GCSE results in West Midlands are lagging behind – see the UK league table here

"Stubborn" disparities remain between different parts of the country, according to education leaders, and action is needed to tackle these inequalities.

The latest figures, show London the the highest proportion of GCSE entries awarded grade 7/A or above in England.

The West Midlands is among a group that fall well below the national average.

In London, 28.5 per cent of entries were awarded 7/A or higher this year, up slightly from 28.4 per cent in 2023, while for West Midlands the figure was 18.5 per cent, up from 18.4 per cent.

The average for England was 21.7 per cent of entries awarded 7/A or higher, compared to 21.6 per cent last year.

The pass rate in the West Midlands was 63.1 per cent, down from 63.9 per cent last year and compared to a pre-Covid level of 63.8 per cent in 2019. The average pass rate for England was 67.4 per cent, down slightly on last year.

Experts say the gap between top and bottom regions has started to narrow.

But there are still concerns that there is a significant gulf in attainment, with the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the West Midlands among those under-performing.

Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East, said students in those four regions had achieved outstanding results despite facing "enormous disruption" to their schooling in recent years.

He said: "Despite these record GCSEs, exam results in 2024 continue to map the disproportionate impact of the pandemic and 'cost of living' crises, as well as the long-term perennial educational challenges that regions face.

"These results were a test of how successful the previous government's plans were at supporting education recovery post pandemic, especially in disadvantaged areas. It is clear that current education policy is failing to close the disadvantage gap in attainment."

Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust charity and founder of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: "The stubborn regional disparities in attainment are unchanged."

He added: "To close these gaps and enable pupils to reach their potential, we need sustained investment in teaching, particularly in areas with lower attainment."

Nearly all regions of England saw a higher proportion of entries getting the top grades this year compared with the pre-pandemic year of 2019, with two exceptions – the East Midlands and North West England, where the figures were unchanged.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: "It is welcome news that regional inequalities in GCSEs have narrowed slightly but it still remains the case that where you happen to live has a huge impact on your educational prospects.

"We must aspire to a world where every child has a fair chance in education and life wherever they happen to come from."

Here are the percentage of GCSE entries awarded the top grades (7/A or above) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019:

- North-east England 17.8% (2023: 17.6%; 2019: 16.4%)

- North-west England 18.6% (2023: 18.6%; 2019: 18.6%)

- Yorkshire & the Humber 18.3% (2023: 18.2%; 2019: 17.8%)

- West Midlands 18.5% (2023: 18.4%; 2019: 18.1%)

- East Midlands 18.3% (2023: 18.5%; 2019: 18.3%)

- Eastern England 21.4% (2023: 21.9%; 2019: 20.5%)

- South-west England 21.2% (2023: 20.8%; 2019: 20.4%)

- South-east England 24.7% (2023: 24.4%; 2019: 23.5%)

- London 28.5% (2023: 28.4%; 2019: 25.7%)

- England 21.7% (2023: 21.6%; 2019: 20.7%)

- Wales 19.2% (2023: 21.7%; 2019: 18.4%)

- Northern Ireland 31.0% (2023: 34.5%; 2019: 30.5%)

- All 21.8% (2023: 22.0%; 2019: 20.8%)

Here is the GCSE pass rate (entries awarded 4 or above) by nation and region:

- North-east England 65.2% (2023: 65.3%; 2019: 63.8%)

- North-west England 64.2% (2023: 64.8%; 2019: 64.9%)

- Yorkshire & the Humber 63.9% (2023: 64.4%; 2019: 64.1%)

- West Midlands 63.1% (2023: 63.9%; 2019: 63.8%)

- East Midlands 65.1% (2023: 65.8%; 2019: 65.8%)

- Eastern England 67.9% (2023: 68.6%: 2019: 67.1%)

- South-west England 69.1% (2023: 69.2%; 2019: 68.3%)

- South-east England 70.4% (2023: 70.7%; 2019: 70.2%)

- London 72.5% (2023: 72.6%; 2019: 70.6%)

- England 67.4% (2023: 67.8%; 2019: 67.1%)

- Wales 62.2% (2023: 64.9%; 2019: 62.8%)

- Northern Ireland 82.7% (2023: 86.8%; 2019: 82.2%)

- All 67.6% (2023: 68.2%; 2019: 67.3%)