 18-year-olds accepted at higher, medium and lower tariff institutions have all increased; higher tariff +7.2%, medium tariff +4.5% and lower tariff +1.4%.
- The number of UK mature students (aged 21 and over) securing a place has declined, from 52,130 in 2024 to 50,880 this year (-2.4%).
- The number of accepted international undergraduate students applying via UCAS has risen (52,640 acceptances compared with 51,170 in 2024, up +2.9%) with the largest market, China, growing by +13.0% to 12,380 acceptances.
- The subjects with the largest percentage increases in placed students this year are engineering and technology with 30,020 placed applicants, up from 26,680 last year (+12.5%), mathematical sciences with 9,220 acceptances, an increase from 8,350 in 2024 (+10.5%) and law with 27,150 placed applicants compared with 24,590 last year (+10.4%)
- Dr Jo Saxton CBE, UCAS Chief Executive, noted: “This year's students were just 13 when the pandemic hit, and their secondary schooling was turned upside down. It’s great to see these applicants securing a university place in record numbers.”
Useful links
Ofqual
- Press release
- Summer results: 2025 statistical release
- Infographics for A level and VTQ Level 3 qualifications
- Interactive analytics for A levels, VTQ Performance Table qualifications and Technical Qualifications
- Ofqual blog
- Ofqual’s student guide to exams and assessments in 2025
- Understanding grading: toolkit for schools and colleges
- Latest updates
- Exam Procedure Review Service (EPRS) guide