A-levels: Fall in top grades as results back to pre-Covid levels

There has been a fall in the number of A-level entries in Northern Ireland awarded top A* and A grades in 2024.

That was widely expected as grades returned to pre-pandemic levels.

About 30.3% of A-level entries have been awarded A* or A grades in 2024, compared to 37.5% in 2023, 44% in 2022 and a record 51% in 2021.

About one in every 12 (8.2%) A-levels in 2024 has been awarded at the top A* grade.

In 2020 and 2021, schools calculated grades for their pupils after summer exams were cancelled due to the pandemic.

One of the effects of that was a significant rise in results.

In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, about 29.4% of A-level entries were awarded the top two grades.

Maths was again the most popular A-level subject in Northern Ireland in 2024, with around one in ten students taking it.

The rest of the top five most popular subjects were biology, health and social care, business studies and history.

Overall, more than a third of A-levels taken in Northern Ireland in 2024 were in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

Education Minister Paul Givan visited Belfast High School on Thursday where he met young people who received their results.

Speaking to BBC News NI’s Evening Extra programme, Mr Givan said there was a lot of excitement and a nervousness while people waited on their results.

“This is a culmination of years of hard work, particularly interrupted during those Covid years. Those young people can rightly be proud of the success that they have been able to acquire and they take that on now and move to the next phase,” Mr Givan said.

“I also recognise that for some young people there may be disappointment,” the education minister said.

“And it’s important that we recognise that but we also see the challenge that they face as an opportunity and potentially go down a different path and we need to be there to support them.”

Matthew, who studied A-levels at New-Bridge Integrated College in Loughbrickland, County Down, received two A grades and a B on Thursday.

“I’m really happy with my results,” he told BBC News NI.

“I’m going on to do mathematical physics at Liverpool.

“I don’t know what exactly I want to do yet but I love maths so the thinking is – do what you enjoy and you’ll figure it out.”

Twins Sam and Joe, who also attended New-Bridge, said they felt OK about their results.

Both are heading to Queens University, Belfast – Sam to do music production and Joe to study archaeology.

Sam will be going to live in Belfast but Joe will be staying at home.

When asked if they will be okay living separately they said it was “not a big deal”.

“I think we’re sick of each other being twins for so long but it’ll be grand, we can always text each other.”

Down High student Eoin McMullan, from Castlewellan, is hoping to study accountancy at Queen’s University, Belfast.

The teenager acknowledged a university education was now very expensive but said it would be “very sad if someone didn’t go to university just because of the money aspect”.

“I was considering maybe doing an apprenticeship, but I thought to just go in and get it over and done with,” he added.

“And there’s things you can do, like part-time jobs , which I will definitely want to do.”

Meena Lennon from Killyleagh, County Down, said her results were a lot better than she was expecting.

But the Down High School pupil is flying to the US next week to take up a tennis scholarship in Virginia.

“A bit of a far, far journey for me, but exciting, very exciting,” she said.

“I’m playing on a college team, and at the same time getting my education and my degree.”

Fellow Down High student Grace McMullan studied maths, biology and chemistry.

“I was very happy with my results, definitely not what I was expecting, so that’s very good,” she said.

Grace is now planning to take a gap year before returning to education.

“I’m hoping to work for the first couple months and then maybe go abroad and work as well, make some more money and then just travel where I want to.”

Students at the South West Regional College in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, are among those collecting their BTec results.

BTecs are aimed at people interested in working in a particular industry, like engineering, hospitality, or childcare.

Some BTecs are worth two or three A-levels and can be used as a route into apprenticeships, jobs and university.

Kian Cassidy, Aleksander Zmuda and Oliver Piech all studied IT.

Kian said he was happy with his results.

“I was feeling a wee bit anxious before today but then after I did a few of the exams last year, I kind of knew that I was pretty set for getting what I wanted to achieve.”

He is planning on doing a foundation degree at the college next year.

Aleksander Zmuda got a distinction and two merits in his results and is now planning a gap year.

Oliver Piech did better than he expected and is hoping to return to the college to do computer science.

About 26,000 students received their A-level, AS-level and BTecs results on Thursday.

At AS-level, trends were similar to A-level, with 26.7% of entries awarded an A-grade in 2024, compared to 26.4% in 2019.

Almost nine in every 10 AS-level and A-level entries in Northern Ireland are made through the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) exams board.

The CCEA’s chief executive Gerry Campbell offered congratulations to the students receiving results.

“These results are an important milestone for thousands of young people across the country and students should feel proud of their achievements,” he said.

“2024 also marks a milestone for examinations as we have completed the first normal exam year since the pandemic began.”

“This would not have been possible without the collaboration and hard work of our schools and colleges, and I wish to especially thank them for their support and commitment to our students across Northern Ireland.”

“Best wishes to all our students today and in the future.”

The majority of qualifications are taken through CCEA, though some students will also receive grades from English and Welsh exam boards.

Some are also awaiting results of BTEC qualifications on Thursday.

CCEA will operate a results helpline from Thursday 15 August until Wednesday 28 August. The number is 028 9026 1260.

The Department for the Economy’s careers service is also operating an online advice service or you can access its help by telephoning 0300 200 7820.

Pupils awaiting GCSE results will receive them on Thursday 22 August.

Additional reporting by Cormac Campbell, Claire Quinn, Julian Fowler and Gloria Ifonlaja