The gap between the number of students getting top A-level grades in the North East and London has grown to another record level. Almost a third of students in the capital, 32.7%, were awarded A or A* when results were released on Thursday morning. That compares to only 23.1% in the North East, which was the joint-lowest rate in England alongside the East Midlands.
While the percentage of A-level pupils in the region achieving top marks has risen slightly, up 0.2% from 2025, it remains well short of the 28.3% England average. The 9.6% gap to London is the highest since the current system of grading began in 2010.
Regional leaders warn of 'urgent need'
Northern leaders warned that the widening gap between London and the North showed an "urgent need" to deliver on Andy Burnham’s promise of reducing regional inequalities.
The North East also saw a jump from 2025 in the number of youngsters achieving A* to C grades, up from 74.9% to 75.8%. That figure puts the region above the East and West Midlands, but still below the 78.1% national average and both Yorkshire (78.1%) and the North West (78.4%).
While more than three-quarters of pupils here achieved A* to C, the rate remains slightly lower than the pre-pandemic level of 76.3% in 2019. London’s A* to C rate was again the highest in the country, at 80.5%.
Mission North East aims to boost performance
Earlier this year, the Government announced the launch of Mission North East – a targeted programme aimed at boosting school performance here, hoping to repeat the success of the London Challenge introduced by the previous Labour administration.
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said that pupils from across the region were "still behind" in having access to the most competitive university courses. He added: "Congratulations to every college student and school leaver receiving their BTEC, T-Level and A Level results across the North of England today. We should thank all those who have taught them as well as those including their carers and families who will have supported them."
"It is disappointing that every region of England for A-Level at A* and A is below the English average apart from London and the South East, and the gap between all three northern regions and London has widened since last year. That means young people in the North are still behind when it comes to securing the highest grades that open the door to the most competitive university courses. The North is home to many of the country's leading universities and we must all do more to open the door to those opportunities."
Murison, a former Newcastle councillor, also said: "As Lucy Powell begins her time as Education Secretary, she brings a longstanding commitment to tackling the inequalities that hold young people back. We know that persistent long-term disadvantage is one of the biggest drivers of these regional gaps, which is why we have argued for reform of the Pupil Premium so that funding reflects not simply whether a child has experienced disadvantage, but how long they have lived with it. These results underline the urgent need to make progress on that agenda."
Local results vary across the region
Within the North East mayoral authority region, County Durham was the top-performing area - with 28.5% of pupils getting A or A* grades. It was followed by North Tyneside on 27.7%, Newcastle on 26.6%, Gateshead on 23.9%, Northumberland on 19.3%, South Tyneside on 17.9%, with Sunderland among the lowest in the country on 13.2%.
Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East, said that schools in the region are "not operating on a level playing field" because of entrenched disadvantages, a lack of infrastructure, growing SEND needs, and intense pressure on public services. He added: "North East schools have worked in challenging contexts to ensure educational outcomes have returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, despite these efforts, London has moved significantly further ahead."
"That should tell policymakers something important. There is not a North-South divide in the quality of schools or in the potential and ambition of young people. There is a structural divide in the circumstances and opportunities surrounding them. Today’s regional table is a map of that divide, not a league table of school quality."
Fiona Spellman, chief executive of education charity the Shine Trust, highlighted the "growing gulf" between the educational opportunities available to young people across the country. She added: "We welcome the focus this government has placed on reducing the attainment gap and on reducing child poverty, including through targeted funding for regional programmes like Mission North East. However, the figures today show there is a long way to go."
"As the new Prime Minister has said, it is important that local places get to determine their own priorities for spending, which align with local challenges and opportunities. We look forward to working with partners across the North to achieve greater fairness and opportunity for all."
Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said pupils should be proud of their A-level achievements – especially as their secondary school experience was heavily disrupted by the pandemic. However, he added: "But these results also reveal an increasingly stark regional divide, as London continues to pull further ahead of the rest of England."
"The attainment gap has grown between London and the North East and East Midlands, the two lowest performing regions. But so has the gap between London the second best performing region, the South East. A young person’s chances shouldn’t depend so heavily on where they go to school, and these results underline the need for concerted action to tackle the attainment gap and regional differences across England."
"It’s encouraging that record numbers of young people have secured university places. But this increase is mainly due to a larger population, whereas the entry rate for 18 year olds has actually dropped slightly. And the proportion of students planning to live at home during their studies has also continued to rise, meaning costs could be limiting the university options for many young people, particularly those who aren’t from big cities."
