School leavers

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

Background

The Department of Education collects data annually on the highest qualification and destination of Northern Ireland grammar and secondary school leavers. In addition to the qualifications and destination data, such items as year group, sex, ethnicity, religion, free school meal entitlement, special educational needs and the pupils home postcode are also collected. Other items such as the school management type are also included in the dataset.

Data

Data relating to each of the year's listed may be accessed by clicking on the link for that year.

• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland School Leavers 2023/24
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2022/23
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2021/22
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2020/21
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2019/20
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2018/19
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2017/18
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2016/17
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2015/16
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2014/15
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2013/14
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2012/13
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2011/12
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2010/11
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2009/10
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2008/09
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2007/08
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2006/07
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2005/06
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2004/05
• Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2003/04

Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2002/03

The Department of Education’s statistical press release 'Qualifications and destinations of Northern Ireland school leavers 2002/03' had been preannounced for publication in June 2004.

Unfortunately, considerable difficulties have arisen with the data collection as a result of technical problems with new software installed in schools. These difficulties have delayed the returns, allowing insufficient time for destination data to be queried with schools – a necessary part of the validation process. The Department considers that attempting to contact schools with such queries in the summer term, or in the following school year, would be an unacceptable bureaucratic burden on schools. With regret, the proposed publication has therefore had to be cancelled.

Further information

More information on the school leavers data collection exercise can be accessed on the Department's website at School leavers - data collection and validation. Datasets can also be accessed through the NISRA Data Portal at https://data.nisra.gov.uk/product/SL.

Data requests

If you require information that is additional to that already published, contact the Statistics and Research Team (SRT). We will conduct special analysis of data held upon request, where it is appropriate.