More than 32,000 students in Northern Ireland received their GCSEs on Thursday morning and some vocational qualification results like BTEC's.
The pass rate in Northern Ireland (C grade and above) has gone up from 82.7% to 83.5%, while 31.8% of GCSE entries were awarded A* or A. That compares to 31% in 2024.
Results have returned to levels similar to those before the Coronavirus pandemic when exams were cancelled.

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Pacemaker Press 21-08-2025: Pupils at Methodist College in Belfast celebrate getting GCSE results. Photo: pacemaker

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Pacemaker Press 21-08-2025: Pupils Ellen Boyd, Kathryn Parkinson and Katie Thompson Grosvenor Grammar School in Belfast celebrate getting GCSE results. Photo: pacemaker

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Pacemaker Press 21-08-2025: Pupils at Methodist College in Belfast celebrate getting GCSE results. Photo: pacemaker

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Pacemaker Press 21-08-2025: Pupils at Grosvenor Grammar School in Belfast celebrate getting GCSE results. Photo: pacemaker

