Commenting as students received the results of A levels and vocational qualifications today in England, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union, NAHT said:

"Congratulations to all students who received their results for A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, and other vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) today. These grades are the result of a huge amount of hard work by both students and school staff. Everyone should be very proud of their achievements."

“The education secretary was right to pledge earlier this week to look at long-standing regional disparities. Although the percentage of top a level grades (A/A*) increased in all regions of England this year, looking behind the headline figures,  the gap between the highest achievers in different regions has continued to grow.

“School leaders have seen both the pernicious impact of the pandemic and poverty on children’s learning, mental and physical health, and wellbeing. When families are struggling with insecure housing, or to afford to heat their homes and feed their children, this inevitably affects pupils’ ability to attend school and concentrate when they are there.

“The last government failed to invest what was needed to help pupils and schools catch up on lost learning or to address either the root causes or symptoms of child poverty. It’s vital the taskforce established by the new administration to tackle child poverty delivers and lays the foundations for children everywhere in the country to thrive at school.”