Almost half of Northern Ireland’s school leavers now go on to higher education, with Department of Education data showing how the figure has risen in recent years.

The proportion of school leavers continuing onto higher education institutions has increased by 5 percentage points, from 42.9 per cent in 2015-16 to 47.9 per cent in 2020-21.

Some 96 per cent of 2020-21 school leavers were recorded by their school as entering education, employment or training (including 97.7 per cent of grammar school leavers and 94.6 per cent of non-grammar school leavers).

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However, the proportion of girls going into higher education (56.3 per cent) was higher than that of boys (39.8 per cent). Boys were far more likely to go into training (16.3 per cent) than girls (4.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, some 44.8 per cent of Protestant school leavers entered higher education, while 50.6 per cent of Catholic school leavers did so.

The proportion of school leavers going on to further education institutions decreased from 34.4 per cent in 2015-16 to 27 per cent in 2020-21.

Among 2020-21 school leavers, those not entitled to free school meals were more likely to continue into further or higher education (78.7 per cent) than those entitled to free school meals (63.9 per cent).

The proportion of school leavers entering employment increased from 8.9 per cent in 2015-16 to 10.6 per cent in 2020-21.

The full Northern Ireland Department of Education statistical bulletin can be read here.