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21/06/2012
Religious Difference In School-Leavers' Grades
Exam results vary widely depending on pupils' religious backgrounds in some parts of Northern Ireland, it has emerged.
In Moyle and Larne council areas, both in County Antrim, pupils from Protestant backgrounds did much better at GCSE level than those from Catholic backgrounds.
The breakdown of figures was provided by the Department of Education after Sinn Fein’s Daithi McKay, the MLA for North Antrim, made a written request through the Assembly.
Mr McKay is his party's education spokesperson.
In Moyle on the north coast, 95.2% of Protestant pupils left school with at least five GCSEs graded A*-G including English and Maths, but for Catholic school-leavers that figure fell to 70%.
In Larne the gap was even wider, with 86.9% of Protestants achieving the five GCSEs target, but just 53% of Catholics doing the same.
Overall in Northern Ireland, 88.4% of Protestants achieved five GSCEs including Maths and English as compared to 88.3% of Catholics.
Catholics left with better grades than Protestants in several areas of Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Castlereagh and Fermanagh.
But these differences were not as stark as those in Larne and Moyle.
The figures cover results between 2008 and 2011 and council areas were determined by pupils' home post codes, not their schools.
In that time, 2,411 pupils left school without reaching the standard of five GCSEs including English and Maths.
(NE)
In Moyle and Larne council areas, both in County Antrim, pupils from Protestant backgrounds did much better at GCSE level than those from Catholic backgrounds.
The breakdown of figures was provided by the Department of Education after Sinn Fein’s Daithi McKay, the MLA for North Antrim, made a written request through the Assembly.
Mr McKay is his party's education spokesperson.
In Moyle on the north coast, 95.2% of Protestant pupils left school with at least five GCSEs graded A*-G including English and Maths, but for Catholic school-leavers that figure fell to 70%.
In Larne the gap was even wider, with 86.9% of Protestants achieving the five GCSEs target, but just 53% of Catholics doing the same.
Overall in Northern Ireland, 88.4% of Protestants achieved five GSCEs including Maths and English as compared to 88.3% of Catholics.
Catholics left with better grades than Protestants in several areas of Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Castlereagh and Fermanagh.
But these differences were not as stark as those in Larne and Moyle.
The figures cover results between 2008 and 2011 and council areas were determined by pupils' home post codes, not their schools.
In that time, 2,411 pupils left school without reaching the standard of five GCSEs including English and Maths.
(NE)
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