Millions of students opened their GCSE results on Thursday morning, with national figures showing a rise in top grades but a decline in the standard pass rate to pre-pandemic levels.
Top Grades Rise Slightly
More than a fifth (22.0%) of UK entries were awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade – this year, up by 0.1 percentage points on last year, when 21.9% achieved the top grades. This was higher than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, when 20.8% of entries achieved the top grades.
Standard Pass Rate Falls
The proportion of entries getting at least a 4 or a C grade – considered a “standard pass” – has fallen from 67.4% in 2025 to 67.3% this year – a drop of 0.1 percentage points, and the same as in 2019.
Gender Gap Narrows
The gap in results between boys and girls has shrunk again, and is at its narrowest point this century. Overall, nearly a quarter (24.4%) of girls’ GCSE entries were awarded at least a grade 7/A compared with almost a fifth of boys’ entries (19.6%): a 4.8 percentage point gap, down from a difference of 5.1 last year.
Overall Entries Rise
Overall entries for GCSEs have risen slightly – up 0.6% on 2025 – after dropping last year.
