GCSE results: girls still ahead but gender gap narrows as hundreds of thousands of pupils receive grades – latest updates

<p>Nearly a quarter of girls’ entries received one of the higher grades against around a fifth of those from boys</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/aug/20/gcse-results-almost-one-in-four-boys-in-england-get-top-grades-in-maths">Almost one in four boys in England get top grades in maths</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Myles McGinley,</strong> managing director of the <strong>Cambridge OCR</strong> exam board, said more pupils are taking GCSE business studies than in previous years, describing this generation of young people as “increasingly entrepreneurial”.</p><p>He said business studies entries are a third higher than five years ago, adding: “The founders of some of the next great unicorn businesses may well be among those achieving GCSEs in business studies today.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/live/2026/aug/20/gcse-results-exams-schools-education-england-wales-northern-ireland-live-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a>