Rise In Number Of GCSE Students Achieving A*- C Grades

There has been a significant increase in the number of GCSE students achieving the A*- C grades.

The proportion of entries awarded A* - C grades has risen by 0.7% this year to 78.7%

Education Minister, John O'Dowd, congratulated the students and said they should be proud of all their hard work.

Minister O'Dowd said: "I would also encourage those who did not achieve the grades they had hoped for, to seek advice on where they go from here. There are many options available to you and your teachers and families can offer you guidance and advice.

"Those who do stay on at school will experience even greater choice in their post-16 studies as a result of my policy, the Entitlement Framework. This policy ensures that young people have access to at least 27 courses, both general and applied, offering clear progression routes to further and higher education, training and employment.

"I am particularly pleased that today we are seeing improvements in two key areas, the performance of young men at this level and the growing popularity of key subjects including English, maths and ICT. In GCSE, like in A Level, Maths is the most popular subject and this is very encouraging. Following the trend seen last week in A levels, the proportion of entries in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at GCSE has also grown by 3%. These subjects offer a firm foundation for a range of careers choices and I expect will be welcome news for those in the business sector seeking young people to join their industry."

(CD/MH)