An education expert has predicted a small rise in the percentage of UK A-level entries achieving an A* or A grade, with boys anticipated to edge further ahead in A* grades. Ahead of A-level results day, Professor Smithers has highlighted a "big swing" in recent years towards A-level subjects such as maths and economics. The proportion of boys’ entries awarded A or A* was 28.4%, 0.2 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for girls’ entries (28.2%). The proportion of boys’ entries awarded A* was 9.9%, 0.8 points higher than girls (9.1%). Prof Smithers said boys and girls choose different subjects, with “many more” boys than girls taking A-level maths last year.