There have been celebratory scenes at schools across Northern Ireland following this year’s GCSE results.
Education Minister Paul Givan was himself among the ranks of parents of GCSE students discovering their grades on Thursday morning.
He said his family were delighted with his eldest daughter’s results.
“I, like all parents, went to bed last night slightly nervous, up this morning, into school while she went in to get her results,” he said.
“Ultimately we just want our young people to do well. We want them to be happy and we want to provide them a place in Northern Ireland where they can succeed, and we have an education system that is doing that.”
He later met students at Dromore High School, including Emily Henderson and Lewis Mulligan who were celebrating their results.
Emily got six As, two Bs and two C*s, and said she was happy after a nervous night.
She had been on a flight home on Wednesday from a hockey match in Holland with her Portadown Ladies Hockey Club team mates, who were also expecting their GCSE results.
“I didn’t sleep a wink last night, but I’m delighted with my results and to go on and do A-levels in maths, physics and a Btec in psychology. I’d be quite interested in doing engineering or maybe sports psychology.”
Lewis said he was very pleased with his results and got what he wanted, including five A* grades and five As.
“I’m looking forward to moving on to A-levels in maths, physics and geography, and I’m interested in doing something in the engineering area,” he said.
“I was nervous last night, couldn’t really sleep.”
“It was definitely more difficult than last year when I was doing some of my GCSEs. I’m going to come back next year to do A-levels and see where it takes me.”
At the nearby Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch, there were more celebrations.
Ava Donnelly said she screamed when she realised she had received 10 A* grades and an A.
“I’m really happy, I screamed when I saw them, it doesn’t seem real,” she said.
“I am going to do A-levels in biology, maths, chemistry and history, and I’d really love to go on and do medicine later on at university. I’d like to specialise in anaesthetics because it is it is a fascinating topic and I’d really love to join the profession.”
Dulcie Maguire received seven A* grades and four As and said she wants to keep doors open in terms of what she goes on to do later in life.
“I’m really pleased, I’ve picked art, English, Maths and physics for my A-levels so I’m really excited to see where that takes me,” she said.
“I like to have a balance (of subjects) to keep all my doors open for university. I am thinking of doing architecture or maybe something in the arts. My mum really helped me revise, and would test me.
“I did quite a bit of study, went through a lot of flash cards, quizzes and past papers.”
