Exam statistics under average figure

OVER half of the upper sixth students studying in Limavady Borough last year left school with one or less 'A' Level qualifications.

The figures, obtained by the Sentinel from the Department of Education, show that the Borough falls under the Northern Ireland average of 50.6% of school leavers who achieve two or more 'A' levels or equivalent in 2008/2009. 204 'A' Level students in the area who sat exams in 2008/2009 achieved two or more A-E grades equalling a 47.8 percentage mark. The overall figures for Northern Ireland meant an increase of 6.3 percentage on 'A' Level results from 44.3% in 2004/05. Meanwhile it was good news for GCSE results with over 70 per cent of pupils in the area achieving five or more A star to C GCSE grades. 304 students surpassed the Northern Ireland average with a percentage of 70.1. Only ten people left school last year with no qualifications. Further and Higher education courses were the destinations of 323 out of the 427 school leavers in the area. 73 leavers turned to training, 13 to employment and 18 left school unemployed or unknown. The Department of Education statistics also suggested that school leavers not entitled to free school meals were more likely to continue their education with 78.4% entering institutions of Higher or Further Education compared to 58.6% of leavers who were entitled to free school meals.