The ten most popular A-Levels are stable at the top and busier lower down. Here is who is in the 2026 top ten, and what has changed since 2022.
Since 2022, English Literature entered the A-Level top ten and Geography left it.
Mathematics and Psychology anchor the top of the table, followed by the sciences. Since 2022, English Literature moved into the top ten and Geography dropped out. Movement in the lower half of the top ten is where subject-choice trends show up first, because the subjects there are close in size and small shifts change the order.
Changes in the top ten may reflect long-run shifts in student interest, but they are also shaped by which subjects schools and colleges choose to offer and staff. A subject can rise simply because more centres run it, independent of any change in individual preference.
Ranking movements describe what students entered. They cannot tell us how much reflects changing preferences versus changing provision, and a subject rising or falling a place is not evidence about its difficulty or value.
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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