Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: “The worsening gap in top A Level grades between London and North East England is something that needs closer investigation. This regional disparity has grown over the past decade, and the reasons need to be properly understood if they are to be tackled. This could range from differences in the impact of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, to specific areas of poverty and varying investment into education, health, social care and other support services and infrastructure in the London and the South compared to the North. We also need to see similar data collected for VTQs in order to build a complete picture of the situation, as these qualifications are equally important in supporting young people to take their next steps.”