Irish and maths Leaving marks rise, English falls

RESULTS for the 59,000 Leaving Certificate students who will collect them this morning show slight improvements in the marks for Irish and maths, but lower grades in English.

Overall, the results are mixed and are unlikely to have any major impact on points for third level.

Figures from the Department of Education reveal alarmingly high failure rates (grade E or less) in some subjects. One in five ordinary level students failed in each of the three main science subjects.

In history, one student in seven failed at ordinary or higher level.

The Department's statistical breakdown also reveals large variations in marks awarded in different subjects. Students were three times as likely to get a higher level A in maths, and twice as likely in chemistry, as in English.

The proportion of higher-level As was up in Irish, maths, German, chemistry, biology, business organisation and accounting. In English, history, geography, physics and home economics, there were fewer As than last year.

The Minister for Education last night extended her best wishes to the students. Ms Breathnach said this was a particularly good year for school-leavers, thanks to healthy employment prospects and the abolition of third-level fees.

Any easing of points levels resulting from the fall in high grades in English, the most popular subject, is likely to be offset by improved marks in the two other big subjects, maths and Irish.

In particular, the significant jump in maths results is likely to keep up the points pressure in subjects such as science, engineering and medical courses.

This year, 59,175 students sat the Leaving Cert, the lowest number since 1989. Last year it was 66,304. The fall is explained by the increased number opting for the transition year before studying for the Leaving Cert.

The results, which were posted yesterday from the Department of Education's examinations branch in Athlone, should arrive in 800 second-level schools this morning. About 4,500 external students will receive their results directly by post to their homes.

The improvement in Irish grades, following last year's worst-ever results, is due to the introduction of a foundation level paper.

The failure rate at ordinary level has been cut from almost 24 per cent last year to 11.3 per cent. At the same time, the proportion of higher-level As has risen from 4.2 per cent to 5.9 per cent.

Yet the proportion of top grades is still relatively low; only English (5.3 per cent) and home economics (5.4 per cent) among the major subjects give fewer A's. In contrast, 15.2 per cent of maths students secured an A at higher level, and 10.8 per cent of chemistry students.

The results in English give further cause for concern, and follow the criticisms of standards in last year's exam contained in the chief examiner's report published last week. Aside from the fall in A grades, the failure rate at ordinary level increased slightly to per cent.

Almost 22 per cent of history students failed at ordinary level in chemistry and physics, this figure was almost 20 per cent, and in biology, 17.5 per cent. In all these subjects, the failure rate at higher level exceeded 10 per cent.

For the first time, A1 grades (two of them, among 503 students) have been awarded in music A, long regarded as the most difficult subject in which to get high marks.

This year, the Department is issuing a supplementary report to up to 2,000 students in addition to their exam results. This is issued in cases where a student's results are not based on all compulsory components of a subject.

In most cases, this arises because the student was absent from an oral, practical or other component. However, the procedure is also designed to detect cases of students not being credited for a component.

The Department has advised schools that if the information on the report does not tally with the student's understanding of the situation, it should contact the exams branch. A helpline has been set up to process queries from schools.

Whether all 59,000 school-leavers actually pick up their results today is questionable, as a good proportion of the 80,000 young people attending the Oasis concerts in Cork yesterday and today, are Leaving Cert students.