‘Best set of results we’ve had in history of school’

AFTER a difficult two-year senior cycle that was disrupted by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Leaving Certificate students got the results of their exams last week – with the principal of one Tallaght school saying their students achieved “one of the best sets of results in the history of the school”.

As a result of the pandemic, the students had the option of sitting the written Leaving Cert examination or getting accredited marks or combining both options and being awarded the best grade they achieved in their final results.

In Old Bawn Community School, 157 students sat the standard Leaving Cert, while 18 students completed the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme.

Several students who sat the established exam received top marks, getting over 600 points, while over half of the students who were assessed in the LCA programme were awarded distinctions.

The principal of Old Bawn Community School, Ursula McCabe, told The Echo: “This is one of the best sets of results we’ve had in the history of the school.

“We had people that got over 600 points, and a large number of people got over 500 points.

We had a class of LCA students and over half of them got distinctions, which is fantastic.

“I am very pleased that, despite the odds and what they had to go through, they still managed to get those grades.

They’ve achieved despite all of the obstacles along the way.”

Ms McCabe added that she’s very happy with the results that all of the students achieved this year, and that some of the students are hoping to go to college, while others are planning to undertake apprenticeships and pursue employment opportunities.

Mount Seskin CC, Jobstown

Over in Jobstown, 40 students from Mount Seskin Community College sat the established Leaving Cert while 18 were assessed under the Leaving Cert Applied

programme.

The principal of Mount Seskin Community College, Austin Fennessy, said: “We were absolutely delighted with the results.

“We got some top results – they were excellent.

Some students came very close to getting 600 points.

“We felt that this was a particularly good year group. They were very academic, very focused and a pleasure to teach.

“They were a very ambitious group, and we expect that some of them will be progressing on to college, going to places like Trinity College, UCD, and the IT here in Tallaght [TU Dublin – Tallaght campus].”

Coláiste de híde, Tymon

Similarly, the results achieved by the 48 students from Coláiste de híde in Tymon who sat the Leaving Cert this year were welcomed by the school’s principal, Conchubhair Mac Ghloinn, who praised the students’ resilience over the last two years.

“We’re very happy, across the board, with our results,” said Mr Mac Ghloinn.

“We had lots of people who got points in the 400s and 500s, and people who hit the 300s and achieved as well.

“We’re very proud of them, considering the two years they’ve had, that they were able to stick with it and get the results they deserved at the end.

“They were thrilled with their results.

“The majority will be going to college, and some of them will be going into trades or joining the Army or the Air Corps.”

Over 61,000 students around the country received their Leaving Cert results last Friday, September 3.

The number of students who achieved top grades increased significantly compared to last year.