Almost ten per cent of students have achieved an A* grade in their A Levels – an increase of one per cent on last year.
And 33.2% of pupils have been awarded an A – an increase of 2.3 per cent, according to the Northern Ireland exams body CCEA.
Around 86.4% of A-level students were awarded the highest grades of A* to C – 1.6 per cent increase from last year.
At AS level, 79.3% were awarded grades A-C – 2.2 per cent higher than last year.
Grades have been awarded using individual pupils assessments carried out by teachers and a computer-generated ‘standardisation’ model used by the CCEA.
CCEA has said however that there will be ‘anomalies’ in the exam results.
CCEA chief executive Justin Edwards said since the cancellation of the exams, it has been a very unsettling and challenging period for the education community, particularly the students.
“Northern Ireland’s students, and those across the UK, Ireland and further afield, due to COVID-19 were unable to sit their exams, as has been common place for so many before, and will be for so many in the future.
“All of us at CCEA, working closely with the education community, have strived to ensure that students are able to progress this year. As a result of this collaborative work, we have delivered grades to students which we predict they would have achieved had they sat the examinations and which carry the same value as in previous years.
“Northern Ireland students have seen slight increases across grades, which are comparable with previous year on year performance for this particular year group,” he said.
Education Minister Peter Weir has congratulated those students who received their A-level and AS results this morning.
“I wish to congratulate all the young people who have received their results in what has been a particularly challenging time.
“Following the cancellation of all A level and AS level exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was determined that the young people affected should be awarded the qualifications necessary to progress to the next stage of their lives.
“The results issued today will allow our young people to take their next steps forward on whichever route they have chosen,” said Mr Weir.
“A range of experts and stakeholders, including representatives of head teachers, teaching unions, employing authorities and the Education and Training Inspectorate were consulted before decisions on the alternative awarding arrangements were finalised.
“It was important that this year’s awards were comparable to those awarded in past years and recognised as equally valid to avoid any long-term detrimental impact on the future prospects of this cohort of young people,” Mr Weir added.
“Full credit must go to teachers and school leaders who very quickly produced the professional judgements required and submitted these to CCEA within the very tight deadlines set.”