21st August 26
Online learners achieve top GCSE grades at nearly three times the national post-16 rate, while the A Level pass rate rises and entries grow at four times the national pace
learndirect, the UK's leading online learning provider, is celebrating an exceptional summer 2026 exam series. Its learners achieved a 92.8% GCSE pass rate, secured the organisation's first ever Grade 9, and outperformed national post-16 grade distributions at every band, all while national pass rates for post-16 learners fell for another year.
GCSE results: a grade profile well ahead of national benchmarks
In a year when the national proportion of GCSE entries achieving a standard pass (Grade 4/C or above) slipped to 67.3%, and pass rates among post-16 learners in England fell again, learndirect's results moved firmly in the opposite direction:
- 92.8% of learndirect GCSE learners achieved a pass grade in summer 2026.
- Learners achieved top grades (7 to 9) at nearly three times the national rate for post-16 learners (8.56% against 2.96% nationally).
- Learners achieved Grades 4 to 6 at more than two and a half times the national post-16 rate (53.48% against 20.21% nationally).
- learndirect's first ever Grade 9 was awarded in Sociology, with a further Grade 9 achieved in iGCSE English Language.
The contrast with the national post-16 picture is stark. Across England this summer, just 19.8% of post-16 GCSE English Language entries and 15.3% of post-16 maths entries achieved a Grade 4 or above, both down on 2025. learndirect's predominantly adult, distance learning cohort achieved standard and top passes at multiples of these rates.
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A Level results: growing entries, rising pass rate
learndirect's A Level provision also delivered a strong year on both growth and outcomes:
- The A Level pass rate rose to 70.9%, up from 68.7% in 2025, an improvement of more than two percentage points.
- A Level entries grew by 11% year on year, around four times the 2.7% national growth in A Level entries this summer.
- A grades were achieved in A Level Biology, underlining the strength of learndirect's science provision for distance learners.
- Summer 2026 pass rates were above learndirect's historic averages across every measure, at A Level, at GCSE and across all levels combined.
The improvement reflects the success of learndirect's completion before booking policy, introduced last year to ensure learners only sit exams when they are fully prepared.
Comment from learndirect
Wayne Janse van Rensburg, Group Chief Executive of learndirect, said:
"These results are a testament to what our learners can achieve. Most of our students are adults balancing study with work, family and life, many of them returning to education after years away. To see them achieving top GCSE grades at nearly three times the national post-16 rate, and our first ever Grade 9, tells you everything about their determination and the quality of our tutors. While national post-16 pass rates fell again this year, our learners went the other way. That is exactly what online learning should do: give people a genuine second chance and help them make the most of it."
David Anderson-Clemow, Head of Delivery: Academic and Teaching & Education at learndirect, added:
"This has been a genuinely strong series. Our grade profile at GCSE is markedly ahead of national post-16 benchmarks at every band, our A Level pass rate has improved for another year, and entries continue to grow. Our first Grade 9 in Sociology, alongside a Grade 9 in iGCSE English Language, sets a new standard for what our learners can aim for. We are already working on replicating the conditions behind those results across every subject we offer."
Why this matters
Most learndirect exam candidates are post-16 and adult learners, a group for whom national outcomes remain challenging. Ofqual reported that fewer 17-year-olds resitting English and maths achieved a Grade 4 this year, and pass rates for post-16 resit entries in England fell across both subjects. Against that backdrop, learndirect's results demonstrate that flexible online study, combined with structured tutor support and a readiness-first approach to exam booking, can deliver outcomes for adult learners that far exceed national norms.
Ready to take your A-Levels or GCSEs online? Do it with confidence with learndirect. Browse our online course brochures below and find the course that suits your goals. Alternatively, check out our Results Day guide here.
