Ninth Level Ireland

“Government Ministers have intervened to pressurise universities into providing college places for dozens of students who were told in recent days that they could not take up their places until next year. Thirty-five students were told last Thursday there was no college place for them in the current year after they secured places following rechecks and upgrades of their Leaving Cert exam papers, The Irish Times understands …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 22 September]

“The number of late CAO offers made to Leaving Cert candidates who were awarded a results upgrade has more than doubled to 594. It follows an almost doubling in applications for exam rechecks after major changes to the appeals process and, in turn, a doubling in the number of successful appeals to 2,916 …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 23 September]

“Sir, – The inequalities in our educational outcomes are stark. A soon-to-be released report from the Higher Education Authority indicates the strong connection between the more affluent members of our society and high results in the Leaving Cert and access to third level, particularly the future high-income courses such as medicine, business, and finance …” (more)

[Denise Burns and others, Irish Times, 19 September]

“Almost 3,000 Leaving Cert exam results have been upgraded after students successfully sought rechecks of their papers. The record number follows a surge in the number of rechecks this year, due mainly to reforms that have speeded up the appeals process and given students greater access to their exam papers online …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 18 September]

“The number of Leaving Cert students seeking rechecks of their marks has surged by 75%, prompting the State Examinations Commission to reassure those appealing that it plans to issue their results on time. More than 9,000 students – or 16% of all candidates – appealed some 17,000 Leaving Cert grades this year, the highest number on record …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 30 August]

“Girls have once again outperformed boys in a majority of higher level subjects in this year’s Leaving Cert. A gender breakdown of the results shows girls secured a higher proportion of top grades – H1s, H2s and H3s, or 70-100% – across most subjects …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 15 August]

“The Leaving Cert must be made more relevant for the 21st century, according to employers. As up to 59,000 students from the class of 2019 received their results, the employers’ group Ibec said reform of senior cycle and careers guidance was necessary to better prepare students for the future world of work …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly and Evie Kearney, Independent, 14 August]

“I’m sure I’ve written about his before but I’m returning to it today because is has come up on social media today. Here’s the context: many academics bemoan the ‘fact’ that students arrive in college unprepared for the challenges that await them. By all accounts, incoming students cannot think critically and they rely way too much on rote learning …” (more)

[An Irish Blog about Education, 13 August]

“Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh has denied that the change in awarded Leaving Certificate points has undermined the system. A record number sat higher level papers this year with students likely attracted by changes in the grading system in 2017 allowing candidates who achieve between 30-39% at higher level to earn CAO points …” (more)

[Evie Kearney, Independent, 13 August]

“Minister for Education Joe McHugh has defended the government’s delay in implementing the Cassells report saying that it is ‘very difficult to get business through parliament because of the weakness of this government’. ‘I think it will take a new composition government to bring a big fundamental change around this’, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland …” (more)

[Breakingnews.ie, 13 August]

“In Ireland, this is the day when every punter who has ever been to school and thinks they know a thing or two about education, appears out of the woodwork to give their tuppence worth on the Leaving Cert. I hate it but I can’t stop myself getting involved in pointless debates on Twitter …” (more)

[An Irish Blog about Education, 13 August]

“1. More performing well in higher level papers. The most significant trend evident in this year’s results is a steady increase in the numbers taking higher level papers and performing well in them. This trend is evident across a wide range of subjects, particularly in the core subjects of Irish, English and maths …” (more)

[Brian Mooney, Irish Times, 13 August]

“More than 55,000 Leaving Cert students are set to receive their exam results on Tuesday under a new fast-tracked process which will see college applicants receive their offers before the end of this week. The changes also mean students who appeal their exam grades will receive their results three weeks earlier than normal …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 August]

“Pupils will be able to secure exemptions from the study of Irish without requiring psychologists’ reports under new changes being introduced from the start of the school year. It follows a Department of Education review which found evidence that the system was being ‘gamed’, with psychologists being placed under pressure by parents to give exemptions to students who did not qualify for the opt-out …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 11 August]

“Last May, as my youngest was attending her final classes before the Leaving Cert, I wrote a piece for this paper in jubilant celebration at the end of the school run. College, I figured, would be her own business and something she could manage herself. Just like an exasperated, exhausted dragon, I was out …” (more)

[Barbara Scully, Independent, 8 August]

“Speeding up the correcting process for this year’s Leaving Cert means it is unlikely that all quality assurance measures will be completed on time, according to internal State Examinations Commission (SEC) records. The results are being provided earlier than normal on foot of a High Court ruling last year which found that students should be able to take up a college place immediately if they successfully appeal their exam grades …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 5 August]

“Secondary school principals say the findings of a review into the senior cycle support its calls for including continuous assessment as part of a reformed Leaving Cert. On Tuesday, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) published the findings of its interim review of the senior cycle, based on consultations with more than 2,500 students and hundreds of parents and teachers across 41 schools …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 30 July]

“Many students think Irish should become an optional subject for the Leaving Cert as a review of senior cycle education uncovers mixed views on keeping Gaeilge compulsory. Parents would also like to see students have the option to focus on five exam subjects instead of seven. Many students believe all subjects should be optional. The finding is included in a review of the existing senior cycle …” (more)

[Jess Casey, BreakingNews.ie, 29 July]

“From a sample size of three, I have decided that the Leaving Cert is by far the most punishing way of getting into university. Our children were mostly home-educated and – so far – have all taken different routes to third level: A-levels, QQI-FET courses and, this June, the Leaving Cert …” (more)

[Breda O’Brien, Irish Times, 15 June]

“Universities say the surge in Leaving Cert candidate numbers evident this year must trigger an increase in Government funding to cater for student demand coming down the tracks. More than 124,000 students start the State exams today, the highest figure in years, and one that will continue growing until the mid 2020s at least …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 5 June]