Second Level

News and advice on the second-level education system.

Leaving Cert physics: Some challenges and surprises

Leaving Cert physics: Some challenges and surprises

Exam posed a suitable challenge to stronger students, say teachers

By Peter McGuireWed Jun 22 2022 - 16:06

Leaving Cert Spanish: Topical paper with a sprinkling of ‘magic’

Leaving Cert Spanish: Topical paper with a sprinkling of ‘magic’

Students who prepared essays based on previous papers would have been ready for the topics that arose.

By Peter McGuireTue Jun 21 2022 - 18:23

Leaving Cert students sit first ever Chinese exam: ‘It’s definitely easier than Irish’

Leaving Cert students sit first ever Chinese exam: ‘It’s definitely easier than Irish’

About 290 students sat the Mandarin Chinese paper on Monday

By Carl O'BrienMon Jun 20 2022 - 18:39

Leaving Cert results ‘likely’ to be issued in late August

Leaving Cert results ‘likely’ to be issued in late August

Government sources signal release date, with examiner shortage one of several factors behind uncertainty

By Carl O'BrienMon Jun 20 2022 - 06:22

Leaving Cert student uses downtime to renovate pony box into new food truck business

Leaving Cert student uses downtime to renovate pony box into new food truck business

Alice Kelly is planning a pop-up bakery run out of a vintage 18th-birthday present from her family

By Jade WilsonMon Jun 20 2022 - 00:01

Student who left Leaving Cert exam due to medical emergency permitted to re-sit paper

Student who left Leaving Cert exam due to medical emergency permitted to re-sit paper

Rules state that candidates who take ill during exam are not allowed access to deferred Leaving Cert papers

By Carl O'BrienSun Jun 19 2022 - 14:27

Laid-back Leaving Cert: Parents whose offspring opt out of points race pressure

Laid-back Leaving Cert: Parents whose offspring opt out of points race pressure

'I don’t want hard roads for my kids but I can’t sit the exam for them’

By Jen HoganSat Jun 18 2022 - 06:00

Junior Cycle classics: Place of women in classical society features on exam paper

Junior Cycle classics: Place of women in classical society features on exam paper

Classics challenges the patriarchy, teacher says

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 17 2022 - 20:05

Junior Cycle engineering: Topical paper that made good use of graphics

Junior Cycle engineering: Topical paper that made good use of graphics

A fair, challenging and enjoyable test for students, said teachers

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 17 2022 - 19:56

Junior Cycle music: Plenty of choice in an ‘enjoyable’ exam

Junior Cycle music: Plenty of choice in an ‘enjoyable’ exam

First common level exam was 'engaging' with variety of musical styles

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 17 2022 - 19:49

Leaving Cert construction studies: Praise for an environment-focused paper

Leaving Cert construction studies: Praise for an environment-focused paper

Use of natural light, design, solar panels and urban regeneration feature in a topical exam

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 17 2022 - 19:39

Leaving Cert German: Fair, accessible and topical

Leaving Cert German: Fair, accessible and topical

This year’s changes meant students had more choice than ever

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 17 2022 - 18:29

RTÉ news2day’s Mícheál Ó Scannáil: I walked out of higher level chemistry after 30 minutes

RTÉ news2day’s Mícheál Ó Scannáil: I walked out of higher level chemistry after 30 minutes

TV presenter says his construction teacher taught him maturity and respect.

Fri Jun 17 2022 - 15:08

Exams commission acknowledges error in Irish version of LC maths paper

Exams commission acknowledges error in Irish version of LC maths paper

Mistake meant question made ‘no sense’ and left some students ‘bewildered’, teachers say

By Carl O'BrienThu Jun 16 2022 - 19:36

Leaving Cert art: Student-friendly papers with lots of choice

Leaving Cert art: Student-friendly papers with lots of choice

‘It really gave students a strong platform to demonstrate their ability,’ said one teacher

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 16 2022 - 18:57

Junior Cycle wood technology: Common level paper ‘unfair’ to weaker students

Junior Cycle wood technology: Common level paper ‘unfair’ to weaker students

'A weaker student may have opened this 15-page exam and seen no choice and only had 90 minutes to complete it', says one teacher

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 16 2022 - 18:49

Junior Cycle German: Common level paper may have challenged some students

Junior Cycle German: Common level paper may have challenged some students

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 16 2022 - 16:04

Leaving Cert business: Good mix of questions, but tougher than last year

Leaving Cert business: Good mix of questions, but tougher than last year

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 16 2022 - 15:52

Philip Nolan on the Leaving Cert: ‘I had an astonishing array of spare pens and pencils to ward off disaster’

Philip Nolan on the Leaving Cert: ‘I had an astonishing array of spare pens and pencils to ward off disaster’

Former head of the National Public Health Emergency Team’s modelling group studied medicine after school

Thu Jun 16 2022 - 12:00

Leaving Cert history: Extra time and choice ‘should be made permanent’

Leaving Cert history: Extra time and choice ‘should be made permanent’

‘It was a paper for the well prepared higher-level student’, says one teacher

By Peter McGuireWed Jun 15 2022 - 17:10

Junior Cycle Spanish: Teachers criticise absence of marks allocation scheme

Junior Cycle Spanish: Teachers criticise absence of marks allocation scheme

Common level paper ‘very approachable’ with questions on Spanish culture, the human body and sport

By Peter McGuireWed Jun 15 2022 - 16:57

Junior Cycle home economics: Stimulating, topical and relevant

Junior Cycle home economics: Stimulating, topical and relevant

First ever common level paper gets a broad welcome

By Peter McGuireWed Jun 15 2022 - 16:30

Student diary: ‘I promised I would never cry over the Leaving Cert’

Student diary: ‘I promised I would never cry over the Leaving Cert’

Leah Quigg is proud at managing to keep it together as the finish line draws near

By Leah QuiggWed Jun 15 2022 - 16:22

RTÉ's ‘Múinteoir John’ on the Leaving Cert: ‘There are always other options if you don’t get your first choice’

RTÉ's ‘Múinteoir John’ on the Leaving Cert: ‘There are always other options if you don’t get your first choice’

John Sharpson says his teachers put in a huge effort to ‘drag students over the finish line’

Wed Jun 15 2022 - 14:57

Leaving Cert French: Positive reaction as listening exam avoids last year’s sound problems

Leaving Cert French: Positive reaction as listening exam avoids last year’s sound problems

Excellent choice in a ‘friendly’ and ‘approachable’ paper

By Peter McGuireWed Jun 15 2022 - 14:32

Student diary: ‘We are just too young to be under this pressure’

Student diary: ‘We are just too young to be under this pressure’

Leaving Cert student Katie Cullen is sacrificing sleep to prepare for her exams

Tue Jun 14 2022 - 21:13

Junior Cycle French: Question on Down Syndrome causes controversy

Junior Cycle French: Question on Down Syndrome causes controversy

First common level exam largely in line with what teachers and students expected

By Peter McGuireTue Jun 14 2022 - 19:07

Junior Cycle applied technology: A challenging paper for the less academic student

Junior Cycle applied technology: A challenging paper for the less academic student

Lack of marking scheme or choice on the paper accompanying the paper draws criticism

By Peter McGuireTue Jun 14 2022 - 18:50

Junior Cycle Italian: A paper that reflected modern classroom practices

Junior Cycle Italian: A paper that reflected modern classroom practices

Students and teachers react positively to the junior cycle common level exam

Tue Jun 14 2022 - 18:37

Leaving Cert biology: Extra choice allows students navigate challenging questions

Leaving Cert biology: Extra choice allows students navigate challenging questions

'Whole topics could be avoided and yet students could still achieve a high grade,’ says one teacher

By Peter McGuireTue Jun 14 2022 - 17:51

Gordon D’Arcy on the Leaving Cert: ‘Let’s say I outperformed expectations’

Gordon D’Arcy on the Leaving Cert: ‘Let’s say I outperformed expectations’

Former Irish rugby player says his English teacher helped instil a passion for the written word

Tue Jun 14 2022 - 15:03

Leaving Cert Irish paper 2: A straightforward and accessible exam

Leaving Cert Irish paper 2: A straightforward and accessible exam

By Peter McGuireTue Jun 14 2022 - 14:18

Simon Harris on Leaving Cert: ‘The panic and fear we are instilling in people demands change’

Simon Harris on Leaving Cert: ‘The panic and fear we are instilling in people demands change’

My Leaving: Minister says ‘panic and fear’ surrounding the exam demands change

By Simon HarrisMon Jun 13 2022 - 21:00

Leaving Cert diary: ‘After the exam, I open up TikTok’

Leaving Cert diary: ‘After the exam, I open up TikTok’

Student Michael Murphy is glad to get one of the longest days of the exams over

By Michael MurphyMon Jun 13 2022 - 18:48

Junior Cycle business: Teachers welcome paper but ‘working from home’ question proves tricky

Junior Cycle business: Teachers welcome paper but ‘working from home’ question proves tricky

By Peter McGuireMon Jun 13 2022 - 18:07

Leaving Cert Irish paper one: Plenty of scope for students to write on topics that matter to them

Leaving Cert Irish paper one: Plenty of scope for students to write on topics that matter to them

Social media, equality and voices of young people appear in topical exam

By Peter McGuireMon Jun 13 2022 - 17:26

Junior Cycle science: Some students struggle with new common level exam, say teachers

Junior Cycle science: Some students struggle with new common level exam, say teachers

‘Students who made an effort and revised should have been fine,’ says teacher

By Peter McGuireMon Jun 13 2022 - 15:35

Leaving Cert maths paper two: A big jump in demand and difficulty

Leaving Cert maths paper two: A big jump in demand and difficulty

Enough to keep high achieving students on their toes, say teachers

By Peter McGuireMon Jun 13 2022 - 12:48

Junior Cycle exam needs reform

Exam fails on so many levels

Mon Jun 13 2022 - 00:44

Shame on Department for new Irish Junior Cert curriculum

No oral exam offered

Sat Jun 11 2022 - 00:50

Leaving Cert diary: “I thought the maths paper itself was quite doable”

Leaving Cert diary: “I thought the maths paper itself was quite doable”

Student Santhwana Saju of Creagh College, Gorey, Co Wexford said a lot of students expected a question on financial maths would come up

By Santhwana SajuFri Jun 10 2022 - 19:20

Junior Cycle maths: ‘It’s an absolute shame that students had no choices’

Junior Cycle maths: ‘It’s an absolute shame that students had no choices’

Teachers critical of absence of choice on higher level maths paper

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 10 2022 - 18:25

Junior Cycle geography: Teachers criticise lack of choice

Junior Cycle geography: Teachers criticise lack of choice

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 10 2022 - 15:25

Leaving Cert geography: More choice, and more challenges, than usual

Leaving Cert geography: More choice, and more challenges, than usual

Physical geography questions on higher level paper especially demanding, say teachers

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 10 2022 - 15:09

Stressed about the Leaving Cert? Here’s what Ireland could learn from Germany about how to handle exams

Stressed about the Leaving Cert? Here’s what Ireland could learn from Germany about how to handle exams

Instead of pinning their hopes on university, German school-leavers embrace a top-notch vocational system

By Derek ScallyFri Jun 10 2022 - 11:38

Teachers broadly welcome second Leaving Cert English paper

Teachers broadly welcome second Leaving Cert English paper

Engineering paper with focus on sustainability ‘interesting and topical’, teachers say

By Peter McGuireFri Jun 10 2022 - 00:30

Mary Lou McDonald on the Leaving Cert: ‘English just lit up my life. It still does’

Mary Lou McDonald on the Leaving Cert: ‘English just lit up my life. It still does’

My Leaving: Sinn Féin leader says two teachers taught her the art of language and literature

Thu Jun 09 2022 - 19:00

Junior Cycle history: Teachers criticise ‘ridiculous’ and ‘ungenerous’ exam

Junior Cycle history: Teachers criticise ‘ridiculous’ and ‘ungenerous’ exam

No choice offered by paper which lacked indication of marks to be allocated to each question

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 09 2022 - 18:48

Leaving Cert English paper two: Yeats poses a challenge on an otherwise ‘rewarding’ paper

Leaving Cert English paper two: Yeats poses a challenge on an otherwise ‘rewarding’ paper

Teachers broadly welcome an exam which offered good choice and tested student understanding of the studied texts

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 09 2022 - 18:00

Leaving Cert engineering: A topical paper focused on sustainability

Leaving Cert engineering: A topical paper focused on sustainability

Artificial intelligence, renewable energy, electric scooters feature on a 'modern' paper

By Peter McGuireThu Jun 09 2022 - 15:17

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