ESTIMATED RESULTS FROM THE REGULATOR TODAY SHOW... GCSE:

■ A*-A: 25.9% (compared to 18.4% in 2019)

■ A*-C: 74.5% (compared to 62.8% in 2019)

■ A*-G: 99.6% (compared to 97.2% in 2019)

GCSE A* grade comparisons:

■ 2020: 25.9%

■ 2019: 18.4%

■ 2018: 18.5%

■ 2017: 17.9%

■ 2016: 19.4%

■ 2015: 19.2%

The so-called Attainment Gap was as follows:

■ 28.7% of children not on free school meals attained grades A*-A compared with just 11% eligible for free school meals; and

■ 79% of children not on free school meals achieved A*-C compared with 54.9% eligible for free school meals.

On the subject of an Ethnicity gap, Qualifications Wales said “it was not possible to analyse the attainment gaps by ethnicity as in most broad ethnicity groups the number of learners is insufficient to support a robust initial analysis.

“Analysis by ethnicity will require a more careful approach to account better for small sample sizes and confounding factors. We will build this into the more detailed analysis of this summer’s results that we will publish.”

Key Stage 4 Skills Challenge Certificate (KS4 SCC)

■ A*-A - 20.1%, compared to 14.0% in 2019

A-level and AS-level:

“Revised results for A-level, AS and the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate in Wales are substantially higher than the results originally published on August 13 and results in recent years,” Qualifications Wales said.

A*-A - 41.3% compared to 29.9% when results were released on August 13; by contrast, the figure for 2019 was 27.0%.

But there is still uncertainty for students because some will have had their grade replaced by better AS grades already achieved.

Before announcing the algorithm grades were being ditched in favour of Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs), Education Minister Kirsty Williams also announced no student’s A-level grade would be lower than an AS grade already achieved in that subject.

“These figures do not account for cases where the AS grade will be awarded to learners at A-level where it is higher than the CAGs or the calculated grade,” said Qualifications Wales. “Final revised results in Wales will therefore be higher than the figures in this analysis.”

AS-level

■ A: 29.9%, compared to 22.2% on August 13 and 20.3% in 2019.

(NB: A* grades are not awarded at AS level.)