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LAST UPDATE | 7 Sep 2020
LEAVING CERT STUDENTS have been commended today as examination results were issued this morning.
The Department of Education revealed earlier today that average Leaving Cert marks across all subjects and at all levels are up by an average of 4.4%.
The decision to allow students the option of accepting calculated grades was announced in May after nearly three months of speculation amid uncertainty over the impact of the coronavirus on the State exams.
Those results were finally issued to students today. Students’ unions and teaching associations have issued their congratulations to those who received results.
In a down-to-the wire change in how the individual results would be decided, Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed last week that past academic performance of schools would not be used to ‘standardise’ student results.
It followed controversy in the UK as the government was forced into a spectacular u-turn on the exam grading process.
The results students in Ireland received this morning are based on teacher and school input along with other information as part of a process designed by experts from the State Examinations Commission and other agencies.
Giving an overview of the results, the Department said they are higher than they would be in any normal year – but that the final results are lower than the ones which would have emerged if teacher estimates had been left unchanged.
Reaction
There has been a broadly positive reaction to today’s results. However, some students and educational professionals have expressed their frustrations with the outcomes of today.
Speaking to RTE Radio One’s Liveline, a school principal in Co Kildare, Eddie Gaughran, claimed about 12 of the 68 students in his school who sat the Leaving Cert were unfairly downgraded.
“I have a teacher of biology who rightly submitted five H1s, and I was the person who was to moderate those results, she rightly submitted five H1s to me, which without adjustment, which is my duty, I submitted to the DES, and this morning three of those are no longer H1s,” Gaughran said.
“From a H1 to a H2 is 12 points. If that happened to you twice it’s 24 points. For people in that competitive, broad medical sphere, which we’ve all said so much about, heartwarmingly in the last six months, that loss of 24 points is huge,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union President Rueban Murray congratulated students who received their results today.
“The Leaving Certificate is a stepping stone for students as they progress on to the next phase of their lives, but it does not define them or their abilities as a person,” Murray said.
“It is an exciting time and we wish every student the best of luck in whatever career or direction they wish to take. It is important to remember to also be there for those who don’t get the results they want. Support each other in this,” he said.
Murray highlighted that it has been a “long year with plenty of uncertainty and stress” for the students.
“The Leaving Certificate class of 2020 should be commended for their bravery and resilience in dealing with such as difficult situation,” he said.
The director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), Clive Byrne, has also offered his congratulations to the students.
“The Leaving Cert class of 2020 has had to forgo many of the school traditions that all preceding sixth years have experienced and remember fondly, such as their last days at school, school graduations, and even their Debs, all in respect of public health guidance,” Byrne said.
“For those students who have been fortunate enough to match or exceed their expectations, today is a happy and very affirming conclusion to their second-level schooling and a launchpad to third-level education and other career opportunities,” he said.
“For other students who may be feeling disappointed, I would encourage them to remain positive. Thankfully, there are more pathways than ever before into third-level education and their chosen careers beyond that.”
Announcing the results today, Minister Foley acknowledged students were receiving them at a difficult time, and that it had been a challenging six months for Leaving Cert students and their families.
“This is a very different day from what we had anticipated for you, and from what you had planned and dreamed for yourselves,” Foley said in a statement.
“I do appreciate what an especially difficult time you have had over the past six months, and I want to commend you for the patience, courage and resilience you have shown in that time.
“The creation of the calculated grades system came about to ensure there would be a mechanism to enable the class of 2020 to progress to work or further and higher education on completion of your second level school experience.”
While acknowledging it had been a challenging time for students she said she believed the system was “the fairest possible solution given the extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves as we journey together through the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Students were able to access their grades via the Calculated Grades Student Portal from 9am this morning.
Breakdown of subjects
In Irish, the number of students who achieved the highest grade in Level A (H1) increased from 6.1% of students last year to 9.1%.
In Irish Level B, the number of students who achieved the highest grade increased from 1.9% of students last year to 5.8% this year.
In Maths Level G, 4.4% of students received the highest grade, compared to 1.7% last year and 1.5% in 2018; just 1.8% received the lowest grade in the same subject this year, compared to 4.3% and 3.7% in the previous two years.
The proportion of students studying Level A Art increased by over 5 percentage points; from 3.0% in 2018 and 3.2% in 2019, to 8.5% of students this year.
In Latin Level A and Classical Studies Level A, the number of students receiving the highest grade possible doubled.
According to the Department:
It has not been possible to generate some 2,500 grades – 0.6 % of the total. The Department’s statement explained:
“This arises in the case of students studying an extra subject outside school or in the case of students studying for their Leaving Certificate independently of any formal educational involvement.
“To be fair to all other students, an estimated mark could only be accepted from an appropriate source based on credible evidence. Unfortunately, not all students were able to comply with these requirements. These students have access to an appeals process and will be able to sit the later written examinations.”
Appeals
As in previous years, where a student is not happy with their grade, they can appeal the result – but this year’s appeals process will be much more restrictive than usual with little room for a grade to be changed.
An appeal of a grade will essentially be an administrative appeal to ensure that the percentage given by the teacher was recorded correctly by the Department of Education, and also matches the grade indicated in the Student Portal.
That appeals process will open on 14 September and close at 5pm on 16 September.
If a student is still unhappy with their grade, they can opt to sit the exam in November in one or more subjects. They will then have two grades – the calculated grade and their exam grade – but the higher of the two will be the final result in that subject.
Students who have opted to sit the exam in November will have access to the traditional appeals process when they receive their results early next year.
CAO first-round offers are due to be announced at 2pm on Friday.
- with reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha and Hayley Halpin
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No worries for Boris: he’ll just announce the return of the bendy bananas and all England will celebrate FREEDOM…….
@Mike Finnegan: Given that Theresa May ‘won’ that vote by a margin of 133, and Johnson by 148, with May gone within six months, it probably won’t be so worry-free for Boris.
But obviously the question is what happens next, i.e. after him, since this is probabkly the beginning of the end. Jeremy Hunt or Liz Truss basically I think. The former would be the pragmatic caretaker who would be realistic about Northern Ireland and the Protocol – and would steer the UK in the direction of arrangements akin to rejoining the customs union (but not literally since that’d still be political suicide).
The latter would likely be a lightweight choice so intent on proving she didn’t really mean to vote Remain in 2016, that she’d end up being worse than Bojo for Ireland, but might inadvertedly also set up a greater probability of the Tories being ousted in 2024.
Just to clarify, since I didn’t specify this correctly: Johnson had a bigger margin against him (148) than May (133), so the expectation woud be that if May lasted 6 months after the vote, Johnson would be expected to last shorter (I wrote that Johnson won by a larger margin while I should have said that his winning margin was significantly smaller than May’s).
He’ll romp home thanks to the bulk of his MP’s being spineless toadies. Suits him to have the vote ahead of the impending disastrous by elections as another no confidence vote can’t be called for twelve months.
He’ll coast home.
@Shaun Gallagher: No coast home only a matter of time now
@Shaun Gallagher: More than 40% of Tory MPs voted against him – he’ll continue on because he’s got no self-awareness or honour, but his government is weakened to the point of uselessness. I’d hate to be living in Britain now
Tory theatre.
Suits Johnson. Should wait until the end of the month following two upcoming by elections. Wouldn’t surprise me if Johnson has something to do with the timing of this vote. On the other hand, it is probably easier for the opposition to deal with Johnson than with alternatives. I’d like to think that Johnson winning the vote will prove a blessing in disguise.
@alan: think you’re right. Two heavy defeats in the by elections could encourage a few more Tories to vote against. At the moment they be lucky to get 100 against BG.
@alan: I’d say there’s a lot of very worried Tory back benchers that are looking at 2 more definite by election defeats and looking at their own seats going if they support Bojo. I think his time is up….PG!!!!
@alan: It’s win win really. If he loses he’s gone, and good riddance. If he stays they’ll limp through the next by elections and he’ll stuggle to win any general, he’s too tainted. If the Tories were smart they’d oust him now and rebrand, new start etc etc. They won’t though.
@Rob Hunt: I agree. But the problem is that Starmer (like Bacik here), while I don’t doubt his (or her) integrity and commitment, is not right for the job. When you are dealing with Johnson these values are worthless. This isn’t helped by Labour (here and there) having no clear political vision or message. For the time being, it seems that nationalist, populist politics can’t be beaten by reason or argument or even policy. Johnson and his public school army know this and make full use of it. I think this, along with Labour’s lack of political nous might keep him in office.
I think the problem is that they have no real replacement for him in the Tory party so they’ll hang onto him for another while.
I think the tipping point was Boris been booed at the weekend. The penny has dropped for the Conservatives that he is now a liability. He will probably still win but hopefully a high number of votes against him will be the beginning of the end for him. In hindsight the Brits will see how much damage he has done to the UK. It was their folly to elect him.
A ‘formidable political force’? That statement is laughable in itself.
Boris is a man devoid of all the qualities one would normally associate with the holder of such high office, but the problem the Tories have, in my opinion, is they seem to have no MP to replace him who is much better! Maybe that’s because most of the people he has surrounded himself with are lackies and brown nosers who have continuously parroted the same lies as Boris has since he became PM!
“Some” sections of the crowd?
He will win but the real problem is that under the rules there cannot be another vote for 12 months
A Single vote win is a victory for Boris Johnson according to the Conservative Party, except when it’s a border poll on Irish Unity then there different rules .
Even if he wins it now only a matter of time. Look at thatcher and Theresa may
Don’t worry, the useless tories will bottle it when it’s put to them. Bojo is brutal but heaven help them if they end up with Patel or Raab running the show. Frying pan & fire come to mind
The Looney party Will back Him as most of them are Like Him
But hey he delivered Brexshit….isn’t that what the majority wanted. Pity they didn’t know what it really was they were voting for.
Lets hope its another preforming CHIMP.
Goodluck MR Johnson
Brandon Lewis & Suella Braverman on Sky news just new batting for Boris. Sickening listening to the crap they’re coming out with. So many of the tory party are dilusional muppets
Margin of victory not big enough, he’ll be forced out by his own party.
2 by-elections coming….if he looses both. He is toast….he has 6 months to go max
@Kevin50: I think Johnson survived by a margin effectively of 32 votes. 211 expressing confidence and 148 against him. That reads like a reasonable vote of confidence, but it’s only 32 short of the 180 simple majority of no confidence. Only 32 MP’s needed to vote differently out of 359.
@David A. Murray: and don’t forget about the 51 that are on payroll so we’re effectively voting for their jobs
@Jay Munnelly: were*
Anyone would be better than that Bullingdon Baffoon!
Well that’s a joke he should be gone but 5he spineless didn’t stand up to be counted.
Start of the end thank God
No sympathy anymore for the UK public – you’ve elected a bunch of lying narcissists that have no respect for you .
Johnson’s letter to his party’s MP’s listing his government’s achievements (and promising more of the same) was some piece of creative interpretations of his record. It’s very hard to swallow (and I don’t mean physically).
More lives than a bag of cats . More lies to the bewildered to keep power. Better enjoy it as they’ll be 10 to 15 years paying for it
A foregone conclusion, the turkeys have got into the habit of voting for Christmas over there. They obviously think that lunacy is the way to go.
211 effectively voted to say they would lie to better their careers over the good of the uk
In fairness, Britain is a complete basket case at the moment. Who knows where he’ll be in 6 months. The British get what they deserve voting for this tossbag and Brexit.
Rees Mog and the
Spineless fillets protecting their own interests as usual. Have at you chaps and God save the Queen…
This guy keeps bouncing back like a boomerang on elastic.
The Indians, are circling
Delighted for Boris, A great leader
@Mick Cullen: — You’ve set the bar so low that a microbe couldn’t get under it.
If he wins this evening, I believe he will go to the country sooner rather than later.
Of course he has no interest in holding an election, because he’d lose.
He is some boyo
He should do the decent thing and go now, the writing is on the wall for all to see.
211 effectively voted to say they would lie to better their careers over the good of the uk
@Jay Munnelly: exactly
lemmings d lot of them
I’m gonna have to stock up on popcorn.
The vanity and avarice of a cultureless nation of subjective plebs is finally come to fruition.
Brilliant.
Any nation that openly endorses a two tier society deserves everything it gets.
Well done.
Habemus Papam.
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