School leaders have warned the “disproportionate impact” of Covid on northern pupils was not effectively taken into account in this year’s A-level results, after it emerged that regional divides had widened.
London saw the biggest increase in top grades between 2019 and 2021. The proportion of A* to A grades jumped by 12.1 percentage points, from 26.9 to 39 per cent.
At the same time the north east saw the lowest rise, 7.8 percentage points, in top grades, from 23 to 30.8 per cent. Across England, 35.9 per cent of grades awarded this year were at A or A*.
Schools North East, an organisation representing headteachers in the region, congratulated students for their results, but warned national data highlighted the unequal legacy of Covid across the country.
