Overall pass rate rose to 97.2 per cent while the number of A grades awarded rose to 25.9 per cent
A record numbers of A-level students received top grades and pass rates were higher than last year.

The results, out today, showed that the overall pass rate rose to 97.2 per cent, from 96.9 per cent in 2007, while the number of A grades awarded rose to 25.9 per cent, up from 25.3 per cent.