BBC News reports top A-level results have reached a record high, with 44.8% of students getting A* or A grades. By Sean Coughlan, Hannah Richardson and Jeanette Long.

According to The Guardian, almost 150,000 students will be hoping to secure a university place through clearing this year. By Rachel Hall and Richard Adams.

The Times reports Russell Group universities are offering half the number of courses in clearing than they were a year ago. By Nicola Woolcock. The article quotes Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC.

According to The Times, pupils are expected to achieve roughly a grade higher, on average, than they would have in 2019. By Nicola Woolcock. The article quotes Barnaby Lenon.

Writing in advance of the publication of this year's A-level results, John Cope, director of strategy, policy and public affairs at UCAS, outlines what can be expected this year, based on insights from the admissions service. Tes.

Schools Week reports there has been a 9.3 percentage point increase in the total number of A and A* grades issued to independent school pupils. By Tom Belger. The article quotes Barnaby Lenon.

In a statement published to the ISC website ahead of the publication of A-level results, Barnaby Lenon praised the efforts of pupils and teachers, stating: "All teachers and pupils should be congratulated and nothing should take away from their achievements." Read the full statement here.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has written a letter thanking teachers for their hard work in producing grades for students, saying they have "earned the trust and admiration of the whole country". By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

Dame Rachel de Souza, the children's commissioner for England, writes in The Telegraph about the publication of this year's exam results, arguing pupils "don't need a dissection of the past but our serious focus on their future as they take further steps in their education".

Eddie Playfair, senior policy manager at the Association of Colleges, writes in Tes stating "it's important that we take the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of students and all those who made these results possible in very difficult circumstances".

An editorial piece in The Telegraph calls on the Government to commit to the full return of A-level exams next year, warning: "Without the benchmark they offer, the universities are in an impossible position in trying to select students for their courses."

Speaking to The Independent, several students share their experiences after being caught up in last year's exams controversy. By Zoe Tidman.

BBC News reports the pass rate for Scottish Highers dropped slightly in 2021 to 87.3%, but scores are still well above pre-pandemic levels.

The Educational Institute of Scotland and the Scottish Conservatives have called for a greater focus to be placed on apprenticeships and vocational training. By Kieran Andrews, The Times.

Jonathan Whybrow, head of Amesbury School, writes to The Times highlighting the ways independent schools offer their facilities to state schools, adding that successive governments and teaching unions "are responsible for the disgraceful removal of extracurricular opportunities to all children and young adults, despite the herculean efforts of many teachers in the state sector". The letter can be found halfway down the page.

A study has found that both boys and girls prefer writing stories with male protagonists, with young girls becoming much less likely to create female characters as they grow older. By Kaya Burgess, The Times.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said he expects universities to resume face-to-face teaching from the autumn term, adding: "If they are not delivering what students expect, they shouldn't be charging full fees." By Catherine Neilan, The Telegraph.

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