A-Level students in Northern Ireland are still outperforming students in England and Wales

A-Level students in Northern Ireland are still outperforming students in England and Wales, this year's results show.

98.3% of results in Northern Ireland this year fell within the A*-E pass grade. Girls are also outperforming boys in the higher end of the results.

Maths remains the most popular subject, although there was a small decline in the number of pupils sitting the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths.

There was also a rise in the number of pupils studying computing.

Spanish is the most popular language for students studying for A-Levels, as German and French exams decline.

There has also been a rise in students sitting Irish exams.

Over 31,000 pupils sat As and A-Levels in Northern Ireland, a decline of 1,140 since 2016.

“I wish to congratulate each student receiving their results today and commend them for all their hard work," said Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland’s awarding organisation, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).

"I also wish to recognise the dedication and support provided by Northern Ireland’s teachers, who have had a key role in today’s success, and the 5,000 examiner and moderators for their continued support. Today’s results present a good picture for Northern Ireland, with a stable performance across all grades."