GCSE pupils in NI on free school meals do half as well

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25348137

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GCSE pupils on free school meals do half as well as their counterparts, the Department of Education has found.

Just over a third achieved five or more GCSE grades A* to C, including English and maths, compared with 66.7% of those not entitled to free school meals.

Of the 22,580 pupils in year 12, 3,983 of them were on free school meals, an indicator of disadvantage.

It was the first time the Department of Education collected this information for its annual statistical summary.

Overall, 60.9% of year 12 pupils achieved at least five GCSEs grades A* to C, including English and maths, in 2012/13.

Other findings include: