Schools have been bustling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as hundreds of thousands of students received their long-awaited A-level results.

There was much to celebrate as the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades increased since last year and results remained above pre-pandemic levels.

Excluding the years of the pandemic (2020-2022) students achieved the highest proportion of A* grades since they were first handed out in 2010.

Students receive their A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London
There were hugs all round as students, like these ones at Ark Globe Academy in south-east London, received their A-level results (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
Aisha Sidime, Daleen Sherkawi and Orissa Mistry react as they receive their A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands
Some were shocked by what was in their envelopes (Jacob King/PA)
Shane Bunting who was awarded two As and a C in his A-level results holds two inflatable As in celebration at his college, Hazelwood Integrated in Newtonabbey, Belfast
A total of 27.8% of entries were awarded either an A or A* (Liam McBurney/PA)
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson during a visit to Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester as students receive their A-level results
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visited students at Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Hannah Greenwood reacts with her parents after receiving her A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands
Results day can be an emotional time for students and parents (Jacob King/PA)
Ciara Wilson (left) and Leah Horan after receiving their A-level results at Belfast High School
It can be a time of great joy for many students celebrating their hard work paying off after years of studying (Liam McBurney/PA)
Cleashei Nicolas receives her A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London
Some students were keen to share their results with friends and family via their mobile phones (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
Azizah Haider receives her A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London
This student at the Ark Globe Academy in south-east London appeared emotional as she called her parents (Jordan Pettit/PA)
Students Alesha Bideratan, Bailey Finn and Julia Stromczynska hold up their A-level results at Hazelwood Integrated College in Newtonabbey, Belfast
These students from Hazelwood Integrated College in Newtonabbey, Belfast, were very pleased with their results (Liam McBurney/PA)
Students Sahl Yildiz (left) and Mario Godinho receive their A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London
Students embraced and congratulated each other on their results (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
Paul Given (centre) joins students at Belfast High School as they receive their A-level results
Northern Ireland’s Education Secretary Paul Given (centre) joined in with the celebrations among these students at Belfast High School (Liam McBurney/PA)

A huge well done to all those celebrating!