Another year of record GCSE results

Two thirds of entries (67.1%) were awarded A*-C grades, up from 65.7% last year, despite a dip in the number gaining at least a C in English.

More than one in five grades scored an A or A*.

While girls are still ahead in most subjects, boys are narrowing the gap at A*-C. And the results show boys have pulled ahead in maths for the first time since 1997. Education experts said a decision to drop coursework from maths in favour of exams had been "beneficial" for boys.

Dr Mike Cresswell, head of the AQA exam board said: "The obvious speculation is it reflects the removal of coursework from GCSE maths. It's well established that girls outperform boys at coursework."

Dr John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said: "It clearly shows how the type of assessment directly affects achievement. This suggests that next year, when coursework is reduced in many other subjects, boys' achievement will catch up with girls."

National figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland showed 15.5% of boys' maths entries were awarded top grades, compared with 15.2% of entries from girls.

The results came as a former chief inspector of schools warned GCSEs may be coming to the end of their natural life.

Sir Mike Tomlinson warned the exams were "complex and expensive" to administer. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the future of the exams would have to be reviewed following the Government's decision to extend the education leaving age to 18. It does raise the question of why do we need such a complex terminal examination at that point and if we do need it, what purpose does it serve?"

Sir Mike added: "I think we would need to have some form of assessment of progress at 16, simply to give a clear indication of whether a student was on the right course, was working at the level necessary. But I don't think we need necessarily have a system that is as complex and expensive as at present."