• Four of the five highest achievers in The Times exam results tables are state schools, compared to the opposite last year, when four of the five places were occupied by independent schools. All this year's top ten are in southeast England and 13 of the leading 20 schools are single sex; nine are independent and 11 are grammar schools. Times


• After years of attempts to reverse the decline in science and technology studies in schools, the number of A-Level entries in all three sciences, maths and further maths increased this year, physics by 5.2%, maths 6.2% and further maths 11.5%. The number of entries in languages - another vulnerable area -fell sharply in French and German, although Spanish continues to be increasingly popular. Times


• The vacuum cleaner inventor Sir James Dyson has urged schools to become more than 'exam factories' after A-Level results showed yesterday that almost double as many candidates were taking courses in media, film or TV studies compared to in technology. Dyson has been swamped by 4,000 applications in response to advertising for 350 roles in April but has so far only recruited 100 candidates. Telegraph


• The gender gap evident in A-Level achievement is at its narrowest point since 2001, as girls gain 1.8% more A grades than boys. This may owe to the reduction in the number of modules, from six to four, and more challenging essay-style questions. Girls seem to have a more conscientious style and benefit from regular assessment. Boys scored more A* grades than girls in English, chemistry, maths, computing and Spanish. Telegraph


• Private school pupils were three times as likely to score the new A* grade than their peers at comprehensive schools: they gained 30% of the total number of A* grades with 14% of entries while comprehensive schools achieved 30% of A* grades with 43% of entries. Bright children from the poorest homes are seven times less likely to go a top university than wealthier peers, partly because their schools are less likely to offer sought after subjects such as separate sciences and languages. Guardian


• Havelock Academy in Grimsby has just received its first set of A-Level results but head Nick O'Sullivan is already looking forward to two years from now when the academy hopes to be using the international baccalaureate. He hopes the new exam will ease the 'targeting' of A-Level students towards 'achievable' universities and nurture unique students, while continuing the academy's intensive mentoring system. Guardian


• St Paul's school in London is an independent boys school with a prestigious academic record, not least this year when only four boys gained a grade below a B. Head teacher Martin Stephen is less elated by their excellent results, commenting that 'the exam system...is a nightmare and the A* is a disaster. We invented a new grade with no new material...a statistician's grade rather than an academic grade. It drives out imagination, creativity, any taking of risk'. Guardian


• The Guardian meets five A-Level students who have just received their results. Guardian

• Within hours of A-Level results being released yesterday, 80% of spare university places and two thirds of courses were filled. Early yesterday, there were spaces on 18,500 courses and by last night, there were over 6,300 vacancies. More than 185,000 candidates of the 300,000 who sat exams either missed grades, received no offers or applied late and so were eligible for clearing - 50,000 more than this time last year. Times

• The number of civil partnerships is at its lowest level in five years of its existence. This is put down to the many same-sex couples who had waited for the introduction of the law having now undergone the ceremony and many more waiting for the introduction of ceremonies in places of worship, expected next April. There were 351 dissolutions in 2009, twice last year's figure of 180; 63% of this year's dissolutions were among female couples. Telegraph


• The Home Office is considering withdrawing benefits for drug addicts who refuse to attend a treatment awareness scheme. The Labour government had intended to set up pilot schemes to put drug users into work; the current consultation document suggests addicts on benefits should not be expected to find work. BBC


• A Catholic adoption agency has lost its attempt to restrict its service to heterosexual couples after the Charity Commission found it had no justification for barring gay and lesbian parents. Catholic Care of Leeds had told the high court that it could not source adoptive homes for children with same-sex couples because Catholic donors would cease their donations, the high court had instructed the Commission to reconsider its case. Guardian

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