Ninth Level Ireland

“As it is tangentially related to yesterday’s post I thought I’d comment on an article in The Times with the headline …” (more)

[In the Dark, 17 April]

“Sinn Féin Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile has welcomed official recognition for Physical Education as a leaving cert subject and has reiterated his call that third level institutions in the south also move to recognise PE A-Level as a Central Applications Office (CAO) subject when applying for university places in the South …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 24 February]

“I’m starting to get the hang of some of the differences between things here in Ireland and the United Kingdom, both domestically and in the world of work. One of the most important points of variation that concerns academic life is the school system students go through before going to University …” (more)

[In the Dark, 15 December]

“Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein): I raised this Commencement matter because the issue in question is coming to the fore. Many students, educationalists and teachers in the North are noticing and falling foul of a particular anomaly where there is a difference in the recognition of the A-level grading system by institutions in the South. This has only been exacerbated by Brexit …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 24 October]

“The Republic of Ireland’s universities will accept results of four Northern Irish A-level subjects they had previously rejected. The change will come into effect for students starting in September 2018. The subjects are Software Systems Development, Moving Image Arts, Digital Technology and Environmental Technology …” (more)

[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 26 May]

“The Republic of Ireland’s seven main universities in the will not accept results in four A-Levels taken by students in Northern Ireland this year. The affected subjects are Software Systems Development, Moving Image Arts, Digital Technology and Environmental Technology …” (more)

[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 2 March]

“Jubilant Northern Ireland students have outperformed their counterparts in England and Wales in the A-level results …” (more)

[Allan Preston, Belfast Telegraph, 19 August]

“Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has doubled the number of offers it has made to school-leavers in the North following changes to its scoring system to attract students south. DkIT now awards additional points for each grade at A-Level and extra points for BTEC, which is another secondary school qualification in the UK education system …” (more)

[Elaine Keogh, Irish Times, 18 August]

“Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff has welcomed the news that Irish universities will now award higher entrance marks to students studying A Levels …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 31 March]

“The seven universities in the Republic are set to introduce new admissions procedures that will make it easier for school-leavers from Northern Ireland to gain entry. Under the plan, which will apply to college applicants from September 2016, the Central Applications Office (CAO) points awarded for an A* grade in the A-Level exams will rise from 150 to 180 …” (more)

[Joe Humphreys, Irish Times, 30 March]

“NUI Galway today announced a new one-year pilot scheme for GCE A-Level students for entry in September 2015. The initiative is intended to increase the number of Northern Ireland students attending NUI Galway …” (more)

[NUI Galway, 5 January]

“Universities in the Republic are exploring ways of making it easier for Northern Ireland students to gain access …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 1 March]

“Two of the Republic of Ireland’s leading universities are considering an increase in their intake of students from Northern Ireland. Many popular courses at universities in the Republic are inaccessible to Northern Ireland students …” (more)

[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 6 February]

“Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of times during each of the past four years representatives of the NUI group of universities have met to discuss the matter of A Level and Applied A Level subjects recognised for the purposes of matriculation in these institutions; the departmental guidelines governing this practice …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 5 November]

“Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list, in tabular form, the accredited A Level qualifications that have been obtained at post-primary level in the six counties in the past three years whose status has not been recognised by third level colleges when students have applied for a degree course here …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 28 May]

“Northern Ireland students are top of the class when it comes to A-Levels. More A* and A grades were awarded to Northern Ireland candidates than in England and Wales …” (more)

[Lindsay Fergus, Belfast Telegraph, 18 August]

“Northern Ireland A-level students continue to outperform their counterparts in England and Wales, with close to a third achieving the top A* or A grades …” (more)

[Gerry Moriarty, Irish Times, 17 August]

“The proportion of Northern Ireland pupils earning top grades has fallen for two years in a row because of a broader take-up of A-levels, the awarding body has said …” (more)

[Irish Times, 16 August]

“The change is meant to stem rampant grade inflation and allow grades to be used as a meaningful tool for comparing student achievement from year to year …” (more)

[Julia Lawrence, Education News, 9 August]

“Exam boards have been told they should fix pass rates and grades for this summer’s GCSE and A-level exams to match last year …” (more)

[Richard Garner, Independent, 6 August]