Sandra Overend MLA, the Ulster Unionist Party’s education spokesperson, has offered her congratulations to students receiving their ‘A’ levels results today.

Mrs Overend said:

“This morning the wait has ended for all those ‘A’ level students who have been patiently looking forward to their results all summer.  It is a time of both tension and excitement, as decisions made on the basis of these results will shape the future for thousands of young people.  I send my congratulations to all Northern Ireland’s ‘A’ level students today. No matter what your results, to have come this far in your education is a great achievement.

“Yet again this year, as is customary, we see that overall our ‘A’ level students in Northern Ireland have outperformed their counterparts in England and Wales. Looking at the trends since 2010, Northern Ireland results remain consistently excellent.  In terms of the percentages of exam entrants gaining passes (A* to E), gaining the valuable A* to C grades, and gaining the elite A* and A grades, our students remain ahead of Welsh and English students.

“However, there are some grounds for concern.  In the UK as a whole there has been a slight decline, in the region of a percentage point in the very top A* and A grades since 2010. The average across all the regions is 25.9 %.  However, in Northern Ireland we have seen a more marked decline from 35.9% to 29.3%.

 “Nevertheless, it is clear that our students continue to excel at the higher academic range.  This is despite the barely disguised hostility of the Minister of Education to the very idea of academic excellence. Credit must go to the School Principals and teachers as well as the parents who have helped the students achieve these results.

 “Young people today will be focussing on the next step and I am sure that there are difficult decisions to be made.  Some will choose further education in Regional Colleges, others will go to University, while many will move into the workforce at this stage.  I send this message to our students today: No matter what your results, you will find your path. Some paths are straightforward and others are winding.  University will not be every young person’s answer to the next stage. We need to balance the skills of our young people coming through and we need to encourage more entrepreneurs.

 “I would encourage each student to talk through your options with your Careers Advisor and to use the UCAS Universities and Colleges Admissions Service helpline 0808 100 800 as well as their social media pages. Most of all, take time to decide what’s best for you.”