“Congratulations to all our young people who have received results today, marking the culmination of much hard work over another difficult year. We must also acknowledge the incredible work of our teachers, support staff and school leaders who have worked tirelessly to get the young people to this point. The work they do is invaluable.

“The 2024 summer series went well in Northern Ireland and CCEA is to be commended for its clear communication throughout and management of the examinations, marking, awarding and issue of results. This in the context of a return to pre-pandemic standards, reflected in the grade outcomes which are lower than 2023 and comparable to 2019. What this means is that results in Northern Ireland, Wales and England are now broadly similar, ensuring comparability across the three jurisdictions.

“Many students will now move on to university and with a cap on university places still in place, a high proportion will take up places away from Northern Ireland. This must be addressed by the government in order to help retain the best talent and contribute to our economy in the long run. Of course, many leavers will also enrol in work-based training programmes, apprenticeships and other routes, which are becoming increasingly popular in the province.

“Whatever their next steps, we wish all of our students well for the future.”