Thousands of Northern Ireland students to receive GCSE results

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Around 30,000 school pupils in Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE examination results today.

They'll be available from 9am and most pupils will visit their schools to collect the results. 

Initial figures show girls continue to outperform boys in this years GCSE exams, widening the gap on last year. 

Pupils in Northern Ireland once again achieved higher grades in their exams, than their counterparts in England and Wales.

40 percent of pupils studied a STEM (Science, technology, engineering, maths) subject, with more choosing to take on further maths.

Grades this year will be ranked by separate examination boards meaning some will be scored between nine and one, and others will be A*-G.

 Around one in 10 entries here is through English exam boards, which have recently had a major revamp of the examinations. 

Nine is the top mark and one is the lowest. The local CCEA board uses A* - G grades.

 Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) said: “Congratulations to all students receiving their GCSE results this morning. Northern Ireland’s students have once again demonstrated good outcomes across all grades, reflecting the hard work that takes place in our schools and colleges.

"There are some patterns worth further analysis, such as the continued widening of the performance gap at A*-C grades between males and females.

"Over 95% of students in Northern Ireland study CCEA GCSEs. We are committed to ensuring that all students in Northern Ireland are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge needed for their future.”

Many young people will now be faced with moving on to further education by returning to school for A-Levels or going to a higher education or training college. 

Others may choose to follow apprentichips or to leave school and begin working. 

However, some pupils won't have gotten the grades they'd hoped for. Those students are being reminded there are many options open to them. 

Mairead Monds, Childline manager for Northern Ireland, said: “We know that lots of young people struggle with the pressure of exam results season.  The desire to get good grades can feel like a lot to bear.

“We are also aware that once teenagers have got their results they can feel overwhelmed by what comes next, especially if they don’t get the grades they were hoping for.

“It’s important they share how they are feeling and discuss their options with a friend, trusted adult or Childline.”