Challenging year for students finishes with smiles all round

THERE were smiles all around as Leaving Certificate students celebrated receiving their results at Pobalscoil Iosolde in Palmerstown last week, with one student achieving top marks of 625 points.

It was an anxious morning as more than 61,000 Leaving Certificate students countrywide opened their results last Friday.

Students from the Palmerstown school after receiving their LC results

While this year’s Leaving Cert students may have experienced slightly less disruption than last year’s students, their final year in school was not without its challenges.

The class of 2021 had the opportunity to receive accredited grades based on estimated marks, sitting the exams or both.

Principal Geraldine Delaney at Pobalscoil Iosolde in Palmerstown said she was delighted to see the students receive their results after a “challenging” year in unprecedented times.

The top results were across the board with 46 students at the school achieving over 400 points and 14 students getting over 500 points.

One student, Brónagh Cleary, scored the top grades receiving seven A1s and one A2 which is equal to 625 points.

“They all have done incredibly well – there are a lot of A1, A2 and A3 grades. We are a DEIS school and even though there were a lot of challenges with lockdown and everything the students put in an awful lot of work,” said Ms Delaney.

Brónagh Cleary, who achieved 625 points, with her mother Catherine Cleary, and year head Dudley McDonnell

As well as students from the traditional Leaving Certificate classes receiving top grades, Ms Delaney says the results of the Leaving Certificate Applied students were fantastic with many receiving distinctions.

Ms Delaney said students at the school hope to go on to study a range of courses such as finance, business, pharmaceutical studies and social policy and architecture as well as some undertaking apprenticeships.

“The students are all very open to further learning, which I think is nearly better than getting absolutely fantastic results”, she said.

“They have a great attitude towards continuous learning, which I think is really amazing.”