How A-Level subject choices and top grades differed between girls and boys in 2026 - the most female and most male subjects, and the biggest attainment gaps.
How A-Level subject choices and results in 2026 differed by sex, from JCQ’s results-day “A level by subject, sex & country” table (England, all ages), shown here as girls and boys. Across all subjects, 53.6% of entries were from girls. Subject groupings follow the Explorer’s taxonomy.
| Subject | Girls | Boys | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|
| English literature | 79.2% | 20.8% | 32,631 |
| Sociology | 77.0% | 23.0% | 41,352 |
| English language and literature | 76.4% | 23.6% | 6,601 |
| Psychology | 75.4% | 24.6% | 76,073 |
| Art and design subjects | 75.3% | 24.7% | 39,646 |
| Drama | 74.2% | 25.8% | 6,633 |
| English language | 73.6% | 26.4% | 12,857 |
| Religious studies | 68.9% | 31.1% | 13,832 |
| French | 68.3% | 31.7% | 6,410 |
| Spanish | 66.6% | 33.4% | 7,841 |
| Subject | Girls | Boys | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computing | 19.0% | 81.0% | 19,105 |
| Physics | 23.5% | 76.5% | 42,313 |
| Further mathematics | 26.4% | 73.6% | 19,981 |
| Economics | 30.4% | 69.6% | 45,914 |
| Design and technology | 33.0% | 67.0% | 9,228 |
| Mathematics | 36.8% | 63.2% | 107,262 |
| Other sciences | 39.6% | 60.4% | 3,751 |
| Business | 40.2% | 59.8% | 43,028 |
| Physical education | 41.3% | 58.7% | 11,395 |
| Music | 41.9% | 58.1% | 4,555 |
| Subject | Girls A*–A | Boys A*–A | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | 31.0% | 19.0% | 12.0 pp (girls) |
| Physical education | 25.9% | 13.9% | 12.0 pp (girls) |
| Psychology | 22.6% | 12.0% | 10.6 pp (girls) |
| Art and design subjects | 37.4% | 28.4% | 9.0 pp (girls) |
| Media / Film / TV studies | 17.7% | 9.6% | 8.1 pp (girls) |
| Sociology | 20.5% | 12.5% | 8.0 pp (girls) |
| Design and technology | 24.4% | 16.9% | 7.5 pp (girls) |
| Chemistry | 29.5% | 34.7% | 5.2 pp (boys) |
| Law | 18.4% | 13.6% | 4.8 pp (girls) |
| Other modern languages | 69.9% | 65.1% | 4.8 pp (girls) |
| Computing | 28.6% | 24.6% | 4.0 pp (girls) |
| History | 26.5% | 22.7% | 3.8 pp (girls) |
Gender (sex) data is JCQ’s England, all-ages results-day table, mapped to our subject groupings; it may differ slightly in coverage from the all-UK figures elsewhere on the site. Gaps reflect who takes each subject as well as outcomes.
This is tutor2u’s own analysis of official JCQ and exam-board data, harmonised so subjects and boards compare consistently. Figures are provisional, cover all UK candidates of all ages, and may differ slightly from single-board or age-specific releases. A higher top-grade rate does not mean a subject is easier - different subjects attract different cohorts.
Last checked August 2026. This is a plain-English summary of official guidance; always check the linked Ofqual, JCQ and exam-board pages for the definitive rules, which can change.
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