22/08/2013
GCSE Rates Show Slight Improvement
Students across Northern Ireland have woken up this morning to received the results of this year's GCSE examinations, which show a general improvement on 2012's grades.
The overall NI pass rate has shown a slight increase this year, with 99.2% of grades awarded at A*-G. Last year the pass rate was 99.0%.
76.5% of entries at GCSE in Northern Ireland achieved grades A*-C, a slight increase from 75.6% in 2012.
68.8% of entries in English and 64.6% in mathematics showed increases of 0.6 and 1.7 percentage points respectively.
At the top grades, A*-A, was awarded to 28.0% of entrants, a slight increase from 27.9% in 2012.
The A* grade was awarded to 8.7% of entrants compared to 8.9% in 2012.
Education Minister John O'Dowd visited Lagan College and St Genevieve’s High School in Belfast to meet with pupils as they collected their results.
He said: "Regardless of what decisions they make, I would like to offer my congratulations to all who received their results this morning on their achievements.
"There will be some who may not have received the grades they had hoped for. My advice to these young people is not to panic. There are a number of services available to help support and guide students on the next steps.
"Those staying on at school will be able to access a much wider range of courses than might previously have been the case. The Entitlement Framework, which becomes statutory in the coming school term, ensures all students at post-16, regardless of where they study, can access a minimum of 21 courses, both general and applied with clear progression routes to further and higher education, training and employment."
Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry said: "The importance of making an informed decision following exam results is imperative to effective career planning. Taking time now to explore options will pay dividends in the future. If you did not achieve the results you expected, be they better or worse than anticipated, there are many other opportunities available to you and I would urge you to examine these fully. My Department’s Careers Service can help you unlock your potential.
"Northern Ireland’s further education colleges also offer you the opportunity to study from a wide range of full-time courses to suit your career path, with options including 'A' Levels, GCSE, NVQ and Apprenticeships. You may want to consider an apprenticeship, where you have the opportunity to develop specialist skills, using new technology, giving you the chance to earn while you learn and gain qualifications that are recognised worldwide. Training for Success can also provide you with an opportunity to gain the skills necessary for employment, letting you enter at the level that matches your needs, develops your employability skills and allows you to gain nationally recognised qualifications."
Those with queries on any issues relating to results should contact a local exam centre or the CCEA helpline on 028 9026 1260 or email helpline@ccea.org.uk.
(IT/CD)
The overall NI pass rate has shown a slight increase this year, with 99.2% of grades awarded at A*-G. Last year the pass rate was 99.0%.
76.5% of entries at GCSE in Northern Ireland achieved grades A*-C, a slight increase from 75.6% in 2012.
68.8% of entries in English and 64.6% in mathematics showed increases of 0.6 and 1.7 percentage points respectively.
At the top grades, A*-A, was awarded to 28.0% of entrants, a slight increase from 27.9% in 2012.
The A* grade was awarded to 8.7% of entrants compared to 8.9% in 2012.
Education Minister John O'Dowd visited Lagan College and St Genevieve’s High School in Belfast to meet with pupils as they collected their results.
He said: "Regardless of what decisions they make, I would like to offer my congratulations to all who received their results this morning on their achievements.
"There will be some who may not have received the grades they had hoped for. My advice to these young people is not to panic. There are a number of services available to help support and guide students on the next steps.
"Those staying on at school will be able to access a much wider range of courses than might previously have been the case. The Entitlement Framework, which becomes statutory in the coming school term, ensures all students at post-16, regardless of where they study, can access a minimum of 21 courses, both general and applied with clear progression routes to further and higher education, training and employment."
Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry said: "The importance of making an informed decision following exam results is imperative to effective career planning. Taking time now to explore options will pay dividends in the future. If you did not achieve the results you expected, be they better or worse than anticipated, there are many other opportunities available to you and I would urge you to examine these fully. My Department’s Careers Service can help you unlock your potential.
"Northern Ireland’s further education colleges also offer you the opportunity to study from a wide range of full-time courses to suit your career path, with options including 'A' Levels, GCSE, NVQ and Apprenticeships. You may want to consider an apprenticeship, where you have the opportunity to develop specialist skills, using new technology, giving you the chance to earn while you learn and gain qualifications that are recognised worldwide. Training for Success can also provide you with an opportunity to gain the skills necessary for employment, letting you enter at the level that matches your needs, develops your employability skills and allows you to gain nationally recognised qualifications."
Those with queries on any issues relating to results should contact a local exam centre or the CCEA helpline on 028 9026 1260 or email helpline@ccea.org.uk.
(IT/CD)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
25 August 2016
GCSE Results See 'Small Rises' Across All Grades
GCSE results have risen across all grades in Northern Ireland, according to the latest figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). The figures for 2016 show a rise of 0.4% to 79.1% for A* - C grades across all subjects, while pupils achieving A* - A results rose by 0.5% this year to 29.
GCSE Results See 'Small Rises' Across All Grades
GCSE results have risen across all grades in Northern Ireland, according to the latest figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). The figures for 2016 show a rise of 0.4% to 79.1% for A* - C grades across all subjects, while pupils achieving A* - A results rose by 0.5% this year to 29.
23 August 2012
GCSE Results Up Slightly In NI, Bucking National Trend
Students across Northern Ireland picked up their GCSE results today. And in contrast to the national trend of grades dipping, the region's 32,000 16-year-olds achieved a slight improvement on last year's results. A* to C grades have gone up by a small margin to 75.6% compared to the national UK average which has fallen to 68.4%. 27.
GCSE Results Up Slightly In NI, Bucking National Trend
Students across Northern Ireland picked up their GCSE results today. And in contrast to the national trend of grades dipping, the region's 32,000 16-year-olds achieved a slight improvement on last year's results. A* to C grades have gone up by a small margin to 75.6% compared to the national UK average which has fallen to 68.4%. 27.
25 August 2011
GCSE Students See Slight Fall In Top Marks
Around 750,000 students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE results today, with another year of record-breaking marks expected. About 30,000 NI-based GCSE students are receiving their grades and while overall the percentage of passes in Northern Ireland remained the same, higher grades have slipped. In 2010, 75.
GCSE Students See Slight Fall In Top Marks
Around 750,000 students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE results today, with another year of record-breaking marks expected. About 30,000 NI-based GCSE students are receiving their grades and while overall the percentage of passes in Northern Ireland remained the same, higher grades have slipped. In 2010, 75.
25 August 2022
37% Of NI Students Achieve Top GCSE Results
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has congratulated GCSE students who received their results today, praising their hard work and resilience. The percentage of students receiving the highest grades in 2022 is higher than 2019, the last time qualifications were awarded on the basis of public examinations.
37% Of NI Students Achieve Top GCSE Results
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has congratulated GCSE students who received their results today, praising their hard work and resilience. The percentage of students receiving the highest grades in 2022 is higher than 2019, the last time qualifications were awarded on the basis of public examinations.
24 August 2017
Small Increase In GCSE Grades
There has been a small increase across GCSE grades in Northern Ireland this year. Almost 80% of pupils achieved A* - C grades and girls continued to perform better than boys. However, there was a slight improvement in males achieving A* - C grades.
Small Increase In GCSE Grades
There has been a small increase across GCSE grades in Northern Ireland this year. Almost 80% of pupils achieved A* - C grades and girls continued to perform better than boys. However, there was a slight improvement in males achieving A* - C grades.