SCHOOLS are celebrating another year of "outstanding" GCSE results with the number of pupils achieving the very top grades increasing.
Little Flower Girls' School in north Belfast was among those full of beaming smiles and cheers of celebrations yesterday.
Two years ago, the proportion of girls achieving the benchmark five or more GCSEs at A*-C including English and maths was just 31.5 per cent.
Yesterday, the school learned this had risen to about 60 per cent.
Principal Jim McKeever said the improvement was due to targeted interventions and allowing pupils a free choice of subjects.
"We have a pathways model with an English, maths and RE core, they then have free choice. If we empower people, success will follow," Mr McKeever said.
"Little Flower's doors were open every Saturday morning where Year 12 students were welcome to attend a range of Saturday school programmes, clearly illustrating our girls' determination and commitment to their education and plans for the future."
Some of the youngest GCSE awards yesterday went to children from Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir in Derry who sat their Irish exam while in P7.
Principal Mary Nic Ailín said more than 65 per cent of her pupils achieved A and A* grades with a high percentage awarded full marks in the speaking and writing components.
"All of the children have been awarded grades A*-B - an outstanding performance from the primary school children," she said.
"We are absolutely delighted at the children's success. The dedication shown by our children, the staff and their parents throughout their primary school education has come to fruition with these outstanding results. We hope the the secondary schools they have chosen continue to focus on developing the amazing talents these bilingual children have and we are sure they will be stars of the future."
Hazelwood College in north Belfast followed up record breaking A-level results last week with excellent GCSEs - every pupil achieved five or more while 87 per cent achieved at least five A*-C grades.
Among the top achieving subjects were English literature, sports studies, hospitality and catering, Spanish and personal and social development. while many top performing pupils were from countries including Poland and Slovakia.
Three pupils from St Killian's College Garron Tower, each scored 10 A* grades. All three - Christina McCambridge, Liam Walsh and Hannah Craig - are past pupils of the same primary school, St Anthony's in Larne.
St Killian's principal Jonny Brady said: "Since the establishment of the college in 2010, we have endeavoured to build up strong links with all our primary schools and excellent achievements such as this should be celebrated by both our feeder schools and St Killian's."
St Anthony's PS principal Aine Fleming added: "These are top of the range achievements for Christina, Liam and Hannah and I know that they will move comfortably to the next stages in their academic careers."
