Only 17.6% of grades awarded to students in the North East of England were in the top-grade boundaries (marked an A or above).

This is down from 2022, where 22% of grades awarded were in the highest band.

Read more: GCSE Results Day 2023 Live: North East students get results

Compared to the rest of the UK, Yorkshire and the Humber achieved the second-lowest number of top grades, coming in at 18.2%.

The highest total this year comes from Northern Ireland, where 34.5% of grades were graded 7 (A equivalent) or above.

Overall, the proportion of GCSE entries awarded top grades has fallen from last year but is still higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are the percentage of GCSE entries awarded the top grades (7/A or above) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for 2022 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019:

– North-east England 17.6% (2022: 22.4%; 2019: 16.4%)

– North-west England 18.6% (2022: 23.1%; 2019: 18.6%)

– Yorkshire & the Humber 18.2% (2022: 22.4%; 2019: 17.8%)

– West Midlands 18.4% (2022: 22.8%; 2019: 18.1%)

– East Midlands 18.5% (2022: 22.5%; 2019: 18.3%)

– Eastern England 21.9% (2022: 26.2%; 2019: 20.5%)

– South-west England 20.8% (2022: 25.3%; 2019: 20.4%)

– South-east England 24.4% (2022: 29.2%; 2019: 23.5%)

– London 28.4% (2022: 32.6%; 2019: 25.7%)

– England 21.6% (2022: 26.0%; 2019: 20.7%)

– Wales 21.7% (2022: 25.1%; 2019: 18.4%)

– Northern Ireland 34.5% (2022: 37.0%; 2019: 30.5%)

However, GCSE pass grades marked a 4 in the North East (equivalent to a low C) came in at 65.3%, which is higher than the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, North-West England and Wales.

Here is the full list of GCSE pass rate entries awarded 4/C or above by nation and region:

– North-east England 65.3% (2022: 71.2%; 2019: 63.8%)

– North-west England 64.8% (2022: 70.3%; 2019: 64.9%)

– Yorkshire & the Humber 64.4% (2022: 69.6%; 2019: 64.1%)

– West Midlands 63.9% (2022: 69.9%; 2019: 63.8%)

– East Midlands 65.8% (2022: 71.5%; 2019: 65.8%)

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– Eastern England 68.6% (2022: 73.7%; 2019: 67.1%)

– South-west England 69.2% (2022: 74.2%; 2019: 68.3%)

– South-east England 70.7% (2022: 75.5%; 2019: 70.2%)

– London 72.6% (2022: 76.7%; 2019: 70.6%)

– England 67.8% (2022: 73.0%; 2019: 67.1%)

– Wales 64.9% (2022: 68.6%; 2019: 62.8%)

– Northern Ireland 86.8% (2022: 90.0%; 2019: 82.2%)