HC Deb 12 June 1986 vol 99 c294W
Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the percentage of school leavers in Northern Ireland obtaining one or more A-levels, five or more higher grade O-level or certificate of secondary education grade 1 passes, and no graded O-level or certificate of education results, in each year from 1965 to 1985.

Mr. Scott

Available information is as follows:

School Year 1 or more "A" Levels 5 or more Higher Grade "O" Levels or CSE Grade 1 No GCE CSE Qualifications
1965–66 10.3 7.6 77.1
1966–67 12.5 7.5 74.7
1967–68 14.2 6.7 72.5
1968–69 16.0 7.0 69.2
1969–70 16.3 6.9 68.4
1970–71 18.1 7.3 65.7
1971–72 17.5 7.8 64.7
1972–73* 29.1 13.2 38.2
1973–74† 19.7 9.4
1974–75 18.8 8.7
1975–76 18.6 7.9
1976–77 18.7 8.6
1977–78 19.8 8.6
1978–79 19.8 8.6
1979–80 21.1 11.3 27.0
1981–82‡ 22.3 10.5 24.3
1983–84 22.5 8.7 22.4
* Figures for 1972–73 reflect the effect of the raising of the school leaving age to 16 in 1972.
† From 1973–74 to 1978–79 school leavers with CSE grades 2 to 5 and from 1977–78 to 1978–79, those with GCE O levels grade D-E were included in the no qualifications category and figures are not separately available.
‡ Statistics were collected annually until 1979–80 but only biennially thereafter.