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School and college leavers will wake up to their long-awaited A-level grades on Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving grades to help them decide whether to progress to university, an apprenticeship or work.
Results day comes amid a crisis in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet).
The Department for Education estimates that nearly 58,000 18-year-olds in England will get no results on Thursday because they have dropped out of education and training, although some are working.
The latest data, published in May, showed the number of young people aged 16 to 24 neither working nor learning surpassed one million for the first time since 2013, reaching 1.01 million in the three months from January to March.
The Education Secretary told the Press Association she is focused on a “revolution” in technical and vocational pathways to answer the “clarion call” of the Neets crisis.
In a statement ahead of results day, Lucy Powell said: “My priority is making sure every young person has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in the jobs of the future.
“That’s why we’re giving technical education the respect it deserves by rolling out new V Levels to go alongside A Levels, introducing brilliant routes into the careers of the future from age 14, and fully funding apprenticeship training for under-25s.”
For many students, receiving their exam results on Thursday will also bring confirmation of university places.
Last week, Jo Saxton, head of Ucas, suggested a record number of 18-year-olds could be successful in securing their first-choice university on results day, with record highs also expected to accept places through, and apply directly to, clearing.
But leaders in the sector warned that a “growing pressure” on student finances and cost-of-living concerns will be a prominent influence behind the choices students make through clearing, amid a rise in students considering living at home and working alongside their studies.
Ms Powell said: “For those off to university, we’re increasing maintenance loans and reintroducing maintenance grants to ensure no one is held back by their background.
Rise in number of top grades awarded in A-levels in Northern Ireland
