A Level Students Log In For Results

Older pupils from schools and colleges across NI have been receiving important exam results with news of their AS and A-level results published today, (Thursday).

As of 7am this morning, about 20,000 pupils were able to access their results online with the NI Education Minister, John O'Dowd and Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry both congratulating students for their efforts.

The Sinn Fein Education Minister visited the Boys' Model School and St Joseph's College in Belfast where he had the opportunity to speak to pupils receiving their results.

He said: "I would like to offer my best wishes to all those who have received their much anticipated results today.

"These results are the product of hard work over many years by our young people with support from their teachers and parents. I congratulate everyone involved."

However, he warned: "Some of you will not get the results you were hoping for today and I would urge you not to worry.

"There are so many options open to you, whether you want to continue pursuing your career of choice, or maybe rethink your plans and try something totally new.

"There are different pathways to take you where you want to go and you should take good advice and study all your options before making a decision," he said.

The Stormont Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, said: "It is heartening to see so many of our young people achieving the grades they need for their chosen pathways and they deserve our congratulations.

"Sometimes results can mean a change of plan. We want to let students know that there are still many possibilities and choices available, whether you have done better than expected or not as well as you had hoped.

"My primary advice to anyone in this situation is to remember that help is at hand.

"My Department's Careers Service has a team of professionally qualified Careers Advisers offering free, impartial, careers information, advice and guidance to young people and adults," said the Alliance party MLA.

"Whatever your results, it is vitally important to check out your options, for there are options available.

"As a first step you can call 0300 200 7820 or log on to the

www.nidirect.gov.uk/results to access a wealth of useful information and locate your nearest Careers Office.

Overall results are good, with some 84.2% of entries at A-Level here achieved grades A*-C.

That's still a major achievement even though it is a slight decrease from the 84.5% recorded in 2010.

Other data shows that the top grades, A*-A, was awarded to 34.5% of entrants, also a decrease from 35.9% in 2010.

This year, 2011 is the second year of the new A* grade and the statistics show that 8.6% of grades awarded were A*.

The overall pass rate remained unchanged, with 98.1% of grades awarded at A*-E again this year.

Well Done!

Meanwhile, the Chair of the Assembly's Education Committee Mervyn Storey has also congratulated all the A-level students across Northern Ireland who received their examination results today.

These included Mr Storey's own daughter who received her results this morning. The DUP MLA said that the levels of success in Northern Ireland were something for the entire Province to be proud of.

"Across the United Kingdom A-level passes have increased for nearly 30 years in a row, but Northern Ireland students have once again outperformed colleagues from right across the country.

"The results locally are not just testament to excellent schools from every sector, but they are also something everyone in the Province can be proud of.

"No-one will be unaware of the difficult economic climate that these students are emerging into, but the skills and knowledge they have built up will assist them in their career and help build our economy in the future.

"For those students who may not have achieve the grades hoped for, there are a wide range of options to explore, and with the pressure on university places many will look to our Further Education colleges which provide an excellent environment to continue studies," he concluded.

(BMcC/GK)