The proportion of students gaining the top GCSE grades has increased again.

Almost one in five entrants gained an A* or A, up 0.4 percentage point to 19.5%, while those managing an A* to C rose from 62.4% to 63.3%, a rise of 0.9.

Results in the all-important subjects of English and maths improved slightly. In English, the proportion being graded from A* to C went up from 61.6% to 62.2%, while for maths, the proportion rose from 54.3% to 55.2%

While girls still get better results in most subjects, boys are continuing to narrow the gap.

The statistics ,for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, were published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) - representing the main examination boards.