Northern Ireland's sixth-formers retained their lead over the rest of the United Kingdom in the A-level exams, with 28.5 per cent achieving a grade A, almost 7 per cent ahead of the UK average of 21.6 per cent.
At one of the leading grammar schools, Ballyclare High in Co Antrim, headmaster Mr David Knox was celebrating a 100 per cent pass rate at A-level. More than 60 per cent received either As or Bs. Four pupils at the school this year achieved four grade As, while a further 19 received the top grade in three subjects.
Rosie Hanley (18), from the village of Ballynure, achieved three grade As in English, history and biology, despite being involved in a serious road accident earlier this year. "I missed quite a lot of school. I fractured my eye socket, so I couldn't see to do much work at home," she said. She will study English at Bristol University.
A Devon teenager got 5A grades and two Bs in what is thought to be the best A-level result in the UK.
Figures from the main exam boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland suggest there was a general improvement in scores. For the first time, fewer than one entry in 20 was judged a failure.
The A-level pass rate rose from 94.3 per cent to 95.4 per cent. The proportion awarded A grades increased to 21.6 per cent from 20.7 cent.
The striking thing about the results achieved by high-fliers was that, in many cases, they notched up strings of As in so-called "hard" subjects such as maths, further maths, physics, chemistry, history and English literature.
On whether exams were getting easier, Mr Knox said: "I do not think there are many people who can compare objectively the exams we sat and the exams they sat 30 years ago.
"Syllabuses change and the style of exam is very different. Exams are better set out and better written. It is easier for someone who knows the course well to achieve their potential," he said.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service said a record number of people have had their conditional university offers confirmed on results day. - (PA)