Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have received their A-level, T-level and vocational results, with the proportion achieving top A-level grades increasing for the third consecutive year. Some 28.5% of entries were awarded A or A*, while a record number of 18-year-olds have secured university places. UCAS reports more than 262,000 acceptances, up 3% on last year. However, significant regional inequalities remain, with 32.7% of entries in London receiving top grades compared with just 23.1% in the North East and East Midlands. Ministers are also seeking to strengthen vocational routes, apprenticeships and technical education, arguing that university should not be regarded as the only pathway to success. This comes amid concern that more than one million young people aged 16 to 24 are currently neither working nor studying. As students celebrate achievements and consider their next steps, questions remain about educational inequality, employment opportunities, university costs and ensuring every young person can develop their abilities and find a hopeful path into adult life. See