A-level results 2022: Pupils in Northern Ireland trounce every other region when it comes to As and A*s

The figures below give the percentage of results which earned A or A* grades in Wales, Northern Ireland, and nine English regions:

• North-east 30.8%

(2021: 39.2%; 2019: 23.0%)

• East Midlands 31.4%

(2021: 41.3%; 2019: 21.0%)

• West Midlands 32.3%

(2021: 40.9%; 2019: 22.0%)

• Yorks/Humber 32.4%

2021: 41.1%; 2019: 23.2%)

• North-west 34.4%

(2021: 41.4%; 2019: 23.5%)

• South-west 36%

(2021: 44.7%; 2019: 25.8%)

• Eastern England 36.1%

(2021: 44.8%; 2019: 25.6%)

• London 39%

(2021: 47.9%; 2019: 26.9%)

• South-east 39.5%

(2021: 47.1%; 2019: 28.3%)

• Wales 40.9%

(2021: 48.3% 2019: 26.5%)

• Northern Ireland 44%

(2021: 50.8%; 2019: 29.4%)

• England overall 35.9%

(2021: 44.3%; 2019: 25.2%)

• UK overall 36.4%

(2021: 44.8%; 2019: 25.4%)

The Scottish examination system differs, with pupils sitting ‘highers’ rather than A-levels, so it is excluded from this list (which was compiled by the Press Association).

As the numbers illustrate, the number of As and A*s rocketed in 2021, and have now fallen again in 2022 – albeit to a level which is still much higher than in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

Northern Irish pupils outcompeting their peers in Great Britain has been a recurring motif for decades.

Back two decades ago in August 2002, The Irish Times reported that “the numbers of A grades awarded increased from 24.6% to 28.1 % – a gap of more than 7% when compared to other parts of the UK”.

Delving further into the data, on the question of sex, UK-wide figures show that when it comes to pupils doing A-level computing, 85% were male.

However when looking at the relatively-new subject of double-award health & social care, some 96% of all pupils studying were girls.

NI Greens declare: ‘Children of any age should be allowed to switch gender’