A-Level pupils here continue to outperform peers in England and Wales

By Q Radio News

A-Level pupils in Northern Ireland continue to outperform their peers in England and Wales. 

98.3% of results issued here this year were in the A*-E pass grade, with maths remaining the most popular subject. 

The overall performance remained steady but girls have widened the gap In the top results. 

Exam boards say there was a slight decline in the number of pupils sitting so called 'STEM subjects' - Science, technology English and Maths. 

There was however a sharp rise in the number of pupils taking up Computing.

When it comes to languages -  more pupils are sitting Irish exams, although Spanish remains the most popular.

German and French exams are in decline here. 

Congratulations to the leavers at @stpaulsbbrook and thanks for telling us how your #alevelresultsday went! pic.twitter.com/70GJ9PUm1p

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In total over 31,000 pupils sat As and A-Levels in Northern Ireland this year, around 1,140 fewer than in 2016. 

Changes to exam bodies based in England mean they no longer offer some AS level exams, accounting for a natural decline in numbers. 

.@FoyleC students celebrate their #AlevelResults2017 pic.twitter.com/LpeyAfBIEf

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) August 17, 2017

Commenting on the release of the summer 2017 GCE results, Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland’s awarding organisation, the Council for the
Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) said: “I wish to congratulate each student receiving their results today and commend them
for all their hard work. I also wish to recognise the dedication and support provided by Northern Ireland’s teachers, who have had a key role in today’s success, and the 5,000 examiner and moderators for their continued support. Today’s results present a good picture for Northern Ireland, with a stable performance across all grades.