CCEA Chief Executive praises Northern Ireland’s A level students and teachers

Commenting on this summer’s GCE results, Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) said:

“Today’s A level examination results are a testament to the hard work of students. I congratulate them all and wish them the very best for their future.

Once again, Northern Ireland’s students have performed well, with a steady and strong performance across all grades. The results are also recognition of the dedication and support provided by teachers and schools.

This year males achieved a higher percentage of A* grades. This is the first time males have performed better than females since the grade was introduced. The performance gap, between females and males, also narrowed at the other grades.

There are some interesting changes in subject choices. Mathematics remains the most popular A level, with 1 in 10 students studying the subject here. Overall, the proportion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) entries have increased slightly and STEM subjects are still a popular choice.

The proportion of students taking Languages has decreased slightly, mainly due to a decrease in Spanish entries. Music and Performing Arts have both seen an increase in entries.

The new Life and Health Sciences qualification has proven popular, particularly with female students. Computing subjects have also seen a rise in entries this year.

CCEA’s market share has risen, showing that the local awarding organisation remains a popular and reliable choice for students and schools.”