Northern Ireland Leads UK in A-Level Results

Hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland received their A-level, BTec, and T-level results on Thursday, August 13, 2026, marking a key milestone in their educational journeys. Northern Ireland emerged as the top-performing region in the UK, with 86.9% of its A-level entries achieving a grade of C or above, surpassing London's 80.5%. The results day unfolded amid a shifting higher education landscape, where universities are expected to be more flexible with admissions due to a decline in international student numbers.

In Northern Ireland, the proportion of entries awarded top grades saw a marginal increase. According to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), 30.7% of students received a grade A or above, a slight rise from 30.3% in the summer of 2025. The region recorded 33,824 A-level entries this year, with 8.8% achieving an A grade, compared to 8.7% the previous year. Overall, 98.9% of students in Northern Ireland achieved grades from A to E. STEM subjects continued to be popular, accounting for over one-third of entries, with Mathematics remaining the most chosen subject.

Across the wider UK, the results were...