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A happy A-level student at a West Midlands school thanked her teacher for her two As and  A* grades today after opening her results live on television as thousands of anxious teenagers find out their marks.

Students Erin, Drew and Keehan opened their results live on GB News next to Balvinder Sidhu, the channel's West Midlands Reporter in front of their peers and headteacher Nikki Clifton this morning.

Erin was visibly delighted as she found that Kinver High School in Stourbridge had awarded her two A grades and an A* as she laughed, said 'wow, I am very happy' and turned to her teacher to say: 'Thank you'.  

Today's results have been set by teachers after exams were cancelled for a second year in a row due to Covid restrictions, with reports last night anticipating nearly half to be given A* and A grades. 

Appearing on GB News, Keehan said he got an A*, A and a B, and Drew - who was expecting to receive two Bs - got an A and a B, telling Ms Sidhu: 'I'm really chuffed with it, really really happy'.

Erin and Keehan said they had received the grades required to get to their universities of choice, while Drew said he planned on joining the Royal Air Force and doing an apprenticeship in intelligence.

Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm, before Ofqual announced a U-turn. But this year, no algorithm will be used to moderate teachers' grades. 

Gavin Williamson today defended this year's record high A-level grades after it was revealed nearly half of this morning's results are expected to be A* or A - but the Education Secretary admitted there may still not be exams next year with teachers deciding the results again. 

In total, more than two in five, 44.8 per cent, of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer - up by 6.3 percentage points on last year when 38.5 per cent achieved the top grades, and one in five of all results was an A*, another record.

And according to an analysis by Ofqual, some 6.9 per cent of students in England were awarded three A*s this year - compared with 4.3 per cent in 2020 and 1.6 per cent in 2019, the last time they sat exams, as critics warned the education system had descended into the 'wild west of grading'. 

It came as the total number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has risen five per cent on the same point last year, with 435,430 taking up places so far, initial Ucas figures show, but on the most popular courses up to a third of students may be rejected or have to go through clearing due to the number of people getting the required grades. 

Students at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, after they receive their A-Level results

Faith Bryant (back) and Abbie Hollis (front) are hugged at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, as students receive their A-Level results

Students celebrate at Brampton Manor Academy in London, as they receive their A-Level results

A student at the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) finds out his A-Level results in north London

Scenes of joy at Newcastle High School For Girls as pupils receive their A Level results this morning

Students at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, receive their A-Level results

Emelia Ambrose (L) is hugged by her friend Mali Jones after opening her A Level results at Ffynone House school on August 10, 2021 in Swansea

Left: Students at the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) embrace after receiving their A-Level results in north London. Right: Ffion Young (right) hugs her friend Sara Rafique after opening their A Level results at Ffynone House school on August 10, 2021 in Swansea

Left: Lottie Sorano wiping away tears with mother Kate after she managed to get an A*  at Peter Seymonds College, Winchester. Right: Students celebrate at Brampton Manor Academy in London, as they receive their A-Level results

In total, more than two in five, 44.8 per cent, of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer - up by 6.3 percentage points on last year when 38.5 per cent achieved the top grades, and one in five of all results was an A*, another record

Seventy per cent of private school students have been given an A* or A this year - compared to around 39 per cent for a non-selective comprehensive school

Student, 19, with cerebral palsy is 'in shock' after receiving top A-levels

Ellie Curran with her mother Margie at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool

Nineteen-year-old Ellie Curran, who has cerebral palsy, celebrated receiving an A* in sociology, a B in business and a distinction in BTEC law when she picked up her results at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool.

She said she was 'in shock' but very excited about going on to study criminology at Liverpool Hope University.

Miss Curran, who is also a keen wheelchair football player, said: 'It's been hard working from home and trying to get everything done.'

Her mother Margie said: 'She's very dedicated, in lockdown she would be up at 8am at her desk.

'She's always been dedicated, I think she just wants to prove everyone wrong and show she can do it.'

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Headteacher Nikki Clifton said of the three students on GB News: 'They're so brave, but they're a credit to each and every youngster up and down, around the country and I couldn't be happier for them.

'Today's a fabulous day, it's one of my favourite days of the year and I think coming after the two years of disruption, I think I'm really looking forward to having a great day of fun and celebration with the students.'

Asked how she was feeling, Ms Clifton said: 'I'm excited, a little bit nervous as I always am on these days because it is a nervous day and students are nervous. But I'm hopeful that our students will open a set of results that will give (sic) them where they want to go and I hope that is replicated up and down the country.'

She added: 'It has been a very different and rigorous set of processes, and it's very different to any other year. You can't compare this set of year's results with last year, we've got a completely different set of assessment parameters, a whole new policy, a whole different way of working for our students and our staff, and I couldn't be prouder of them.' 

Overall, the proportion of entries awarded the top A* grade this year has surged to 19.1 per cent - the highest proportion since the top grade was first introduced in 2010.

Girls performed better than boys at the top grades, and female maths students overtook boys for the first time in the number of A* grades achieved, figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show.

Luisa McMahon, 18, of Wollaton, Nottingham, achieved four A*'s in Maths, Further Maths, Geography and Psychology at Nottingham High School.

She said: 'This year in particular has made me more anxious to get my results. We had loads of mini exams so as much as I worked for that, it's still not the same as having one final end-of-year exam.

'I am going to Loughborough University to do Maths and Sports Science. I am not sure what I want to do next, I am taking each step as it comes. I feel university will open more doors for me. My friends and family have congratulated me - everyone is really happy and relieved for me.

'Nottingham High School always tends to do above average, around 45 per cent of my school got A*'s this year and 95 per cent got B's and above.'

Razeen Surtee, 18, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, got four A*'s in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths at Nottingham High School.

He said: 'Now I have my results, I am going to the London School of Economics to study PPE – Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Perhaps I would like a career in politics but I am keeping it open. This year, with lockdowns, it has been very different with the lack of time to prepare and being unsure about what was going to happen with the exams.

'But with the support of family and friends you get through it and it has turned out okay in the end. My parents are very happy and teary. It is nice to get the stress off my shoulders now. It feels like my school has done really well, everyone I have spoken to seems really happy - all my friends have got into their universities.'

Tom Bedforth, 18, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, achieved four A*'s in Religious Studies, Maths, Physics and Further Maths at Nottingham High School and will now go on to study at Oxford University.

He added: 'I did very well, I'm really happy and pleased. My place is now confirmed to do Physics and Philosophy and Oxford University.

'My friends and family knew how much these A-Levels meant to me, they are very pleased and relieved - mainly for my emotional state.

KEY STATISTICS IN THIS YEAR'S A-LEVEL RESULTS 

In total, more than two in five, 44.8 per cent, of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer - up by 6.3 percentage points on last year when 38.5 per cent achieved the top grades, and one in five of all results was an A*, another record

Here are the main figures in this year's A-level results:

- The proportion of candidates receiving top grades is the highest on record. A total of 44.8 per cent of entrants were awarded either an A or A*, up from 38.5 per cent in 2020.

- Nearly one in five (19.1 per cent) entrants received an A*. This is another record high, and is up from around one in seven (14.3 per cent) last year.

- The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 99.5 per cent. This is down very slightly from 99.7 per cent in 2020.

- Some 88.5 per cent received a C or above, up from 88.0 per cent in 2020 and the highest since at least 2000.

- Girls have extended their lead over boys in the top grades. The proportion of girls who got A or higher was 46.9 per cent, 4.8 percentage points higher than boys (42.1 per cent). Last year, girls led boys by 3.2 percentage points (39.9 per cent girls, 36.7 per centboys). Boys briefly took the lead in 2017 and 2018, following a long period in which girls had been ahead.

- Girls have also extended their lead in the highest grade, A*. The proportion of girls who got A* was 19.7 per cent, 1.3 percentage points highest than boys (18.4 per cent). Last year the gap was just 0.2 points (14.4 per cent girls, 14.2 per cent boys).

- The most popular subject this year was maths. It was taken by 97,690 entrants, up 3.6 per cent on 2020.

- Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It was taken by 71,235 entrants, up 9.2 per cent on 2020. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, taken by 70,055 entrants, a rise of 7.6 per cent.

- Chinese saw the biggest percentage drop in candidates for a single subject with more than 1,000 entrants, falling by 18.9 per cent from 1,617 to 1,312.

- Geography saw the biggest percentage jump in candidates of any subject with more than 1,000 entrants, rising by 16.8 per cent from 30,203 to 35,268.

- There were 824,718 A-levels awarded, up 5.1 per cent on last year's total (784,959).

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'This year, for me, there has been an increase level of stress, just because normally I would have a set period of time to revise for a large final set of exams.

'The uncertainty was stressful but it has all turned out well in the end. All any of us could do was just work as hard as we could. I feel very lucky. I am seeing a lot of happy people, my cohort seemed to be pleased with their results. I am now excited though for what is to come - if I do well in Physics, I'll see if I can solve any big equations.' 

But critics are concerned that middle class parents with 'sharp elbows' might have the upper hand when it comes for appeals, with the 'have nots' suffering disproportionately this year because they are more likely to be marked down and not appeal their results.

Robert Halfon, Tory chairman of the education select committee, said: 'There's likely to be grade inflation. The Government has got to make sure the appeals system is fair and easy to engage in and not just accessible to those with barristers for parents.'

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Williamson said: 'Because of the extraordinary conditions we have faced as a country, we announced in January that exams would not go ahead this year - it would have been unfair on students who had already given up so much in the battle against coronavirus. 

'Their hard work, however, deserves to be rewarded with a qualification. We must support these students in looking to the future, because their whole lives are in front of them.' 

Asked on Sky News what the contingency plans are for next year's exams, Mr Williamson said: 'In the last academic year we have conducted an extensive consultation as we move back to examinations, and in a few weeks' time as we go back into the winter period we will be doing another extensive consultation as to the contingency, which will be largely based around teacher-assessed grades, but we very much hope that we will be moving to a system of where we are able to move into the more normal pattern of examinations from next year, but always conscious that this pandemic, we have not always been able to predict the course of it, it has continuously changed, and it's absolutely right that we have contingencies there, as we always do.'

Asked if he was ruling out teacher assessments for this time next year, he said: 'What we are saying is you will probably have seen our consultation in the last academic year, we are very much planning to move back to examinations as a form of assessment, but we always have to have a contingency plan in place, and that's why we will be consulting in the next academic year on those plans.'

Mr Williamson has said 'employers can have real confidence' in the grades awarded to pupils.

Speaking to Sky News, he said: 'This is a culmination of 13 years in education, I think we should be incredibly proud of their achievements, incredibly proud of the grades that they achieve.'

He said: 'We do have a rigorous system of grading and awarding. People have been awarded this grade on the basis of evidence.

'We took a difficult decision, and that decision was children were to be assessed on what they had been taught. We have seen various amounts of disruption around the country and children's experiences have been different.

'But still, you have a very clear grading system, you still see children who are achieving A*s, As, Bs, Cs, have really achieved so very, very much, and I think employers can have real confidence in the grades that they get. Let's not forget this is an unprecedented year.'

This year, teachers in England submitted their decisions on pupils' grades after drawing on a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework, and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'Parents should be really warned not to hire lawyers to make the case for a different grade because it will impress no one, it won't impress the exam boards.' 

She added: 'Dressing up an appeal in legal language is not going to bolster that appeal, or make it more likely to succeed. So if you don't want to waste your money, don't do that.'

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There is certainly a worry that we are going to face more appeals than normal, but we just don't know yet. 

Left: Students at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, receive their A-Level results. Right: Emelia Ambrose hugs a friend after opening her A Level results at Ffynone House school on August 10, 2021 in Swansea

Faith Bryant (left) and Abbie Hollis at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, as students receive their A-Level results

Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today

Leila Jarvis hugs her mother (name not given) after receiving her grades at Kensington Aldridge Academy in London, as students receive their A-Level results

Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today

Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today

Scenes of joy at Newcastle High School For Girls as pupils receive their A Level results this morning

Shalayna Morton reacts as she finds out her A-level results at the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) in north London

Scenes of joy at Newcastle High School For Girls as pupils receive their A Level results this morning

Lulu Sorano, 18, with her mother Tracey (left) at Peter Symonds College in Winchester, Hampshire, as students receive their A-Level results

Fatima Al-Kinani (Left) and Maram Al Dandal at Kensington Aldridge Academy in London

Students celebrate at Brampton Manor Academy in London, as they receive their A-Level results

Ayomide Olumade (L) with Segal Kumar (R), after they received their results at Peter Seymonds College, Winchester

'Although the appeal system is there to bring a further level of confidence, spurious appeals or hopeful appeals will probably be a waste of time because the system that's been brought in is a robust system for this year.'

He added: 'My only appeal to students and students' parents is that a lot of work has gone into this assessment, you should be able to rely upon the assessment so simply putting an appeal in for the sake of appealing in the hope that your grade might move would be the wrong thing to do.' 

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said 'legal firms turning themselves into ambulance chasers and saying to parents for a certain fee they will run an appeal' was unhelpful.

He said: 'That seems to me incredibly misguided because appeals are there for anyone who wants to use them, but they're based on two things: did the school follow due process, and was the grade awarded a fair grade. That will be down to the awarding organisation.

'If you've got a concern then the process is there, but you really don't need to be sending money to lawyers.' 

The Department for Education has said all A-level grades have been checked by schools as part of a quality assurance (QA) process - and one in five schools had a sample of their grades checked by exam boards.

Last summer, the fiasco around grading led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before Ofqual announced a U-turn.

This year there will not be an algorithm used to moderate grades. Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), said it could be more difficult to get on to a top course this year if grades are missed. 

'It could be harder to get in than usual if you fall a grade or two behind your offer and if it is a competitive course,' he said. 'My advice would be to act swiftly if you need to find a place somewhere else.'

An analysis conducted by PA Media suggests that the day before results were due to be released, for applicants living in England, there were more than 26,000 courses with availability.

It shows that, as of Monday afternoon, 14 of the 24 Russell Group universities had vacancies on courses for English residents - around 2,390 courses between them - on the Ucas clearing site. The numbers of courses listed change frequently as different courses are filled, or become available.

At the same point last year, the day before results day, 17 of the Russell Group institutions had around 4,485 undergraduate courses listed on clearing with potential availability for students in England.

Last week, the head of the admissions service warned that clearing is likely to be 'more competitive' for students seeking places at selective universities this year due to uncertainty on teacher-assessed grades.

Clare Marchant, Ucas's chief executive, urged students receiving their grades to make a decision 'in a matter of days' rather than waiting weeks.

But she added: 'On Tuesday, I am expecting to wake up and have record numbers with their first choice.'

Last week, the Medical Schools Council, which represents 44 heads of medical schools across the UK, warned that some schools may still struggle to increase the number of students they admit despite the announcement that medicine and dentistry schools will receive funding to expand courses.

Students who want to study medicine will have the option to defer their places until next year or choose to move to a different medical school amid capacity constraints, the MSC said.

Last night, Ofqual's interim chief regulator Simon Lebus said that traditional tests only provided a 'snapshot' of a pupil's ability and the new system allowed a fairer assessment gauged over a longer time period. 

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Lebus admitted that grades may be slightly higher this year, adding: 'I think a good way to think of it is exams are a bit like a snapshot, a photograph - you capture an instant, it's a form of sampling.

'Whereas teacher assessment, it allows teachers to observe student performance over a much longer period, in a rather more complex way, taking into account lots of different pieces of work and arriving at a holistic judgment. 

'I think, from that point of view, we can feel satisfied that it's likely to give a much more accurate and substantial reflection of what their students are capable of achieving.' 

Ms Bousted told the Times: 'I think there was a political decision to put teachers in the firing line. We think there will be a rise in the top grades but I've been assured by government that they won't say teachers have been too generous.' 

Mr Lebus said that the watchdog wanted to create a system where every student was given a fair chance to show what they can do. 

'I'm very confident that, when they get their grades on Tuesday and Thursday this week, they'll be able to feel satisfied that that's happened,' he told the broadcaster. 

Mr Lebus said there have been three stages of checks to ensure students can feel they have been 'fairly treated', including Ofqual checking the policies that schools have for awarding grades and exam boards looking over them.

Left: Georgia Davies laughs after opening her A Level results at Ffynone House school on August 10, 2021 in Swansea. Right: Lanre Dada poses with his grades at Kensington Aldridge Academy in London, as students receive their A-Level results

Students at Archbishop Blanch School in Liverpool, receive their A-Level results

Students at Nottingham High School get their A level results today

Ed Menlove, 18, poses with his grades at Peter Symonds College in Winchester, Hampshire

Headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that they believed grades to be accurate. Schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks. 

It comes as Tory peer Lord Lucas predicted that private school pupils will get short shrift in admissions because universities are prioritising the disadvantaged.  

The editor of the Good Schools Guide said yesterday that institutes will be 'pretty cautious' about giving places to fee-paying youngsters who missed their grades as they had 'all the chances' to succeed. 

Instead, they will give leg-ups to pupils who experienced 'challenges' such as having 'nowhere to work' during lockdown. 

But despite alleged grade inflation, individual pupils could lose out and there is likely to be variability between schools.  

Last night, Ofqual defended the system, claiming the results are 'more accurate' than if exams had been held mid-pandemic.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'Students have worked incredibly hard during an extremely challenging time. We know exams are the fairest form of assessment but in their absence this year there is no one better placed to judge their abilities than their teachers.'

Suggestions that almost half of today's grades will be an A or A* were reported in the Times. 

Mr Williamson wrote to all teachers, thanking them for their 'hard work' on grading. The Association of School and College Leaders stressed that qualifications had not been 'devalued'.

Lord Lucas said anyone not getting the grades they need for university should call the admissions tutor. But he said that 'tutors will say the hardest time has been had by state schools but by and large, independent schools have got through Covid pretty well'. 

He added that institutes will be 'pretty cautious about giving extra space to someone from an independent school' as 'they've had all the chances' to succeed.

'I think admissions tutors will say the hardest time has been had by state schools but by and large, independent schools have got through Covid pretty well,' he said. 'They haven't had half the challenges of someone else who has nowhere to work, or doesn't have an online connection.'

Kate Green, Labour's shadow education secretary, said: 'Students have worked incredibly hard in extraordinary circumstances and should be proud of the results they are receiving today. They have done this in spite of a Conservative government which has let them down at every turn and shown no ambition for their futures.'

It came after Sir Keir Starmer warned that 'chaos and incompetence' in Government had created extra stress for those awaiting their results.

The Labour leader said Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Mr Williamson had failed to act early enough to ensure this summer's results operations run smoothly.

'It frustrates me immensely that this week's big moment in so many young people's lives is being risked by the chaos and incompetence at the top of this Government,' he said. 

The Department for Education said it recognises the 'unprecedented challenges pupils and students have faced' during the pandemic and that a 'rigorous system to ensure grades are fair' has been put in place. 

Have you got your results today? Send your stories and pictures to jack.wright@mailonline.co.uk.