SIXTH-formers across the country are today waking up to their A-level results in the wake of major exam reforms, with around one in four entries expected to be awarded the highest grades.

Youngsters who are still seeking university places are likely to face a wealth of choice as institutions scramble to attract good candidates on to their degree courses.

University leaders suggested that there could be more people who are using Clearing this year to apply to university for the first time.

Last year, 26.3% of A-levels scored an A or A*, national figures showed.

The results are likely to be broadly similar again this year.

There have been major changes to A-levels in England, with a move away from coursework and modular exams throughout the course.

Last year the first grades were awarded in the first 13 subjects to be reformed in England and, among these subjects alone, the proportion of entries scoring at least an A grade fell by 0.7 percentage points to 24.3%.

A further 11 subjects have been reformed with the first grades awarded today.

The Daily Echo will be covering results day live throughout today, with a live blog, picture gallery and all the results online throughout the day. We will be publishing as many results as possible in Friday's paper, along with a special 16-page supplement on Saturday.

Amanda Brown, deputy general secretary of the National Education Union, argued that A-level changes means that students are unable to fully demonstrate what they can do.

"Changing the assessment of A-levels so they focus on high-stakes exams taken at the end of two years of study does not allow students to properly demonstrate their ability and puts them under huge pressure," she said.

"Coursework and other non-exam assessments are a better way for students to demonstrate their skills, are less of a memory test, and help lower attaining students and those with special educational needs and disabilities show their achievements."

One expert has suggested that the proportion of top grades could drop slightly, by less than a percentage point, due to changes to the exam system, and a major hike in the number of unconditional offers handed out by universities.

Mitigating this are a number of factors, including processes put in place by England's exams regulator Ofqual to ensure that results are comparable and the first cohorts of students to take new courses are not disadvantaged, Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham said.

For those looking for degree places through Clearing this summer, there are suggestions that they are likely to find it is a buyers' market.

The Press Association's survey shows that, as of Wednesday, 26,350 undergraduate courses were showing up on the Ucas clearing website for students in England.

Nine in 10 UK institutions have at least one course listed in Clearing, the survey found.

It also shows that three quarters of Russell Group universities, often considered among the best in the country, have at least one course in Clearing, with almost 4,500 courses listed in total.