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Ruane and Empey congratulate A and AS Level Students

19 August 2010

Education Minister Caitríona Ruane and Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey today congratulated students who have received their A and AS level results.

Visiting New-Bridge Integrated College, Banbridge and St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, the Education Minister said: “Congratulations to all the young people who have received their much anticipated results today.   Today we are living in an electronic age where everyone expects instant results, but to achieve success, you have had to study hard for two years to attain your grades.

“Your results reflect the hard work you have put into your studies over your school years.  They also highlight the dedication, help and support of teachers and parents who go above and beyond to encourage young people to achieve their full potential.

“Some of you will not get the results you were hoping for today and I would urge you not to worry.  There are so many options open to you to either continue on in pursuing your career of choice or maybe to rethink your plans and try something totally new.  There are different pathways to take you where you want to go and you should take good advice and study all your options before making a decision.

“This is an important and exciting time in your life – the world is your oyster.  Follow your dreams and I wish you every success in the future.”

  • 2010 is the first year of the new A* grade and the statistics show that students from the north of Ireland have performed better than their counterparts in England and Wales. 9.3% of students here achieved the grade compared to 8.1% in England and Wales.
  • 84.5% of entries at A-Level here have achieved grades A*–C, a slight decrease of 0.1% from 2009.
  • At the top grades, A*-A, was awarded to 35.7% of pupils, an increase of 1.2% compared to candidates achieving A in 2009.

Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey said: “So many of our young people have achieved the grades they needed for their chosen pathways and they deserve our congratulations.

"However, there will also be those who face disappointment and to those I offer a different message – all is not lost and the most important thing you can do is stay calm and consider your options.  There are many options available, and my Department’s Careers Service Northern Ireland is there to help you choose the next steps that are right for you.  

“I would urge you all to visit www.careersserviceni.com and www.nidirect.gov.uk for a wealth of useful information and the location of your nearest Careers Office. While it may appear, after the exam results, one door has been closed for you, the Careers Service can help you open other doors and unlock your potential.

“I would encourage young people to investigate all options open to them.  Our Further Education colleges offer a wide variety of foundation degrees and vocational qualifications and further study may prove beneficial, especially in these tough economic times. Taking time now to explore options will pay dividends in the future.”

For those seeking information and advice on any issues relating to their exam results for example, appeals, remarks, re-sits you can contact your exam centre or the CCEA helpline on 028 9026 1260 or email helpline@ccea.org.uk. For those who did better or less well than expected, there may still be opportunities available through the UCAS clearing system and information, advice and guidance on what to do next is available from www.nidirect.gov.uk.

Notes to Editors:

1. All available statistics are provisional and are subject to appeals, re-marks and, in the case of AS Levels, the cashing-in of awards.

2. Figures cover all candidates, irrespective of the examining body for the examinations.

3. The overall pass rate remains consistently high, with 98.1% of students achieving grades A*-E. This compares to a pass rate of 98.4% in 2009

Further statistics can be accessed on the Department of Education website external link.

4. Media queries to Press Office, Department of Education, 028 9127 9207 or Press Office, Department for Employment and learning, Tel 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.