Leaving Cert Results: Record numbers get bonus in maths
August 16, 2012
THREE pupils celebrate nine A1s as class of 2012 celebrate the best Leaving Certificate maths results on record — putting students on track for careers in the jobs-rich areas of science and technology
Almost 56,000 candidates receive their Leaving Cert results today — among them three top-scoring candidates who achieved nine A1s each at higher level. More than 11,000 candidates took higher-level maths — an increase of 35pc from 2011 — and of these, a massive 97.7pc achieved grade D or higher, entitling them to 25 bonus CAO points.
It means that as many as one-in-four school leavers who applied to the CAO this year are bringing an extra 25 points each into the calculations when the first round of CAO college offers goes out next Monday.
However, the maths surge will contribute to higher CAO cut-off points in areas such as science and technology.
Points for such courses were expected to rise anyway, driven by the increase in demand from students heeding the advice of Government and employers that these will be the areas providing jobs in the future.
But there will be a downside for students who took ordinary-level maths.
They may now find themselves competing for places on certain courses — where higher-level maths is not an entry requirement — with students who gained the 25-point bonus.
Student performance in some key science subjects was also up this year.
It is not only maths higher-level students who have special cause to celebrate today.
In another significant feature of the results, the numbers taking higher-level Irish rose by 11pc compared with 2011.
This is linked to the change in the marking system, with 40pc of marks now available for the oral part of the exam, a move introduced to encourage better take-up at this level.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn led the congratulations to the class of 2012 and he, along with school managers principals, teachers and parents’ representatives encouraged students to consider all their options and take advantage of the supports available in planning their next step.
The spectacular increase in achievement in higher-level maths will be the big talking point of Leaving Certificate 2012.
A record 22pc of maths candidates opted for higher level, up from 16pc last year. The previous high was about 19pc in 1997. However, while the proportion of A grades was down, the number of Bs was up.
Employers, who clamoured for years for the introduction of bonus points as an incentive to students to study a key subject for the new economy, welcomed the results but warned there was no room for complacency
They pointed to other areas that now had to be tackled, including achieving a greater take-up in science subjects as well as foreign languages.
Paul Sweetman of IBEC high technology division, ICT Ireland, said the increase in students taking higher-level maths, coupled with the growth in demand for science and technology courses, sent a strong signal to the global technology community that Ireland would remain a key location for growth and investment.
Tony Donohoe, IBEC head of education policy, said the increase vindicated the decision of the higher-education institutions to award bonus points. But he warned that bonus points were not a panacea for improving standards and the single most important element in improving the level of maths attainment in schools was the quality of teaching.
“This issue has become even more critical with the introduction of the new Project Maths curriculum, which requires a deeper understanding of the application of mathematical concepts by both teachers and students alike,” he said .
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