This year’s Northern Ireland GCE results show that Mathematics is now the most popular A level in Northern Ireland, with more female students than ever taking STEM subjects.
Figures released on behalf of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQCIC), show an increase in numbers taking A levels in Northern Ireland this year, driven by a notable rise in entries in Mathematics. The subject is now the most popular A level subject in Northern Ireland, accounting for 1 in 10 of all A level entries. Entries in Mathematics rose by 8.6%, while overall A Level entries rose by 2.5% from 31,600 in 2014 to 32,390 this year.
Participation in the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) remains strong. Along with Mathematics there were increases in numbers taking Design and Technology, up 8.8%, and ICT, up by 4.5%.
Of particular interest is an increase this year in the number of female students taking A levels in STEM subjects, with increases in Biology (+5.7%), Chemistry (+3.3%), Physics (+2.1%), Mathematics (+10.6%) and Design and Technology (+24.5%).
Students continue to perform strongly at A level, with the overall A* – E pass rate rising slightly by 0.1% to 98.2%. There was also a small increase in those awarded the top grade, with 7.6% of entries receiving an A*, up 0.3% on last year. The percentage of entries achieving A*- A fell slightly to 29.3%, down by 0.6%.
While female students still account for the majority of A*s awarded (7.8%), this year the percentage of male students achieving the highest grade rose by 0.6 percentage points to 7.4%.
Speaking on behalf of JCQ in Northern Ireland, Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) awarding organisation commented:
“On behalf of all the GCE awarding bodies operating in Northern Ireland, I offer my congratulations to students receiving results this morning. These excellent results are the culmination of students’ dedication to study and the support of their teachers over the last two years.
“We’re pleased to see the considerable growth in students choosing to study Mathematics at A level. This makes the subject the most popular choice in Northern Ireland. Mathematics provides access to a wide range of educational pathways and careers. While entries in this subject have grown across all three countries, in Northern Ireland that growth has been notably strong.
“It’s also encouraging to see that more female students are choosing A levels in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).” 