A-LEVEL students in Northern Ireland have outperformed students in Britain in the proportion of students achieving A-grades.
Almost 30 per cent achieved the coveted higher marks with students performing well in sciences, mathematics and art and design.
A one-off rise in the number of pupils taking film or media studies was linked by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to the filming of the Game of Thrones fantasy drama in the region.
However, the number of political studies A-level entries over the one year was down by a fifth.
