Pupils do the maths to help pick up jobs: Students put careers over 'love of learning' as grades hit record high

By ELEANOR HARDING and ANTONIO JARNE CUBERO Published: 00:25, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 00:25, 14 August 2026 Pupils are prioritising job prospects over a 'love of learning' as a record one in eight A-level entries are now for maths, experts said yesterday. As hundreds of thousands of pupils picked up their results, maths entries were up 3.9 per cent, helping to drive top grades to a record high.  Results show 28.5 per cent of entries graded at A and A*, while 9.6 per cent were graded at A* only. That means both figures had risen for the third year running. Exam chiefs put the increase down to more students taking maths, which traditionally scores higher than arts and humanities.  Meanwhile the number of students choosing to study engineering – considered a good course for future earning potential – rose 14 per cent to 35,000. Maths, which had 115,380 entries, has been the most popular subject since 2014 while English literature, which was previously top, has been in steady decline. Economics is now the fifth-most popular choice for students, up from tenth place in 2025 – a 10.5 per cent increase. Sir Ian Bauckham, head of exam regulator Ofqual, said: 'These are all subjects that have a very strong either vocational flavour or are proven to be linked to higher earning potential, and in students' minds will be associated with the trends that we're seeing in the economy. Students from Newcastle High School for Girls (NHSG) celebrate after receiving their A Level results 'So, I do think it's plausible to suggest that those considerations are, for most, in students' minds.' A record number of applicants – 446,690 – were also accepted on to university courses, up from 439,180 last year, according to admissions body Ucas.  Its chief executive Dr Jo Saxton said: 'The love of learning used to be the top reason [for choosing a course]. 'Now we're seeing going to university as an investment in my future career, that is absolutely the thing that is at the top.' Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: 'Students are increasingly choosing subjects with one eye on the labour market. That's entirely understandable. 'In a world of rising living costs, student debt and AI, they want confidence that their investment of time and money will lead to a fulfilling and secure career.' The change in pupils' choices comes after the previous Tory government made data publicly available for the first time showing which degree subjects lead to the best employment rates and salaries. Maths-related subjects have some of the best returns while English produces some of the worst. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak campaigned for a greater focus on maths in schools. Student Allet Rosh celebrates their A-level results with her mother Shiji Paul at Our Lady and St Patricks College Knock in Belfast The grades are the highest ever recorded outside of the Covid years of 2020-2022 when marks were vastly inflated due to teacher assessment in the place of traditional exams. Iain Mansfield, from think-tank Policy Exchange, said in his view the results rise was evidence of grade inflation returning, which was 'disappointing'.  He added: 'Grade inflation appears to have re-established itself as an intrinsic part of the system, just as it had in the 1990s and 2000s – and the Government needs to get a grip or confidence in the top grades will be undermined.' Among private schools, 48.6 per cent of entries were at A or above, up from 48.4 last year.  Meanwhile, entries graded A and above at state-run academies decreased to 23.5 per cent from 26.5 per cent, and comprehensives increased to 23 per cent from 22.6 per cent. Results were also released for technical qualifications T-levels, which saw numbers rise to 20,000 students, up from 12,000. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has been in favour of promoting vocational routes, said on social media: 'Whatever it says in those envelopes, you should be proud of the hard work that got you here. And remember, there isn't just one route to success.'