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.
English literature had the highest share of female entries (79%) and Computing the highest share of male entries (81%). Subject choice and attainment are shown separately.
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.
Entry and grade differences between girls and boys describe patterns; they do not identify what caused them, and should not be read as evidence about ability or teaching quality.
tutor2u Insights are timely analysis of official results data. Figures are based on JCQ’s 2026 results-day tables and may be revised as post-results changes are processed; they use the same figures as the interactive Explorer. A higher top-grade rate does not mean a subject is easier, and entry numbers reflect what students entered, not only what they would have chosen. See how to read this data.
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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