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Rise in Number of Top Grades Awarded in A-Levels in NI
Northern Ireland’s A* share rose to 8.8% and A*/A grades reached 30.7%, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications.
- On Thursday, more than 26,000 students in Northern Ireland received their A-level, AS-level, and BTec results. Provisional figures show 30.7% achieved a grade A or above, compared with 30.3% in 2025, while 8.8% of entries secured the top A* grade.
- Accounting for 38.2% of entries, STEM subjects remain highly popular among Northern Ireland students. Overall, 98.9% of students achieved A* to E grades, an improvement on the 98.7% pass rate from 2025, with Mathematics continuing as the most popular subject.
- Education Minister Paul Givan visited students at Friends School Lisburn, praising the results as a "demonstration" of the education system's strength. He celebrated the "joy" felt by young people who worked hard for their qualifications.
- The Department for the Economy's Careers Service is offering guidance on university and apprenticeship pathways as students consider next steps. Ulster University officials advised students to check the UCAS hub for "a lot of options" if they missed target grades.
- Gerry Campbell, chief executive of the CCEA, described results day as a "significant milestone" in pupils' personal and educational journeys. Students currently have access to over 100 courses through the university clearing system.
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Northern Ireland tops UK for A-level results as 86.9% secure C grade or above
Taryn Simpson and Hannah Spence who received results today for Level 3 Health and Social Care from Northern Regional College in Ballymena. Taryn is heading off to study Adult Nursing at Queen’s University Belfast, while Hannah progresses to study Psychology at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Northern Ireland has recorded the best A-level results across the UK, with 86.9% of entries achieving a grade C or above, as thousands of young peop…
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Total News Sources12
Leaning Left5Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left, 50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 50%
C 50%
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