THIS YEAR'S GRADES: This year's high flyers have equalled the record year of 2001, writes Seán Flynn, Education Editor
Three students have secured a staggering nine A1 grades in the Leaving Cert. This equals the highest score recorded in the Leaving Cert.
Four years ago, Fergus Denman from Maynooth, Co Kildare, achieved this score after completing his exam at the non-fee paying Maynooth post-primary school.
Overall, some 145 students achieved the maximum CAO points level.
An A1 grade is still very unusual in the Leaving Cert, despite the talk about the supposed "dumbing down " in the exam. Just over 5,000 students achieve this grade and 100 CAO points -only about 10 per cent of those taking the exam.
In all over 57,000 sat the exam, the lowest figure in recent years and down over 2 per cent on last year.
Last night, the chairman of the State Exams Commission which run the exams advised students to maintain a sense of proportion about their results.
Mr Jimmy Farrelly said "The Leaving Certificate examination is a demanding test requiring dedication and hard work from candidates and support and encouragement from those around them. These results are an important milestone in life, and students, parents and teachers should be proud of their achievements.
"I encourage students to maintain a sense of proportion when interpreting their results and to take pride in their personal achievements."
The Commission also extended particular congratulations to those in Co Meath who completed the exam only weeks after the Navan bus crash. "We would also like to offer our sincere sympathies to those parents, relatives and friends for whom the issue of these results will act as a sad reminder of the loss of their loved ones."
Of the 57,422 candidates who sat Leaving Certificate examinations this year, 39,816 (69 per cent) candidates followed the established Leaving Certificate programme, 14,253 (25 per cent) the Leaving Certificate Vocational programme, while 3,353 candidates (6 per cent) followed the Leaving Certificate Applied programme.
Marking schemes in all Leaving Certificate subjects will be published in the coming days and will be provided to schools to facilitate those considering a re-check.
The marking schemes will also be available on www.examinations.ie
This year, 3,353 students took their final stage examinations in the two year Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme.
The results for LCA students differ from those in the established Leaving Certificate. Graduates from the LCA Programme receive a single award made on the basis of credits accumulated over the two-year cycle.