TERAPROOF:User:sambolandDate:13/08/2013Time:21:07:15Edition:14/08/2013ExaminerLiveXX-1408Page:10
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Irish Examiner Wednesday 14.08.2013
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NEWS 11
Irish Examiner Wednesday 14.08.2013
LEAVING CERT RESULTS
LEAVING CERT RESULTS
SEC: No students affected by maths paper error The State Examinations Commission says none of the 520 students it believes were affected by a major error in one of June’s higher-level maths exams will have lost out on marks. It issued the assurance as it detailing the rigorous procedure used to address the problems that arose after the Leaving Certificate Paper 2, sat by a record 13,014 students, was discovered to have a major mistake.
Higher level maths uptake surges
NIALL MURRAY EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT Students who attempted the trigonometry question in a particular way would have found that the triangle described in the question, which did not contain the
Subject MATHS
ENGLISH
by Niall Murray
Shift in language choices
by Audrey Ellard Walsh There has been a marked increase in the numbers of students sitting non-curricular language subjects this year. In total, 1,470 students elected to sit papers in non-curricular languages — an increase of 100 from last year. Polish remains the most popular non-curricular language with 769 students sitting the exam this year — up from 707 in 2012. The Latvian paper was taken by 105 students, up from 87 last year. There was a slight decline in the uptake of Portuguese, Lithuanian, and Bulgarian.
caused to those candidates who were affected by the errors on this paper”. After examiners identified those students who appeared to have been affected, a specific marking scheme was applied to their papers, and the effectiveness was monitored by senior examiners. The SEC carried out further comparisons of the students’ final grades with those of similar-standard students on Paper 2 alone,
and on the combination of both maths papers. It also analysed the marks of all 12,500 students who did not seem to be affected to see if any had significant unexpected differences between their performance in both higher-level papers, which led to 10 more scripts being reviewed. “The review confirmed that none of the 10 candidates showed any evidence of having been affected by
the error in Question 8,” said the SEC. The system used to identify affected students and the amended marking scheme will be published along with marking schemes for all papers later this month and students will be entitled to appeal a grade in the same way as normal. The error was one of a number of mistakes in this year’s exams for both Junior and Leaving Certificates.
“The level of error was higher than normal,” said the SEC. “The SEC wishes to again apologise to candidates who may have been affected by these regrettable errors.” Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, who has just received a report from the SEC on the errors in maths papers, said he will take a few days before making any further comment. John Devlin, founder of
Positivemaths.ie, said the mistake in the higher-level question could have shaken the confidence of students, but he commended the SEC’s actions to identify the impact. “The special protocol it actioned to analyse the extent of the disadvantage on students’ performance was exceptionally thorough and a prime example of the importance of maths skills in the workplace,” he said.
LEAVING CERTIFICATE RESULTS 2013
SPECIALISMS The decision of nearly 26% of maths students to take the higher level exam this year has been hailed as welcome news by Education Minister Ruairí Quinn. However, it appears that the record 13,041 Leaving Certificate students who did so were more influenced by the awarding of extra points by the CAO if they pass higher-level maths than they were by the ongoing controversial reforms to the s econd-level syllabus. Only two years ago, less than 16% of maths students took higher level, but that rose to 22% a year ago after most colleges offered 25 bonus points. The State Examinations Commission said it is believed that this, rather than the roll-out of Project Maths, has been by far the most significant factor in raising uptake of the tougher exams. It is ironic at a time when efforts to reform college entry are trying to sway focus away from CAO points and to allow schools get on with teaching the subjects rather than concentrating on exam preparation. The rapid swing could also be a reflection that more students may always have been equipped to handle honours maths but did not previously equate the rewards with the time and effort needed for the subject. There might, however, be some validity in the argument that Project Maths is having an effect although those doing this year’s Leaving Certificate will only have seen partial changes to the courses they studied. It may be a few years also, before any effects can be seen of efforts to bring more maths teachers up to higher qualification levels. Mr Quinn said he is particularly pleased at the growth in higher-level numbers, which he said reflects the new syllabus, notwithstanding the major impact of bonus points. Whatever the reasons for the upturn, it should be hoped that third-level colleges and the employers
error in the Irish-language version, could not exist. The SEC says the evidence from its identification exercise during marking of the exams suggests about 4% of students were affected. Although teachers said it would be impossible to account for lost time or the distraction caused by the mistake, the commission said it was “satisfied that the strategies used were effective in addressing disadvantage
IRISH
BIOLOGY
FRENCH
GEOGRAPHY
BUSINESS
who eventually take on their graduates can eventually reap some rewards, given rising criticisms of recent years about limited problem-solving and critical thinking skills among students as they enter and leave higher education. The proportion of higher-
Level H H H O O O F F F H H H O O O H H H O O O F F F H H H O O O H H H O O O H H H O O O H H H O O O
Year 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013
Students 8,235 11,131 13,014 37,506 33,917 32,165 6,249 5,395 5,677 32,781 32,966 33,279 18,672 17,553 17,538 14,358 15,937 16,669 25,221 22,874 23,066 4,819 4,153 3,916 22,676 22,740 23,436 7,673 7,801 8,064 13,898 13,720 14,188 12,870 12,257 11,329 21,248 20,143 19,762 6,058 5,591 5,533 12,024 11,839 11,573 6,059 5,410 5,359
level candidates with an honours grade (A, B or C) rose last year after the hike in overall candidates, but has dropped from 83% to 73% in today’s results, while those getting a pass grade (D1 to D3) jumped from 14% last year to 24%. The SEC said steep
As 13.4% 9.8% 10.9% 11.4% 4.7% 5.4% 9.7% 6.1% 4.5% 10.4% 10.5% 9.7% 8.1% 8.3% 7.4% 13.9% 17.5% 15.3% 4.7% 2.9% 2.6% 5% 6.4% 6.8% 15.8% 16.9% 14.4% 2.2% 1.3% 2.1% 13.1% 13.7% 13.2% 1.2% 1.7% 1.3% 9.1% 8.5% 8.7% 4.2% 3.8% 4.7% 10% 11.4% 10.8% 10.9% 10.7% 10.8%
Honours 80.9% 83.3% 72.9% 69.5% 66.1% 64.4% 77.8% 72.4% 74.2% 76.9% 76.5% 76.1% 79.2% 77.3% 75.9% 83.9% 87.2% 90.4% 76.4% 74.2% 73.5% 81.4% 73.8% 72.6% 70.5% 71.1% 69.6% 59.3% 58.4% 58.5% 74.2% 75.4% 74.6% 63.4% 65.5% 64.4% 76.4% 74.1% 75.3% 75.2% 75% 74% 71.5% 71.3% 70.5% 75.9% 72.3% 74.7%
Pass 16 14.3% 23.7% 20.7% 24.7% 26.3% 17.1% 20.3% 20.6% 21.9% 21.7% 22.2% 18% 19% 20.3% 15.1% 12% 9.2% 18.4% 21.6% 21.9% 16.2% 21.4% 21.6% 21.4% 20.5% 22.1% 27.6% 28.2% 28.1% 22.7% 21.5% 22.8% 28.1% 27.7% 27.4% 21.3% 23% 21.9% 20% 21.2% 21.2% 21.9% 21.8% 22.3% 18.7% 19.2% 18.6%
changes in numbers taking maths at different levels will necessarily impact very significantly on grade distributions, with actual numbers taking higher level up almost 4,800 from 8,235 in 2011. However, the swing in grades at this level is far more pronounced than it
StudentS for non-CurriCular languageS
Fail 3% 2.3 3.4% 9.8% 9.4% 9.4% 5.2% 7.4% 5.2% 1.3% 1.8% 1.7% 2.8% 3.7% 3.6% 1% 0.7% 0.4% 5.2% 4.3% 4.4% 2.4% 4.8% 5.8% 8.2% 8.2% 8.2% 13.2% 13.5% 13.4% 2.7% 3.1% 2.5% 8.5% 6.9% 8.3% 2.2% 3% 2.8% 4.7% 4% 4.9% 6.7% 6.8% 7.1% 5.4% 8.3% 6.6%
Subject Level HOME ECONOMICS H H H O O O HISTORY H H H O O O ART H H H O O O CHEMISTRY H H H O O O CONSTRUCTION H STUDIES H H O O O AGRICULTURAL H SCIENCE H H O O O GERMAN H H H O O O
was last year, when there was a far higher jump to higher level. There remains a high number of students who failed ordinary level maths, with the same figure as last year of 9.4% — more than 3,000 out of 32,165 taking the subject at this level —
As 9.7% 7.9% 8.4% 2.2% 1.9% 2.2% 11.6% 12.7% 12.5% 17.1% 16.8% 15.5% 5% 5.1% 4.8% 1.5% 1.1% 1.3% 22.2% 20.1% 20.4% 9.1% 7.6% 7.1% 8.8%
Honours 78.7% 74.7% 78.4% 65.7% 64.4% 65% 78.1% 78.8% 76.1% 74.5% 76.1% 73% 81.4% 78.8% 75% 70.9% 69.9% 69.2% 76% 72.7% 73.4% 64.8% 59.4% 58.2% 76.1%
Pass 18.9% 22.1% 18.9% 25.3% 26.4% 25.9% 19% 18.3% 19.7% 21.2% 19.8% 22.3% 17.7% 19.5% 22.9% 24.3% 24.8% 25.6% 15.3% 18.5% 18.5% 22.5% 24% 23.6% 19.7%
Fail 2.5% 3.1% 2.8% 8.8% 9.2% 9.2% 3% 3% 4.1% 4.2% 4% 4.7% 0.8% 1.6% 2.1% 4.8% 5.3% 5.3% 8.6% 8.9% 8.1% 12.8% 16.6% 18.2% 4.1%
2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011
6,577 6,572 1,823 1,631 1,541 5,286
8.1% 7.2% 0.5% 0.4% 0.5% 13.4%
76.2% 78.9% 54.5% 55.5% 54.2% 65.6%
19.8% 18% 31.8% 34.1% 32.4% 25.8%
3.9% 2.9% 13.8% 10.4% 13.4% 8.5%
2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013
5,587 5,951 1,186 1,302 1,463 4,186 4,368 4,325 2,769 2,420 2,319
10.3% 9.7% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 15.7% 15.4% 14.8% 4.4% 3.8% 2.4%
65.8% 69.5% 40.1% 45.3% 40.6% 80.6% 77% 76.1% 73.7% 75.9% 66.7%
25.8% 24% 40.8% 37.8% 41.6% 17.2% 20.7% 20.9% 19.7% 18.4% 24.2%
8.4% 6.6% 19.2% 16.8% 18% 2.1% 2.3% 3.2% 6.7% 5.6% 9.2%
H = higher level, O = ordinary level, F = foundation level Honours = A1 to C3, Pass = D1 to D3, Fail = E, F or No Grade
unable to get a D or higher. Although not as big a rise as last year, numbers taking higher-level Irish are up again by 700 to 16,669. This is 38% of all 2013 Irish students, slightly higher than last year’s 37% but up from 32% in 2011, and a likely reflection of greater confi-
dence since marks for oral Irish rise from 25% to 40%. The numbers sitting biology continue to rise, up to a total of 31,500, but more than 1,000 of the 8,064 who took it at ordinary level failed in continuation of a trend of recent years. Of 1,400 ordinary-level
2013
by Audrey Ellard Walsh
Polish
707
769
lithuanian
262
254
romanian
109
130
latvian
87
105
Portuguese
63
58
Hungarian
33
44
Slovakian
36
40
dutch
20
25
Czech
14
19
Bulgarian
17
-
others
22
26
1,370
1,470
Cutbacks in staff may have caused a significant drop in numbers taking up the Leaving Certificate Applied this year, teachers say. Compared to 3,228 in 2012, the number of students taking the LCA programme was down 13% to 2,805. Teachers’ Union of Ireland president Gerard Craughwell, said the figures pointed to the possibility that some schools may have had to drop the programme as a direct result of cuts. “It is worrying that an important alternative pathway for students to gain a second-level qualification is reducing. TUI is concerned that, as a result of the increased pupil-teacher ratios and other cuts, some schools may have been forced to stop their LCA programme.” LCA students do not
CUTBACKS sit the traditional Leaving Certificate examinations but receive a single award based on their two years of accumulated credits. The award is given at three levels: Distinction is 85% to 100%, merit is 70% to 84%, and pass is 60% to 69%. Although the LCA cannot be used towards CAO college entry, it can be used to access post-Leaving Certificate courses and keeps thousands of students in school who might otherwise leave the education system. Mr Craughwell said the fall in students taking up the programme is “particularly concerning given a recent OECD report that showed countries with relatively high numbers of secondlevel graduates from vocationally oriented education programmes have lower
chemistry students, 18% failed, up from 17% last year and 13% in 2011. However, higher-level chemistry has one of the highest proportions of students getting As, a grade achieved by one in five again this year. EDITORIAL: 12
LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED RESULTS Year
Distinction
Merit
Pass
Record
Total
2013
550
1,374
470
411
2,805
2012
669
1,657
445
457
3,228
2011
577
1,569
494
555
3,195
2010
634
1,769
513
442
3,358
2009
589
1,663
584
464
3,264
levels of youth unemployment by comparison with countries such as Ireland”. “Consideration should, therefore, be given to how the Irish education system might best meet the needs of students and to ensuring that schools have an appropriate suite of subjects to cater for the interests and talents of all students, including those with the ambition of entering the labour market or undertaking an apprenticeship.” A Department of Education spokesperson said there was only a very slight fall in the number of schools
by Audrey Ellard Walsh As one of more than 55,000 students eagerly awaiting their Leaving Certificate results, Rebecca MacLehose was, last night, nervous but excited. A student in the Ursuline Secondary School in the Cork suburb of Blackrock, Rebecca was keeping her mind off things by staying busy. Having applied for a number of courses including commerce with Spanish and food marketing, Rebecca is keeping her options open. “To be honest, I’m not one of those people who was set on a course from day one. I’d be happy with anything along the business line. I’ve left my options open enough so it’s not the be all and end all if I don’t get my first choice.” One certainty is her hope to go to UCC, in part so that she can remain living at home. “I’m a home bird. I don’t think I’d survive a day living in student accommodation. All my friends wanted to move away for college, but I won’t be leaving my mom’s cooking for a while yet.” Excited about catching up on sports and hobbies that have been sidelined by study, Rebecca is also determined to get involved in student life. “You hear many people say that college is so different to school— that it’s so much better. I love tennis and dancing so, hopefully, if I get into UCC, I’ll be looking to sign up to those clubs.” Like many of her peers, Rebecca’s focus on
offering LCA in the past number of years. In 2008, 296 schools ran the programme but it has fallen each year since and is now down to 282 — a reduction of nearly 5%. The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme has also seen a continued drop in uptake down to 15,671 from 15,848 in 2012 and 16,394 in 2011. The programme combines traditional subjects with practical modules. Unlike the LCA, students can count the points from modules as one of their six Leaving Cert subjects.
CASE STUDY business courses was grounded in the hope of getting a job upon graduation. “The guidance counsellor in my school encouraged us to think about what we will do afterwards because college is only three or four years of your life so you have to think ahead. “I was looking at doing something with food marketing because I have heard a lot of good things about the food industry and I would like to travel when I’m a lot older. I think working abroad would be great so fingers crossed I get a job somewhere.” Saying that, she doesn’t believe career should be the only reason that people accept a course. “I know a lot of people have their sights set on a particular course from day one. But I also know a lot who are going for courses because there might be a particular job at the end of it. “I think to each, their own. If you’re really passionate about something you’ll find a way of making a living with it, I suppose.” Aware emigration is becoming an option for more and more graduates, Rebecca doesn’t necessarily view it as a negative. “I know a few of my friends were looking at colleges in Scotland and even Australia as options. I think, for everyone I know, the idea of travelling, living abroad and seeing the world excites them, so I don’t think people see it as a last solution.”
by Niall Murray
Rebecca MacLehose: ‘I’ve left my options open, so it’s not the be all if I don’t get my first choice.’
Picture: Dan Linehan
Guidance counsellors say disappointment with today’s results should not mean an end to further study or career aspirations. While most Leaving Certificate students should hopefully be pleased with their performance, the big focus now will be on the wait for college offers on Monday. With 44,000 of those entered for the exams in June having applied to the CAO, the first action many of them face is to work out how many points they have and if it might be enough to get into their first choice. That will not be clear until next week, but Institute of Guidance Counsellors president Gerry Flynn says all students getting results today deserve congratulations. “These results mark the culmination of their work at second level over the last five or six years and will influence the next phase of their education and career pathways. For many, it is a fitting reward for the commitment, dedication, and hard work they have put in over their years,” he said. Based on last year’s figures, about 48,000 people can expect to get a college place offered to them on Monday. This will leave close to 9,000 CAO applicants without an offer and many more not given the chance to take on their first-choice course. Mr Flynn said others will continue their education at post-Leaving Certificate level or go down the apprenticeship route, while
more still may enter the workforce directly. For those disappointed that their results do not reflect their efforts and commitment over their time at second level, he said they can assess their options with the assistance of their school guidance counsellor. “They and other staff will help them charter an educational pathway forward that will be both rewarding and fulfilling.” Members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors will be operating the National Parents’ Council-Post Primary (NPC-PP) Leaving Cert helpline again this year, which operates from 8am to 7pm today and tomorrow, and until 1pm on Friday. The same service runs next Monday to Friday to help with queries from students and parents around the CAO Round 1 offers. “The result you get on Aug 14 is only a stepping stone, and a flexible one at that. There are always options,” said NPC-PP spokeswoman Jackie O’Callaghan. Another helpline will operate over the coming week at the Cork Youth Information Centre on 021 4270187 from 10am to 5pm. ● The Choices for College supplement with Monday’s Irish Examiner will feature the cut-off points for entry to all CAO courses in Round 1. It also has advice on grant applications, student accommodation, college costs and finance, repeat Leaving Certificate options, and a range of other useful topics.
Students urged to enjoy results night safely and responsibly by Audrey Ellard Walsh Celebrate with style, not with pace. That’s the message from a number of organisations urging Leaving Certificate students who intend to celebrate their results with alcohol to do so responsibly. “We’re conscious that a
Key dates
Significant fall in uptake of Leaving Cert Applied
2012
Others: Modern Greek, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian (also in 2012: Bulgarian & Danish)
Students 8,724 8,607 8,900 3,676 3,292 3,146 7,936 7,764 7,786 4,168 3,987 4,036 8,216 7,858 7,866 2,567 2,425 2,429 6,272 6,705 6,756 1,405 1,381 1,399 6,887
Table shows % of students given honours, pass or fail grades in most popular subjects
Subject
total
Year 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011
Dissatisfied pupils told to stay in education
Rebecca keeps her course options open
Aug 19: CAO makes Round 1 offers. Aug 20: CAO opens Available Places facility online at 12pm, listing courses open for new applications. Forms to view exam scripts for potential appeal must be returned to schools. Aug 26: Deadline to accept Round 1 offers (5.15pm). Aug 29: CAO makes Round 2 offers. Aug 30 & 31: Viewing of exam scripts in schools. Sept 4:Deadline to accept Round 2 offers. Closing date for receipt of Leaving Certificate appeal applications by State Examinations Commission. Mid-October: Leaving Certificate appeal results issue, CAO closes for offers and acceptances.
CELEBRATIONS significant number of Leaving Cert students are of legal drinking-age and drink alcohol, and will most likely want to celebrate their results with a few drinks,” said Fionnuala Sheehan, CEO of drinkaware.ie.
Leaving Certificate Grade
“But it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the night and end up overdoing it. “That’s why we’re sending students a simple message: pace yourself and take control of how much and how fast you drink.” Jackie O’Callaghan, PRO of the National Parents’
Council post-primary said: “Enjoy results night safely and responsibly, and look forward to what lies ahead — even if it’s not what you were expecting. “Remember that alcohol improves neither the good nor the bad in a situation. If you choose to drink, do so at your own pace; drink
Higher Level
Ordinary Level
Higher Level Maths
Foundation Level Maths*
A1
100
60
125
20
A2
90
50
115
15
B1
85
45
110
10
B2
80
40
105
5
B3
75
35
100
C1
70
30
95
C2
65
25
90
C3
60
20
85
D1
55
15
80
D2
50
10
75
D3
45
5
70
LCVP - Distinction: 70 points. Merit: 50. Pass: 30. * Points for Foundation Level Mathematics are awarded by certain colleges
what suits you, not anyone else, and make the most of this memorable night.” The following advice has been issued to students: ■ Some of your friends will be under 18, and drinking isn’t everyone’s idea of having a good time. If your friends don’t want to drink, that’s their decision. Respect
it and move on. ■ Eat a meal before you start drinking, and snack regularly throughout the night to help your system manage the alcohol. ■ Carry an officially recognised form of ID. ■ Drink lots of water. Keep yourself refreshed and hydrated by having a soft
by Audrey Ellard Walsh Students’ leaders yesterday warned third-level education was “at breaking point and neither parents nor students can take any more”. The Union of Students in Ireland called on the Government and education minister Ruairi Quinn to keep the costs of college “at the forefront of their minds” when drafting the October budget. They were reacting to the Irish League of Credit Unions’ 2013 Third Level
RISING COSTS Education Survey which showed eight-in-10 parents are supporting their children with college-related expenses. A reported 42% of parents use their savings to fund third-level education while 25% borrow from their local credit union to meet the €421 per month spend on average per student. Furthermore, 66% of college students have to work to fund their education —
maintenance grant, at €84 per week, does not even cover rental costs alone, according to the figures published in the study. And the grant does not compare favourably to the lowest rate of jobseeker’s allowance in this country, at €100 per week.” Mr O’Connor said any further increases in the costs of college “will merely serve to further attack struggling families already crippled by wider recessionary measures”. Meanwhile, with the
also pressure you to drink at the pace of the group — which might be faster than you’re comfortable with. ■ Plan how you’ll get home. Arrange how you’re going to get home before you go out, or install the Hailo taxi app so that you can pay for a taxi home with a credit or debit card.
About 20% of appealed exam results end up with higher grade by Niall Murray Any student who thinks they should have been given a higher grade on any subject can appeal the result to the State Examinations Commission. Each year, thousands of students have their exams re-marked and around one fifth of those results are upgraded. The biggest number of appeals last year was the 1,340 higherlevel Leaving Certificate English candidates, of whom 185 (or almost one in seven) had their grade increased. More than 1,000 biology students appealed their grade, resulting in 276 upgrades, while one in five
SECOND OPINION of the 559 appealed higher level maths results was increased after re-marking. The best advice to anybody thinking about an appeal is to first take the opportunity to view their scripts, which can be done on Friday and Saturday, Aug 30 and 31. This will allow a student, accompanied by a teacher, to see how their written exam was marked and identify any places they believe it was marked incorrectly or if calculation of marks was wrong. However, in order to have this chance, students must apply through their
Third-level education at breaking point, warns unions up from 55% in 2011. Students are working an average of 18.5 hours per week with 27% of male students and 17% of female students skipping lectures to do so. Joe O’Connor, president of the Union of Students in Ireland, said: “Students are being forced to work lengthy hours in low-paid part-time jobs to get themselves through college, in many cases with a negative effect on their study time and academic output. “The average student
drink or some water between alcoholic drinks. ■ Pace yourself. The best pace to drink at is your own, so opt out of rounds and avoid shots to make the most of your night out and avoid that killer hangover the morning after. ■ Avoid rounds. Rounds aren’t just expensive, they
56,000-plus Leaving Certificate students due to receive college offers next week, Sinn Féin’s Seán Crowe said: “The sad reality is that many of them will not be able to take up the offer and many more will drop out due to purely financial difficulties. “The Susi system that processes the grants has been a disaster from start to finish with thousands of students supposed to live on fresh air while waiting for their grant to be processed. This is putting added pressure on already struggling students
and their families who are desperately trying to support them.” The situation, he claimed, made a mockery of the concept of free and accessible education. “The Labour Party was elected on a promise not to increase third level fees but that was broken as soon as they entered government,” he said. He urged the Government to tackle practical costs and not just pay “lip service” to the supports needed by college students.
local school by next Tuesday to view their scripts in one or more subjects. All higher-level scripts and ordinary-level maths scripts are returned to schools to facilitate viewing, and other scripts are sent to schools if a viewing is requested. If a student believes he or she has not been fairly graded, they can then make an appeal, which must received by the SEC by Wednesday, Sept 4, along with the fee of €40 per subject, or €15.50 per subject for Leaving Certificate Applied. These fees are refunded if a result is upgraded. The exam is then sent out to a different examiner to be entirely recorrected.
Last year, a total of 1,684 grades were increased arising from 8,779 appeals, after the process was concluded by mid-October. Around 300 to 400 students a year are offered a college place on the back of a successful Leaving Certificate appeal, as their CAO points score may improve significantly enough to bring them inside the cut-off for entry to a course higher on their application. In some cases, students decide to continue with another course already started, or might be asked to defer entry until the following year if the course has already been running for a number of weeks.
User:davidomahonyDate:13/08/2013Time:14:54:07Edition:19/08/2013ExSupplementXS1908CollegeChoicesPage:1Color:
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Choices for
College Monday,August 19, 2013
INSIDE Pages 2-4: Pages 5-7: Pages 8, 9: Pages 10, 11: Pages 12, 13: Pages 14-16:
See our special supplement on Monday.
Advice on CAO applications and grants CAO course offers and analysis A guide to Ireland’s top colleges Alternatives to college Advice on accommodation and costs Insights on hot career options