Local Leaving Cert students receive results as new grading system comes into play
Almost 60,000 students are receiving their Leaving Certificate results today across the country, with a new grading system in place for the class of 2017.
The previous 14 score bands have been replaced by eight, and the changes have seen the rates of failure in key Leaving Cert subjects drop significantly.
In previous years students who received an E grade automatically failed the subject, however, this year those who score between 30 and 39 per cent will be awarded 37 CAO points.
Although no student managed to claim the highest marks available in the nine key subjects, 13 school-leavers registered more than 90 per cent in eight subjects.
The new grading system saw more students opt for higher level papers across the majority of subjects, and the outcome was that more students ended up with lower grades, although general standards did not see any significant shift.
In examinations that are offered at more than one level, there was an increase of 3.2% in the proportion taken at Higher Level.
The 15 subjects with the highest participation rates are unchanged from last year, but with a slight change in the order, due to the increased popularity of Chemistry and German. The list remains topped by Mathematics, English and Irish.
Changes to the Leaving Certificate Grading Bands and Common Points Scale introduced this year.
The Leaving Certificate Examination and the Common Points Scale in 2017 differ in two ways from previous years.
Change 1:
The new grading scale now has 8 grade bands whereas previously there were 14 grade bands.
New Leaving Certificate Grading Bands:
Change 2:
Revised Common Points Scale for entry into Higher Education
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