Top marks for our students – excellent results despite Covid

STUDENTS excelled in their state examinations, flying the flag of resilience in the face of a two-year disrupted Leaving Certificate cycle to come out on top with their results.

More than 61,000 students received their Leaving Cert results last Friday (September 2) with the State Examinations Commission adding marks to exam scores on a sliding scale to ensure results matched last year’s outcomes.

This means that schools are having record years across the board, with St Aidan’s Community School in Brookfield boasting a hoard of impressive Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) scores.

Principal Kevin Shortall told The Echo about the “record year” they have had.

“This is a record year for us in terms of the number of people that got distinctions at Leaving Cert Applied, which is a really difficult thing to do,” Mr Shortall says.

“You must get over 170 credits out of 200 to get a distinction, so  the doors that this opens for them is incredible.

“It’s not a memory test, the results from LCA shows consistent work with great attendance over a two-year period and it’s nearly a better judgment of their character going forward.

“We also have a record number of people who got enough points to go forward to third-level education.

Marc Ó Muirnáin, Sam Ó Dáibhí, Adam de Bhailís agus Evan Mac Aodhbhuí

“Higher numbers than ever before will be going to college from our school.

“I have to say, this has little to do with me – I started in January.

“This comes down to the teachers who have worked with the students over the last few years, they’ve done an amazing job. It’s a great day for the school and for the community.”

While more than 61,000 sat exams this year, 12,452 opted for the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme with an additional 3,051 following the Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) programme.

In Tymon, the 45 students in Coláiste de hÍde were “ecstatic” when they received their results, with a lot of them getting what they needed to progress onto third-level education or into apprenticeships.

“We’re very happy, all the kids that have been in here collecting their results are ecstatic, they’re delighted,” Coláiste de hÍde principal Conchubhair Mac Ghloinn tells The Echo.

“We are very proud of them all. We’ve had a few get over the 500 points, a good cohort over 400 and we have a few that needed their passes to go forward for their apprenticeships or PLCs.

“Considering the two years they’ve had, being out of school for a period of time in fifth year and then with the need to wear masks when they returned, it was tough, but they really excelled.”

Josh Mac Caochlaoich, Seán
Ó Meachair, Heather Ní Fhionnagáin agus Abby Ní Mhathúna

Meanwhile, 130 students sat their Leaving Cert in Kishoge Community College and received “phenomenal grades”.

Something that Kishoge is particularly proud of is how well their students took to the new Computer Science exam, with teacher Michael Griffin’s class yielding seven H1 results.

Kishoge students Oscar Gomez Keenan and Grace Jing ended up earning the highest points in their school, with both  earning over 600 points.

Eleven students completed the LCA programme in the school, five of whom came through with distinction grades.

“We’re a new school, we only opened in 2014, and, with the predicted grades and Covid, these are our first ‘normal’ Leaving Certificate results,” Kishoge principal Niall Hare tells The Echo.

“The teachers have brought a great group through to the Leaving Certificate and the results are phenomenal.

“We have had a significant number of H1s across 19 different subjects with a very large number getting more than 500 points.

“We are very pleased with how everything went overall and even though they didn’t need to because their results were given to them electronically, a lot of the students came in to celebrate with their teachers.”

Half of the 144 students who received their results in Lucan Community College achieved over 400 points in their Leaving Certificate, with two students achieving maximum points.

Yasmin Aminou and Diarmuid Keher achieved some 625 points, while Andreea Vasiloi, Marius Furtig Ryttager and Ronak Pathak all hit the 600 mark.

“The class of 2022 managed a very challenging situation and showed their friendship, community spirit and support for each other throughout their time in school,” said principal of Lucan CC, Diane Birnie.

“They thoroughly deserve these results.”

This was the first time in three years that students sat exams, with there being no predicated grades following Covid-19 measures.

Points levels for college courses will be fully revealed today (Thursday) with the first round of this year’s CAO offers being made.