The UK's A-level pupils have once again outperformed their predecessors and achieved record overall pass rates with more students that ever gaining the top grades.

The Joint Council for General Qualifications (JCGQ) revealed today that the overall pass rate – Grades A to E – were up 1.1%, from 94.3% to 95.4%. And students achieving grade A at A-level rose by 0.9 percentage points from 20.7 to 21.6%.

At AS there was a broadly similar outcome to 2002, although the proportion attaining Grade A had fallen by 0.6%, from 18% to 17.4%. At Grades A to E, the proportion passing AS has increased by 0.2%, from 86.5% to 86.7%.

This year's A-level entry has seen an overall increase in subject entry of 7% from 2002 to over 750,000, and an increase of 3.6% at AS has taken the subject entry to over a million.

In all the qualifications for which results are issued today, the boys have improved their performance, but are still outperformed by their females counterparts who are increasing their lead, the JCGQ said.

The overall improvement in performance by females over males at A-level increased from 2002 to 2003 by 0.3% at Grade A. At A-level, females are increasing their lead in subjects as diverse as Sociology, Chemistry and Business Studies. In the Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Studies, however, male candidates are becoming relatively better, the council said.

John Milner, Convenor of the JCGQ, said: “After the 2002 examination, public confidence in the whole system was shaken. The Awarding Bodies have worked with the Regulatory Authorities to strengthen systems.

"The development of material exemplifying the standard in most A-level subjects and the refinement of the Code of Practice in relation to awarding arrangements are two examples.

“Students, teachers and parents can have confidence that where scripts and all relevant information from centres have been received, results will be reported on time. Every student in every subject can have confidence that their awards are soundly based and well deserved.”

School Standards Minister David Miliband today congratulated students and teachers.

He said: "Today is an important day for many pupils and they should be proud of their efforts. Their achievements are a tribute to their hard work and that of their teachers."

(gmcg)