evidence: Almost a third of A-level students in Northern Ireland received a top A/A* grade. Just over 26,000 received results of A-level and AS-levels on Thursday morning. [...] Examinations board CCEA, which issues results in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), described a milestone year. [...] "This would not have been possible without the collaboration and hard work of our schools and colleges, and I wish to especially thank them for their support and commitment to our students across Northern Ireland."