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Post-16 STEM results 2026: A levels, Advanced Highers, T Levels and VTQs

Key headlines

  • Slight growth (3.7%) for girls’ participation in core-STEM subjects, as they make up 42.9% of core-STEM A level entries.

  • No change to the top 10 most popular subjects with Maths remaining number one with over 115,000 entries this year. Biology and Chemistry maintain the third and fourth spots, as both see a rise in entries – 3.5% and 3.2% respectively.

  • Physics dropped down to eighth after rising to sixth last year. Most notable is a 10.5% increase in Economics entries which now sits in fifth. 

  • Most significant growth in girls’ participation is seen in Digital Technology, up 18.8% from 2025 (making up 30.3% of the overall cohort in 2026 compared to 27.7% in 2025). 

Overview of core-STEM A levels

Whilst participation has increased by 3.7%, the overall representation of girls saw marginal growth as they now make up 42.9%. 

Overall, 5,500 more girls are participating across the core-STEM subjects, with the vast majority of core-STEM subjects seeing a rise in entries by girls. However, the 18-year-old population has significantly grown this year highlight that the increase in entries is likely affected by population rather than interest.

Core-STEM A levels make up 31.6% of all A levels taken by girls, this is up from 31.3% in 2025. However, nearly half (49.1%) of A levels taken by boys are in a core-STEM subject, highlighting a stark contrast in subject prioritisation. 

Computing A level

Computing A level surpassed 20,000 entries for the first time in 2026. Girls’ entries rose 2.8% with them now making up 18.9% of all Computing A level entries.

Science A levels

This year, JCQ has introduced a more detailed breakdown of Science A level entries, providing greater visibility of participation across individual scientific disciplines. While this offers valuable insight into subject-specific trends, our main analysis will continue to focus on Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science. These subjects attract the highest numbers of entrants and represent key pathways into further STEM study and careers. 

Biology, Chemistry and Physics all remain in the top 10 most popular A level subjects. Biology and Chemistry remain in third and fourth respectively, whilst after a rise last year Physics drops from sixth to eighth. 

Biology A level

Following a decline of girls studying Biology A level in 2025, this year we see entries rising by 4.7%. Biology remains the most popular core-STEM A level amongst girls, with them making up 65% of all entries. With more than 2,000 additional entries from girls this year, this is the largest growth in entries across all of the core-STEM subjects. 

Chemistry A level 

Chemistry A level is another favourite amongst girls which continues to see growth. Girls make up 56.6% of entries in 2026, a 4.3% from last year. This is a significant increase with more than 1,500 additional girls taking Chemistry A level this year.  

Physics A level 

Physics A level continues to lag behind Biology and Chemistry with far fewer girls choosing the subject than boys this year. The number of entries grew significantly more for boys (2.4%) than girls (0.4%), seeing the gender gap in participation widen. 

Whilst it’s not a significant participation drop girls make up on 23.7% of Physics A level entries in 2026, down from 24.1% in 2025.

Environmental science A level 

After reporting on Environmental science A level for the first time this year, we see gender parity in the subject drop with girls making up 48.4% of entries, down from 50.1% in 2025. Overall entries continue to grow, rising to more than 2,500. 

Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Statistics A levels 

Mathematics popularity continues to grow with more than 115,000 entries this year. This is a 20% growth in the last 5 years. Whilst the number of girls studying Maths A level has grown by 2.9% in 2026, their overall representation drops from 37.3% (in 2025), to 37.1% this year. This is due to a significant increase in the number of boys studying Maths A level, with their entries surpassing 72,500. 

Further Mathematics A level shows a similar trend with girls’ overall participation dropping again from 26.9% (in 2025) to 26.4% this year. 

However, Further Maths saw a one of the largest increases (6.4%) in girls’ uptake in 2026, but with boys showing a significant 9.2% growth representation is still a way off gender parity. 

Statistics entries continue to surpass 1,100 entries (1,140 in 2026) with a 3.2% rise overall. However, girls only make up 28.4%, down from 29.4% in 2025. 

All core-STEM subjects 

As previously mentioned, JCQ have provided a much more detailed overview of core-STEM subjects this year. Here is a full breakdown of participation in core-STEM subjects by girls and boys. 

This includes the addition of Life & Health Science (Single award), Life & Health Science (Double award), Geology and Electronics.

VTQ and T Levels 

The continued growth of vocational and technical education highlights increasing interest in STEM-related career pathways beyond traditional academic routes.  

VTQ saw significant growth with more than 300,000 results awarded across 421 qualifications. Many of the top 10 sector subjects areas relate to core-STEM subjects. Science and Mathematics (fifth) had nearly 30,000 entries (29,798), whilst Construction, Planning and the Built Environment (19,865), Digital Technology (17,221) and Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (14,871) were the sixth, seventh and eighth most popular sectors, respectively. 

T level qualifications, now in their fifth year, had a 65.1% increase with nearly 20,000 students (19,665) getting their results today. 

Whilst we’re still seeing A level entries grow year on year, his suggests substantial numbers of young people are choosing technical pathways that feed into skills-shortage sectors such as engineering, construction, technology, and science.

Scottish results – Advanced Highers 

Last week’s results in Scotland, showed that STEM subjects continue to be the most popular at Advanced Higher level, with Maths (4,770 entries), Biology (3,110 entries) and Chemistry (3,045 entries) taking the top three spots. 

Girls' participation is also strong in these subjects, accounting for 69% of Biology entries, 60% of Chemistry entries and 40% of Mathematics entries. 

While entry numbers remain relatively low in entries across other core-STEM subjects, participation by girls has increased in Physics, Statistics and Mathematics of Mechanics. Entries in Engineering Science and Computing Science have both stabilised after dropping last year. However, girls continue to be underrepresented in many of these subjects; making up just 26% of Physics entries, 20% of Computing Science entries and 26% of Mathematics of Mechanics entries. 

Overall, across all Advanced Higher core-STEM subjects, representation of girls still sits at 47%.  

For readers outside Scotland, Advanced Highers are Scotland's highest school-level qualification and are broadly equivalent to A-levels.

About WISE 

As part of the IET, we exist to unlock opportunity for women in STEM, helping organisations to support women employees in realising their potential. 

We partner with organisations ready to make real progress, supporting them in our shared mission to dismantle systemic barriers and unlock careers in STEM for everyone. 

Our mission is clear: a stronger, fairer and more successful STEM sector. 

Media enquiries 

A press release has been published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Working together on today’s results’ insight, please visit the IET’s media hub to read this: Press releases 2026. For press enquiries, please contact Megan Stearn, Senior Communications Executive via meganstearn@theiet.org.  

Footnote 

Core-STEM A level subjects include Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Digital Technology, Electronics, Environmental Science, Geology, Life & Health Science (Single award), Life & Health Science (Double award) Mathematics, Mathematics (Further), Physics and Statistics. 

Data are reported using JCQ sex classifications of male and female. Throughout this report, we refer to candidates as girls and boys.