The current A-level results in Northern Ireland have reached pre-pandemic patterns, according to exam boards, with performance outcomes aligning to those seen in 2019. Thursday saw several students in the region receive the outcomes of both their AS and A-level exams, as well as results from vocational examinations such as BTecs.
The year marked the first time that A-level students underwent assessments under conditions identical to those pre-Covid, lacking any unique alterations due to the virus. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has reported that approximately 30.3 per cent of students secured an A grade or better, an achievement rate echoing the 29.4 per cent seen in 2019, which marked the final set of exams before virus-induced disruptions.
In the course of the pandemic, there was an observed increase in students obtaining top-grade A-level results–with 37.5 per cent earning A and A* grades in 2023, and 44 per cent the succeeding year.
On the occasion of results day, Gerry Campbell, CCEA’s chief executive—the body governing Northern Ireland’s exams—congratulated students on their A and AS level accomplishments. He regarded the exams as a crucial juncture for multitudes of youngsters nationwide, adding that they should take pride in their triumphs. He also underlined that the successful hosting of a regular examination season, the first since the onset of the pandemic, was possible only due to the concerted efforts of schools and colleges.
JCQ has also highlighted that the total count of A-level exam participations in the region has consistently remained at 32,873 entries. The broad picture of overall performance indicates that 98.5 per cent of students secured grades between A* to E, closely paralleling the 98.4 per cent in 2019.
In the UK, A-level candidates secured an A* grade in 8.2 per cent of the total entries, a figure that mirrors the 8 per cent seen in 2019. Northern Ireland has witnessed continued interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) subjects, which comprise over a third of the A-level entries in the region. With just under 10 per cent of entries, Mathematics has surpassed Biology to become the most favoured A-level subject.
The halfway mark of the two-year A-level study, known as AS-level, saw a 4.7 per cent rise in entries, increasing from 39,336 in 2023 to 41,180 this year. On a broader scale, 96.4 per cent of students were able to achieve grades ranging from A to E, while the highest grade, A, was achieved by 26.7 per cent of students.
For their last two years of secondary school, Northern Irish students typically opt for three or four A-levels and are at liberty to choose their preferred subjects. In 2024, the five leading subjects among boys were Mathematics accounting for 13.8 per cent of total entries, Business Studies, History, Biology and Physics, the last of which climbed into the top five spots that year.
On the other hand, the most highly chosen subjects by girls included Health and Social Care constituting 11.8 per cent of all entries. This is followed by Biology, Mathematics, English Literature and Chemistry.