theirishtimes--2020-09-06--The Secret Teacher: Grading the Leaving Cert class of 2020 was my toughest ever task

The resurrection of the dunce ’ s corner is just one of the many unanticipated things 2020 has thrown at us , and possibly the worst because it was so easily avoidable .
I ’ m well into my third decade of teaching , a job I truly love .
I get such a buzz out of watching students as they progress , and their personal growth as learning occurs is a privilege to witness .
Knowing you ’ ve played an active role in their development brings phenomenal job satisfaction , but the icing on the cake is when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During lockdown I had a message from a student I taught over a decade ago .
He had been using time in isolation to find people on social media and reconnect with them .
He updated me on his career path and finished his message by thanking me for my lessons all those years ago .
“ You encouraged us to include everyone and treat everyone with respect , dignity and understanding .
That class helped me with my soft and social skills and for that I ’ m grateful.
” Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encounter past pupils years later , it ’ s more often than not something other than the course content they refer to in their memories .
For well over 20 years I have actively avoided openly communicating to any student that , in my eyes , they are bottom of the class .
As a result , the hardest professional task I have ever had to complete was the calculated grading process for Leaving Cert 2020 .
All my qualifications and experience tell me how inappropriate it is .
Reliability of the grading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ validity of ranking the students ?
And , if there is any , where is the value in the student finding out their ranking ?
This was the plan until last week , when the Department of Education took legal advice on releasing class rankings following a backlash from teachers .
It is now uncertain whether students will get this data immediately .
Regardless of this , did it not occur to anyone that there would be students who would learn definitively that they were considered bottom of the class in every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Certificate classrooms for nigh on 18 months , so they would know precisely how many students were in each of their groups .
There is no hiding from the brutality of the blow this information could bring to some young people .
If they are released , will those who get a string of first-place rankings plaster their achievements all over social media ?
Will the newspapers , as in previous years , feature the students who achieved the maximum number of H1s nationwide ?
And will the coverage extend to those ranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely as a counter-reaction to that , every year in August there is a flurry of social media posts reassuring students that the Leaving Cert results they have just received don ’ t define them .
While that is undoubtedly true , part of me has always felt that the results were placing some value on a tangible performance , and that we must not make too little of what it signifies , and what might be learned from it .
My mantra has always been that everyone in front of me can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find out what that is before our learning journey is over .
So often the greatest strength isn ’ t study at all but a soft skill , a human quality that many peers will take years longer to fine-tune .
Somewhat sheepishly , perhaps , I admit that the opportunity to build and cultivate personal relationships year in year out is what I love most about working in schools .
There is a guaranteed new cohort every year when the first years arrive , and we celebrate the end of a six-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In that final-year cohort there might be students we have taught for six years ( although in our school we try to give students the benefit of different teachers ’ styles and approaches where possible ) and others whom we have never taught but know by reputation ( good or bad ! )
.
When mentioned by staff , different names elicit different responses : the wow , the sigh , the eyes to heaven , and we so often laugh over incidents and pranks when we had to suppress our grins and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
With only the smallest number of exceptions , colleagues I have shared staff rooms with hold their students in the highest esteem and are willing them on to find the best of themselves for the post-secondary school world .
And so to the Leaving Cert students of 2020 , and on behalf of all teachers who share my indignation , here are my thoughts on how crucial it is that you do not let the “ results ” you receive define you : Do you remember the relationship we had in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is how I remember you .
Let ’ s keep it that way .
This grading process involved a tiny proportion of your schooling which was never supposed to count for anything anyway .
The goalposts were changed for us as teachers too , so we know more about how you feel than you realise .
Despite any hurt , anger or disappointment you may feel when you see your results , please remember this : Teachers didn ’ t want to do this .
Teachers didn ’ t think this was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t tarnished our memories of the time spent together , and we hope the results don ’ t tarnish yours .
Very many education experts have openly spoken about their concerns about this process .
You really are so much more than whatever the results tell you , and this is more true of Leaving Cert 2020 than it has been for any previous year .

‘Do you remember the relationship we had in class as it was? Because that is how I remember you. Let’s keep it that way.’ Photograph: iStock
The resurrection of the dunce’s corner is just one of the many unanticipated things 2020 has thrown at us, and possibly the worst because it was so easily avoidable.
I’m well into my third decade of teaching, a job I truly love. I get such a buzz out of watching students as they progress, and their personal growth as learning occurs is a privilege to witness. Knowing you’ve played an active role in their development brings phenomenal job satisfaction, but the icing on the cake is when they take the time to tell you.
During lockdown I had a message from a student I taught over a decade ago. He had been using time in isolation to find people on social media and reconnect with them. He updated me on his career path and finished his message by thanking me for my lessons all those years ago.
“You encouraged us to include everyone and treat everyone with respect, dignity and understanding. That class helped me with my soft and social skills and for that I’m grateful.” Most teachers will tell you that when they encounter past pupils years later, it’s more often than not something other than the course content they refer to in their memories.
READ MORE
For well over 20 years I have actively avoided openly communicating to any student that, in my eyes, they are bottom of the class. As a result, the hardest professional task I have ever had to complete was the calculated grading process for Leaving Cert 2020.
All my qualifications and experience tell me how inappropriate it is. Reliability of the grading aside, what is the purpose and validity of ranking the students? And, if there is any, where is the value in the student finding out their ranking?
This was the plan until last week, when the Department of Education took legal advice on releasing class rankings following a backlash from teachers. It is now uncertain whether students will get this data immediately.
Regardless of this, did it not occur to anyone that there would be students who would learn definitively that they were considered bottom of the class in every single subject? They sat in their Leaving Certificate classrooms for nigh on 18 months, so they would know precisely how many students were in each of their groups. There is no hiding from the brutality of the blow this information could bring to some young people.
If they are released, will those who get a string of first-place rankings plaster their achievements all over social media? Will the newspapers, as in previous years, feature the students who achieved the maximum number of H1s nationwide ? And will the coverage extend to those ranked highest across the board too?
Most likely as a counter-reaction to that, every year in August there is a flurry of social media posts reassuring students that the Leaving Cert results they have just received don’t define them. While that is undoubtedly true, part of me has always felt that the results were placing some value on a tangible performance, and that we must not make too little of what it signifies, and what might be learned from it.
Greatest strength
My mantra has always been that everyone in front of me can do something well and I’ll find out what that is before our learning journey is over. So often the greatest strength isn’t study at all but a soft skill, a human quality that many peers will take years longer to fine-tune. Somewhat sheepishly, perhaps, I admit that the opportunity to build and cultivate personal relationships year in year out is what I love most about working in schools.
There is a guaranteed new cohort every year when the first years arrive, and we celebrate the end of a six-year journey when the Leaving Certs graduate. In that final-year cohort there might be students we have taught for six years (although in our school we try to give students the benefit of different teachers’ styles and approaches where possible) and others whom we have never taught but know by reputation (good or bad!).
When mentioned by staff, different names elicit different responses: the wow, the sigh, the eyes to heaven, and we so often laugh over incidents and pranks when we had to suppress our grins and hold our authority in front of the students.
With only the smallest number of exceptions, colleagues I have shared staff rooms with hold their students in the highest esteem and are willing them on to find the best of themselves for the post-secondary school world.
And so to the Leaving Cert students of 2020, and on behalf of all teachers who share my indignation, here are my thoughts on how crucial it is that you do not let the “results” you receive define you:
Do you remember the relationship we had in class as it was? Because that is how I remember you. Let’s keep it that way.
This grading process involved a tiny proportion of your schooling which was never supposed to count for anything anyway. The goalposts were changed for us as teachers too, so we know more about how you feel than you realise. Despite any hurt, anger or disappointment you may feel when you see your results, please remember this:
Teachers didn’t want to do this.
Teachers didn’t think this was a good idea.
Teachers struggled with this task.
Engaging with this task hasn’t tarnished our memories of the time spent together, and we hope the results don’t tarnish yours.
Very many education experts have openly spoken about their concerns about this process.
You really are so much more than whatever the results tell you, and this is more true of Leaving Cert 2020 than it has been for any previous year.


theirishtimes--2020-09-06--Irish Times Helpdesk 2020 - Q & A

Irish Times Helpdesk 2020 - Q & A

Irish Times Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett will be on hand over the coming week to answer questions about the results and any questions students or their parents might have about the college applications .
The following is a selection of questions we anticipate they may be asked : Q : Can I challenge my Calculated Grades , and if so , how and when ?
If you are unhappy with the grade you received in any subject , you can appeal it .
Be mindful , though , that the appeal process will not examine the accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s judgement involved in awarding your grade .
Rather , it will simply check the accuracy of the data inputted .
Students unhappy with the calculated grade they receive will have access to a three-stage appeals process .
Stage 1 : Checks will be undertaken to ensure that the data was recorded correctly by the school and that it was transferred correctly into the data collection system .
Stage 2 : There will also be a review to ensure that the data was correctly received and processed in the calculated grade model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains unhappy with the outcome after stages 1 and 2 he/she can seek a review by Independent Appeal Scrutineers .
If students are dissatisfied with the outcome of this review , there will be an opportunity to sit the examinations at a later stage when it is safe and practicable to do so .
In addition , there will be oversight by an independent expert unconnected with the design of the calculated grades model to provide overall validation on the model , including the operation of the appeals system .
Work is ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the timing of the first stage of the appeals process with the start date for college entry .
Students who receive an upgraded CAO place following Stage 1 of the appeals process may be able to take up their place in the 2020/2021 academic year .
Students who are successful at the Independent Appeal Scrutineer stage , and who receive an improved CAO offer at that stage , will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year .
Students who opt to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CAO offer on foot of these results , will also receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year .
If a candidate who has started first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer and chooses to accept same in the following academic year , attendance for the first year on the new course would remain eligible for free fees and SUSI funding as appropriate .
Q : My results mean I have fewer CAO points than I need for Law TCD , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year ?
A : You mean you have fewer points than what was needed for Law in TCD last year .
Even though the points for last year give us a guide to what the points might be this year for a course , that ’ s all they are - a guide .
The number of places available on that course could be different this year , the standard of results might be higher or lower this year and the number of people applying for this course might be higher or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that affect the points for a course in any given year and they can change from year to year .
As a result of changes in these factors points for a course may go up or down from year to year .
Q : My results are not as good as I expected , can I sit a Leaving Cert exam in one or two subjects and combine the results or do I need to repeat the year ?
A : Yes , if you are unhappy with your calculated grades , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any number of your subjects you wish , later in November .
You can take your best grades from a combination of your calculated grades and exam grades to maximise your points and use these points to enter college in 2021 entry , the following year .
Q : If I accept an offer of my fourth or fifth preference will I still potentially get offers in a later round for my higher preference or does accepting preclude further offers ?
A : Accepting a lower preference course in an earlier round does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a higher preference course in subsequent rounds .
If you become entitled to a higher preference course in the next round you will be offered it regardless of whether you accepted the lower preference course or not .
So , the advice is to accept something in round one and hope you will become eligible for a higher preference in subsequent rounds .
If you do it is your choice to move up to the higher preference course ( even though you have already accepted a lower preference offer in previous rounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer .
Q : Can I accept a course that is lower on my CAO list even though I have enough points for a course higher on the list ?
Basically , can I select the lower listed course ?
A : Essentially no .
The first thing the CAO computer will do is to work out which of your 10 course choices you are entitled to a place on , on the basis of your points and the cut off points of your course choices .
Then you will be offered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are entitled to , because you have instructed CAO that this is the one you wanted most .
Once you have been offered this course preference all courses below this essentially disappear and will never be offered to you .
The only courses that remain active in the next rounds are those higher than the one you have been offered .
This basically means you can hope to move up in subsequent rounds but never down .
Q : My son has a conditional offer for a course at a British university .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ results to them ?
A : Your Leaving Certificate results will be sent directly to UCAS by the State Examinations Commission and Department of Education .
UCAS will then use your results to hopefully confirm your conditional offer if you have met the conditions of the offer .
However , if I were your son , to be on the safe side , I would contact the admissions tutor for the conditional offer course and make sure that they have received your son ’ s results .
Q : I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for my first preference this year .
Is it too late for me to do a PLC or FE course for the forthcoming year ?
A : Colleges of Further Education are continuing to accept applications for courses that have yet to be filled .
I would advise you to act on this straight away these courses are in high demand .
Use the national learners ’ database qualifax.ie to find the course in which you are most interested .
You apply directly to the school or college offering that course .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will interview before a final selection is made .
These interviews offer you the opportunity to discuss your particular interest in the course .
Q : If I sit the Leaving Cert in November , can I resit the exams in June 2021 and combine the results ?
A : I ’ m afraid not .
The grade you receive from the later leaving cert in November , 2020 can only be combined with the remaining predicted grades issued to you Sept 7th , 2020 .
This combination will reflect the best results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leaving Cert grades .
It is not possible to mix Leaving Certificate results from 2020 with 2021 for CAO points purposes .
Students can repeat a subject or subjects in order to fulfil minimum subject entry requirements for college only .
The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at irishtimes.com/helpdesk from midday until 8pm until Friday of this week .
The service will also be available from 10am-7pm on Saturday .

The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at irishtimes.com/helpdesk from midday until 8pm until Friday of this week. The service will also be available from 10am-7pm on Saturday.
Irish Times Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett will be on hand over the coming week to answer questions about the results and any questions students or their parents might have about the college applications.
The following is a selection of questions we anticipate they may be asked:
Q: Can I challenge my Calculated Grades, and if so, how and when?
If you are unhappy with the grade you received in any subject, you can appeal it. Be mindful, though, that the appeal process will not examine the accuracy of the teacher’s or school’s judgement involved in awarding your grade. Rather, it will simply check the accuracy of the data inputted.
READ MORE
Students unhappy with the calculated grade they receive will have access to a three-stage appeals process.
Stage 1: Checks will be undertaken to ensure that the data was recorded correctly by the school and that it was transferred correctly into the data collection system.
Stage 2: There will also be a review to ensure that the data was correctly received and processed in the calculated grade model.
Stage 3: If the student remains unhappy with the outcome after stages 1 and 2 he/she can seek a review by Independent Appeal Scrutineers.
If students are dissatisfied with the outcome of this review, there will be an opportunity to sit the examinations at a later stage when it is safe and practicable to do so. In addition, there will be oversight by an independent expert unconnected with the design of the calculated grades model to provide overall validation on the model, including the operation of the appeals system.
Work is ongoing with the higher education sector to integrate the timing of the first stage of the appeals process with the start date for college entry.
Students who receive an upgraded CAO place following Stage 1 of the appeals process may be able to take up their place in the 2020/2021 academic year.
Students who are successful at the Independent Appeal Scrutineer stage, and who receive an improved CAO offer at that stage, will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year.
Students who opt to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations in November, and who receive an improved CAO offer on foot of these results, will also receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. If a candidate who has started first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer and chooses to accept same in the following academic year, attendance for the first year on the new course would remain eligible for free fees and SUSI funding as appropriate.
Q: My results mean I have fewer CAO points than I need for Law TCD, is there any chance the points will drop this year?
A: You mean you have fewer points than what was needed for Law in TCD last year. Even though the points for last year give us a guide to what the points might be this year for a course, that's all they are - a guide. The number of places available on that course could be different this year, the standard of results might be higher or lower this year and the number of people applying for this course might be higher or lower this year. These are factors that affect the points for a course in any given year and they can change from year to year. As a result of changes in these factors points for a course may go up or down from year to year.
Q: My results are not as good as I expected, can I sit a Leaving Cert exam in one or two subjects and combine the results or do I need to repeat the year?
A: Yes, if you are unhappy with your calculated grades, you can sit a Leaving Certificate exam in any number of your subjects you wish, later in November. You can take your best grades from a combination of your calculated grades and exam grades to maximise your points and use these points to enter college in 2021 entry, the following year.
Q: If I accept an offer of my fourth or fifth preference will I still potentially get offers in a later round for my higher preference or does accepting preclude further offers?
A: Accepting a lower preference course in an earlier round does not preclude you from receiving an offer on a higher preference course in subsequent rounds. If you become entitled to a higher preference course in the next round you will be offered it regardless of whether you accepted the lower preference course or not. So, the advice is to accept something in round one and hope you will become eligible for a higher preference in subsequent rounds. If you do it is your choice to move up to the higher preference course (even though you have already accepted a lower preference offer in previous rounds) or remain with the earlier lower offer.
Q: Can I accept a course that is lower on my CAO list even though I have enough points for a course higher on the list? Basically, can I select the lower listed course?
A: Essentially no. The first thing the CAO computer will do is to work out which of your 10 course choices you are entitled to a place on, on the basis of your points and the cut off points of your course choices. Then you will be offered a place on the highest course preference you are entitled to, because you have instructed CAO that this is the one you wanted most. Once you have been offered this course preference all courses below this essentially disappear and will never be offered to you. The only courses that remain active in the next rounds are those higher than the one you have been offered. This basically means you can hope to move up in subsequent rounds but never down.
Q: My son has a conditional offer for a course at a British university. How do we submit his Leaving Certificate results to them?
A: Your Leaving Certificate results will be sent directly to UCAS by the State Examinations Commission and Department of Education. UCAS will then use your results to hopefully confirm your conditional offer if you have met the conditions of the offer. However, if I were your son, to be on the safe side, I would contact the admissions tutor for the conditional offer course and make sure that they have received your son's results.
Q: I don’t think I will get the points I need for my first preference this year. Is it too late for me to do a PLC or FE course for the forthcoming year?
A: Colleges of Further Education are continuing to accept applications for courses that have yet to be filled. I would advise you to act on this straight away these courses are in high demand. Use the national learners' database qualifax.ie to find the course in which you are most interested. You apply directly to the school or college offering that course. Because the courses are work-related, you will interview before a final selection is made. These interviews offer you the opportunity to discuss your particular interest in the course.
Q: If I sit the Leaving Cert in November, can I resit the exams in June 2021 and combine the results?
A: I'm afraid not. The grade you receive from the later leaving cert in November, 2020 can only be combined with the remaining predicted grades issued to you Sept 7th, 2020. This combination will reflect the best results for you and will be your 2020 Leaving Cert grades. It is not possible to mix Leaving Certificate results from 2020 with 2021 for CAO points purposes. Students can repeat a subject or subjects in order to fulfil minimum subject entry requirements for college only.
- Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett
The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at irishtimes.com/helpdesk from midday until 8pm until Friday of this week. The service will also be available from 10am-7pm on Saturday.


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--Ireland may see 1,200 more Covid-19 deaths by 2021 if face mask use doesn't improve - US experts

Ireland could suffer another 1,200 Covid-19 deaths by the end of the year if use of face masks remains at current levels , according to a forecast by US academics .
The number of additional deaths could be kept to under 400 if mask-use rises to near universal levels , according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation ( IHME ) , which is based at the University of Washington .
Daily case numbers could rise to almost 8,000 and the health service would be short 400 ICU beds in the worst-case scenarios of IHME ’ s modelling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The research predicts 2,940 deaths in Ireland by January 1st if mask-use remains at current levels .
In a best-case scenario , where more than 95 per cent of people used masks , there would be 2,180 deaths , compared to the 1,777 deaths so far recorded .
By the end of the year , it is forecast that Ireland would need 1,037 out of the 1,573 available hospital beds to treat virus patients .
Some 454 ICU beds would be needed with only 53 available , and 433 ventilators would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Covid-19 deaths by the end of the year , up from the current 1.9 million , assuming mask-use and other mitigation measures remain unchanged .
By December , up to 30,000 people could be dying daily worldwide , it says , adding that 770,000 lives could be saved through mask-wearing , social distancing and other protective measures .
“ These first-ever worldwide projections by country offer a daunting forecast as well as a roadmap toward relief from Covid-19 that government leaders as well as individuals can follow , ” said IHME director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing the prospect of a deadly December , especially in Europe , Central Asia and the United States .
But the science is clear and the evidence irrefutable : mask-wearing , social distancing , and limits to social gatherings are vital to helping prevent transmission of the virus.
” Last April , IHME ’ s view that Ireland ’ s death rate had peaked was criticised as unreliable by Irish officials .
However , it turned out to be largely accurate , as did its projection of 150,000 deaths in Europe during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , deaths on the continent stand at 182,000 .
The Department of Health did not respond last night to a request for comment on the latest forecasts .

With more mask-use, the number of additional Covid-19 deaths could be kept to under 400, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, based at the University of Washington. Photograph: Gareth Chaney
Ireland could suffer another 1,200 Covid-19 deaths by the end of the year if use of face masks remains at current levels, according to a forecast by US academics.
The number of additional deaths could be kept to under 400 if mask-use rises to near universal levels, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which is based at the University of Washington.
Daily case numbers could rise to almost 8,000 and the health service would be short 400 ICU beds in the worst-case scenarios of IHME’s modelling, which assumes a continuing lifting of restrictions.
The research predicts 2,940 deaths in Ireland by January 1st if mask-use remains at current levels. In a best-case scenario, where more than 95 per cent of people used masks, there would be 2,180 deaths, compared to the 1,777 deaths so far recorded.
READ MORE
Saving 770,000 lives
By the end of the year, it is forecast that Ireland would need 1,037 out of the 1,573 available hospital beds to treat virus patients. Some 454 ICU beds would be needed with only 53 available, and 433 ventilators would be required.
Globally, IHME predicts 2.8 million Covid-19 deaths by the end of the year, up from the current 1.9 million, assuming mask-use and other mitigation measures remain unchanged. By December, up to 30,000 people could be dying daily worldwide, it says, adding that 770,000 lives could be saved through mask-wearing, social distancing and other protective measures.
"These first-ever worldwide projections by country offer a daunting forecast as well as a roadmap toward relief from Covid-19 that government leaders as well as individuals can follow," said IHME director Dr Christopher Murray.
Preventing transmission
“We are facing the prospect of a deadly December, especially in Europe, Central Asia and the United States. But the science is clear and the evidence irrefutable: mask-wearing, social distancing, and limits to social gatherings are vital to helping prevent transmission of the virus.”
Last April, IHME’s view that Ireland’s death rate had peaked was criticised as unreliable by Irish officials. However, it turned out to be largely accurate, as did its projection of 150,000 deaths in Europe during the first surge of the pandemic. So far, deaths on the continent stand at 182,000.
The Department of Health did not respond last night to a request for comment on the latest forecasts.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Unions to discuss new pay deal for 340,000 State employees with Government

Trade unions are to commence talks with the Department of Public Expenditure on Tuesday about the potential of reaching a new pay deal for the country ’ s 340,000 State employees .
Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said in July that despite the pressure on the public finances caused by the current Covid-19 pandemic , the Government would honour the terms of the current public service pay agreement including a final two per cent increase which is scheduled for October 1st .
Apart from the pay rises due in October , the Government is also scheduled to unwind previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pay of higher earners - those receiving up to €150,000 - between October and next July .
The current public service pay agreement will expire at the end of the year .
A spokesman for Fórsa , the country ’ s largest public service trade union said on Monday the meeting with the Department of Public Expenditure this week would be “ very exploratory in nature ” .
The spokesman said it would form “ part of a process of assessment - by both sides - regarding the prospects for reaching an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After an earlier meeting in July between the Minister and public service unions , both sides said that there should engagement in early September to explore the potential for a successor public service agreement .
The Government ’ s public service pay bill will increase by €330 million in 2021 , excluding the potential cost of any follow on deal to the current Public Service Stability Agreement .
Briefing material prepared for the Minister by officials on taking up the role at the end of June said that in light of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public finances any talks or measures in relation to pay would have to be carefully considered .
It said maintaining the pay bill at sustainable levels “ will be an ongoing challenge for 2020 and beyond ” .
The briefing document said that the gross public service pay bill would be about €19.7 billion this year .
The briefing material said that the public service pay bill had been increasing by about €1 billion annually over recent years .
It said about one third of this increase was due to wage rises under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thirds of the rise in the pay bill was accounted for by increases in the number of staff in the public service which it said was increasing by about 9,500 per year .
The Department of Public Expenditure briefing material said that the various public service pay accords over recent years had played a key role in containing growth in the pay bill since 2010 .

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said in July the Government would honour the terms of the current public service pay agreement.
Trade unions are to begin talks with the Department of Public Expenditure on Tuesday about the potential of reaching a new pay deal for the country’s 340,000 State employees.
Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath is expected to provide an update to the Cabinet on Tuesday on the issue of public service pay ahead of the engagement between his officials and senior figures of the public service committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The Minister said in July that the Government would honour the terms of the current public service pay agreement including a final two per cent increase which is scheduled for October 1st.
The payment of this increase had been criticised by some commentators given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the public finances.
READ MORE
Apart from the pay rises due in October, the Government is also scheduled to unwind previous cuts made under financial emergency legislation to the pay of higher earners - those receiving up to €150,000 - between October and next July.
The Department of Public Expenditure said on Monday that the current public service agreement will expire at the end of the year.
It said that following a meeting between the Minister and the trade unions in July, it had been agreed the parties would have preliminary exploratory discussions in September to establish whether a sufficient basis existed for negotiations on a new agreement “appropriate to current circumstances”.
A spokesman for Fórsa, the country’s largest public service trade union, said on Monday the meeting with the Department of Public Expenditure this week would be “very exploratory in nature”.
The spokesman said it would form “part of a process of assessment - by both sides - regarding the prospects for reaching an agreement if negotiations were to commence”.
The Government’s public service pay bill will increase by €330 million in 2021, excluding the potential cost of any new public service pay accord.
Briefing material prepared for the Minister by officials on taking up the role at the end of June said that in light of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the public finances, any talks or measures in relation to pay would have to be carefully considered.
It said maintaining the pay bill at sustainable levels “will be an ongoing challenge for 2020 and beyond”.
The briefing document said that the gross public service pay bill would be about €19.7 billion this year.
The briefing material said that the public service pay bill had been increasing by about €1 billion annually over recent years. It said about one third of this increase was due to wage rises under public service agreements.
It said two thirds of the rise in the pay bill was accounted for by increases in the number of staff in the public service which it said was increasing by about 9,500 per year.
The Department of Public Expenditure briefing material said that the various public service pay accords over recent years had played a key role in containing growth in the pay bill since 2010.
Separately on Monday it was confirmed that the Governmentis to appoint a new chief allied health professional officer in the Department of Health. The move followed talks between the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Fórsa, which represents allied health professionals such as physiotherapists.
The Minister told the union that its members would have key roles in three of the Government’s healthcare priorities, Covid-19, the HSE’s winter plan and the overall Slaintecare reforms.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Further €900,000 payment approved for boy ‘defied all odds’ despite brain injury

The President of the High Court has approved an additional €900,000 payment under a settlement of an action by a boy said to have “ defied all odds ” despite suffering a brain injury after birth .
Jack Hegarty ( 5 ) previously got an interim payment of €1.7m and Ms Justice Mary Irvine described the additional HSE offer of €900,000 , to fund his care until 2022 when his case will return to court , as “ excellent ” .
The payment will fund “ very expensive ” treatment , costing €64,000 a year , which the boy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have relocated pending conclusion of the treatment in 2022 , the judge noted .
When approving the €900,000 payment on Monday , the judge heard some €350,000 of the sum has already been paid on account .
Through his mother Jacinta Collins , Jack , of Ardbrack , Kinsale , Co Cork , had sued the HSE over his care after his birth at Cork University Maternity Hospital on December 10th , 2014 .
Jack suffered a collapse when he was being breast fed after his delivery but his condition was not monitored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court was previously told .
The court was told a midwife was required to hold faulty lighting in place as a suturing procedure was carried out on Ms Collins and that a faulty mechanism in the bed , along with a malfunctioning stirrup holding Ms Collins ’ leg , meant delay in the suturing procedure .
Ms Collins became concerned for the well-being of her baby and indicated those concerns to the midwife but was reassured all was well , it was stated .
When the suturing procedure was finished , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of collapse .
It was claimed there was failure to monitor the baby adequately or at all , particularly after his birth and up to the time of his collapse , and failure to provide equipment in working order .
Ms Collins told the court mistakes were made but she had no bad feeling towards the midwife .
When Jack was discharged from hospital , she and her partner Justin Hegarty were told their baby would be tetraplegic and might only live eight to 10 months but he has “ defied all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court was told liability was admitted by the HSE in the case , that a report following an inquiry had highlighted deficiencies in the equipment and the HSE had apologised to the family .
In 2016 , the action was settled on terms including an interim payment of €1.7m .
Jack was described as a “ fantastic little boy ” who had made great strides after undergoing a special therapy , the Anat Baniel method of neuro movement .
It was said he will be able to walk and feed himself and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement , Ms Collins told reporters that what had happened to Jack was an “ avoidable accident two hours after birth ” .
The family were glad to see the hospital “ has learned lessons from this and steps have been taken to prevent reoccurrence , ” she said .
He has “ broken all boundaries ” and the family has kept the focus on him , rather than blame , she added .

Ms Justice Mary Irvine described the additional HSE offer of €900,000, to fund Jack Hegarty’s care until 2022 when his case will return to court, as excellent.
The President of the High Court has approved an additional €900,000 payment under a settlement of an action by a boy said to have "defied all odds" despite suffering a brain injury after birth.
Jack Hegarty (5) previously got an interim payment of €1.7m and Ms Justice Mary Irvine described the additional HSE offer of €900,000, to fund his care until 2022 when his case will return to court, as "excellent".
The payment will fund "very expensive" treatment, costing €64,000 a year, which the boy is currently undergoing in California where the family have relocated pending conclusion of the treatment in 2022, the judge noted.
When approving the €900,000 payment on Monday, the judge heard some €350,000 of the sum has already been paid on account.
READ MORE
Through his mother Jacinta Collins, Jack, of Ardbrack, Kinsale, Co Cork, had sued the HSE over his care after his birth at Cork University Maternity Hospital on December 10th, 2014.
Jack suffered a collapse when he was being breast fed after his delivery but his condition was not monitored as staff cared for his mother, the court was previously told.
The court was told a midwife was required to hold faulty lighting in place as a suturing procedure was carried out on Ms Collins and that a faulty mechanism in the bed, along with a malfunctioning stirrup holding Ms Collins’ leg, meant delay in the suturing procedure.
Ms Collins became concerned for the well-being of her baby and indicated those concerns to the midwife but was reassured all was well, it was stated.
When the suturing procedure was finished, the midwife realised the baby was in a state of collapse.
It was claimed there was failure to monitor the baby adequately or at all, particularly after his birth and up to the time of his collapse, and failure to provide equipment in working order.
Ms Collins told the court mistakes were made but she had no bad feeling towards the midwife.
When Jack was discharged from hospital, she and her partner Justin Hegarty were told their baby would be tetraplegic and might only live eight to 10 months but he has "defied all odds", she said.
The court was told liability was admitted by the HSE in the case, that a report following an inquiry had highlighted deficiencies in the equipment and the HSE had apologised to the family.
In 2016, the action was settled on terms including an interim payment of €1.7m.
Jack was described as a “fantastic little boy” who had made great strides after undergoing a special therapy, the Anat Baniel method of neuro movement. It was said he will be able to walk and feed himself and has impressive cognitive function.
After the 2016 settlement, Ms Collins told reporters that what had happened to Jack was an “avoidable accident two hours after birth”.
The family were glad to see the hospital “has learned lessons from this and steps have been taken to prevent reoccurrence,” she said. He has “broken all boundaries” and the family has kept the focus on him, rather than blame, she added.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--SF, SDLP and Alliance warn Johnson he cannot renege on withdrawal deal

Sinn Féin , the SDLP and the Alliance Party have warned the British government it can not renege on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement following reports it is planning new legislation to override parts of the deal .
According to the Financial Times , the UK is considering using sections of a bill due to be published on Wednesday to “ eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement ” , including those involving state aid and Northern Ireland customs .
This would undermine the Northern Ireland Protocol - the EU-UK agreement which avoids a hard border on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DUP ’ s Brexit spokesperson , Sammy Wilson MP , said while he could not comment in detail without having seen the legislation , “ if there are attempts to deal with some aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol then that ’ s a gain for unionists.
” This was , he said , “ also partly a result of the lobbying we have done to highlight the problems which this is going to cause politically [ and ] economically for Northern Ireland and I think we ’ ve got the message over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protocol does not just impact on Northern Ireland , it impacts on the rest of the United Kingdom .
we will see just how extensive the changes are going to be.
” The DUP is opposed to the Withdrawal Agreement and to the Protocol because it places a customs border down the Irish Sea .
The North ’ s deputy first minister , Michelle O ’ Neill , described the potential new legislation as a “ treacherous betrayal ” which would inflict “ irreversible harm ” on the all-Ireland economy and the Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so , she said , would be to act “ without any thought or regard for its impact on the North , ” and she warned that with the “ clock ticking ” on UK-EU negotiations to reach a trade agreement before the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31st , “ time is of the essence to conclude negotiations on the future economic partnership and fully implement the Irish protocol.
” The SDLP leader , Colum Eastwood , accused the British government of attempting to renege on the terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said would “ shred ” its international credibility and could lead to the return of a hard Border .
“ People , businesses and communities in Northern Ireland are again being placed in extreme jeopardy as part of a political gambit by this inept government , ” he said .
“ We ’ re back to where we were a year ago - this [ British ] government threatening a hard border in Ireland in the pursuit of some meaningless concept of sovereignty .
“ These moves should send a very clear message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Government is courting , ” he said .
“ [ The UK prime minister , Boris ] Johnson is fundamentally untrustworthy and will renege on any commitment he makes if he senses some domestic advantage.
” Sammy Wilson also expressed caution , telling The Irish Times that “ the worst scenario is that this is simply a cynical ploy by the government to cover-up for a sell-out which they ’ re going to engage in similar to last year , ” he said .
“ If he [ Boris Johnson ] is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the outcome could be very beneficial for Northern Ireland and could also be very beneficial for those of us who believe in a proper Brexit , ” he said .
The Alliance Party ’ s deputy leader , Stephen Farry MP , called on the UK government to “ urgently confirm its full commitment to the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Good Friday Agreement.
” He emphasised the protocol was part of a binding international agreement , and said warned that “ the longer the legitimate fears and concerns go unaddressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will grow .
“ If the UK followed through with unilaterally abandoning even parts of its commitments in the Withdrawal Agreement , ” he said , this would have “ huge consequences ” for the Belfast Agreement , the border , the UK ’ s international reputation and the future UK-EU relationship .
The Ulster Unionist Party leader , Steve Aiken , said on Twitter he would wait for the detail but “ any moves on removing impact of Irish Sea Border will be very welcome in NI , for business and consumers @ @

The leaders of the North's pro-Remain parties have written to UK prime minister Boris Johnson and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier insisting that the British government must honour its commitment to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
They were responding to a report in the Financial Times that the UK government is considering using sections of a bill - due to be published on Wednesday - to override parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in the areas of state aid and Northern Ireland customs. It was debated in the North's Assembly on Monday.
In the letter, the party leaders wrote that it was unacceptable to the Northern Ireland parties that the UK Government “would seek to abandon these safeguards and mitigations, which we believe would amount to a serious betrayal of an existing International Treaty.”
It was signed by Sinn Féin's Northern leader Michelle O'Neill; the SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood; the Alliance Party leader Naomi Long; and the leader of the Green Party in the North, Clare Bailey.
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They called on the UK government to “ensure the rigorous implementation of the Protocol, prioritise peace and stability in Northern Ireland, and work to secure a future economic partnership with their EU colleagues now and in the weeks ahead.”
Failure to do so, they warned, would have a “devastating” and “long-lasting” economic and political impact on the entire British Isles.
It would also represent “a shocking act of bad faith that would critically undermine the Good Friday [Belfast] Agreement political framework and peace process and the UK’s ability to secure other crucial deals to protect the Northern Ireland economy.”
Summing up the reaction from pro-Remain parties, one senior source described the situation as “potentially very dangerous territory” in the context of the EU-UK trade negotiations, but stressed the need for calm heads. “We have been here before.”
There was a cautious welcome from unionists - who oppose the Withdrawal Agreement because it places a customs border in the Irish Sea - though with caveats around the lack of detail and the fidelity of the UK government.
"If there are attempts to deal with some aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol then that's a gain for unionists," the DUP's Brexit spokesman, Sammy Wilson MP, said, adding that this change of stance was "also partly a result of the lobbying we have done to highlight the problems which this is going to cause politically [and] economically for Northern Ireland."
However, he also expressed reservations, saying “the worst scenario is that this is simply a cynical ploy by the government to cover-up for a sell-out which they’re going to engage in similar to last year.”
But he said if Mr Johnson “is playing for real this time, then I think the outcome could be very beneficial for Northern Ireland and could also be very beneficial for those of us who believe in a proper Brexit.”
In a statement issued on Monday night, the DUP said the UK government “must urgently address” the uncertainty around Northern Ireland’s future trading relationship with Great Britain.
The party said it noted the speculation regarding the bill, and said it wanted to “see the finer details and clauses relating to this and will study them carefully.
“We welcome them in broad terms in so far as they go, but the Government must continue to work to remove any disadvantages to Northern Ireland brought about by its signing up to the Protocol,” the party said.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Steve Aiken, said on Twitter he would wait for the detail but "any moves on removing impact of Irish Sea Border will be very welcome in NI, for business and consumers."


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Martin promises ‘unity of purpose’ in Green Party after bruising start

Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin has promised “ unity of purpose ” and improvements to the party ’ s governance and communications following a bruising start to its time in Government , which has seen several resignations and a divisive leadership battle .
Ms Martin signalled the reforms in a letter to her core supporters indicating that she intends to seek re-election as the party ’ s deputy leader today .
In the letter , which was sent to the “ dedicated campaign group ” that supported her in her tightly-run contest for the leadership with Eamon Ryan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cohesive team that ensures respect for all ” .
Despite passing the programme for government by a wider than expected margin , the Greens have faced challenges to party unity internally , as well as high profile resignations from the party , such as former MEP candidate Saoirse McHugh .
A group of members broadly seen as disaffected with the current leadership of Eamon Ryan has also established an affiliated wing of the party , the Just Transition Greens , while some members have alleged they were bullied for expressing views critical of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her core team , Ms Martin writes that “ as a party we have grown rapidly in recent months and years , welcoming many new voices while losing some other very committed members .
Building a unity of membership and unity of purpose must be a priority for all of those in leadership roles in our party.
” She promises to listen “ to your frustrations , hopes , fears and ambitions , and do all I can as deputy leader to snruee that we move through this decade united.
” It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wider party membership in the coming days .
Mentioning her hope to work alongside Mr Ryan , she said that she wants to “ continue working as part of our leadership team with a renewed mandate to bring forward all of the ideas for change , growth action and development for our party that I highlighted during my campaign ” .
Under Green Party rules , a leadership contest must happen within six months of a general election , and a deputy leadership contest must take place in the lead up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran Mr Ryan unexpectedly close in the leadership contest which followed February ’ s general election , with the Dublin Bay South TD only retaining the position by 48 votes .
Green Party sources suggested it is unlikely that anyone will challenge Ms Martin for the deputy leadership , citing her impressive showing in the leadership run-off , and a desire in the party to avoid further confrontation over its direction .
Nominations are open for a two week period , and the election will take place - if it is contested - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 2nd-4th .

It is understood Green Party Deputy leader Catherine Martin will be writing to the wider party membership in the coming days. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin has promised "unity of purpose" and improvements to the party's governance and communications following a bruising start to its time in Government, which has seen several resignations and a divisive leadership battle.
Ms Martin signalled the reforms in a letter to her core supporters indicating that she intends to seek re-election as the party’s deputy leader today.
In the letter, which was sent to the "dedicated campaign group" that supported her in her tightly-run contest for the leadership with Eamon Ryan, she also promises "to build a cohesive team that ensures respect for all".
Despite passing the programme for government by a wider than expected margin, the Greens have faced challenges to party unity internally, as well as high profile resignations from the party, such as former MEP candidate Saoirse McHugh.
READ MORE
A group of members broadly seen as disaffected with the current leadership of Eamon Ryan has also established an affiliated wing of the party, the Just Transition Greens, while some members have alleged they were bullied for expressing views critical of the leadership.
In her letter to her core team, Ms Martin writes that “as a party we have grown rapidly in recent months and years, welcoming many new voices while losing some other very committed members. Building a unity of membership and unity of purpose must be a priority for all of those in leadership roles in our party.”
She promises to listen “to your frustrations, hopes, fears and ambitions, and do all I can as deputy leader to snruee that we move through this decade united.” It is understood Ms Martin will be writing to the wider party membership in the coming days.
Mentioning her hope to work alongside Mr Ryan, she said that she wants to “continue working as part of our leadership team with a renewed mandate to bring forward all of the ideas for change, growth action and development for our party that I highlighted during my campaign”.
Under Green Party rules, a leadership contest must happen within six months of a general election, and a deputy leadership contest must take place in the lead up to the next annual convention. Ms Martin ran Mr Ryan unexpectedly close in the leadership contest which followed February’s general election, with the Dublin Bay South TD only retaining the position by 48 votes.
Green Party sources suggested it is unlikely that anyone will challenge Ms Martin for the deputy leadership, citing her impressive showing in the leadership run-off, and a desire in the party to avoid further confrontation over its direction.
Nominations are open for a two week period, and the election will take place - if it is contested - at the Greens’ national convention on October 2nd-4th.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Download 2020 Calculated Grades by grade and subject

Some 60,000 students will receive their results at 9am , though those who applied for college will not know whether @ @ @ @ @ choice places until next Friday when offers through the CAO ( Central Applications Office ) @ @ @ @ @ Click here to download a PDF of the 2020 Leaving Cert results .
https : @

Some 60,000 students will receive their results at 9am, though those who applied for college will not know whether they have secured their first choice places until next Friday when offers through the CAO (Central Applications Office) are made at 2pm.
Click here to download a PDF of the 2020 Leaving Cert results. https://iti.ms/3bFsfhV


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Leaving Cert results: grade inflation evident across most subjects

The results are in – and the number of top grades have shot up .
Normally , the Leaving Cert results as a whole are predictable as sunrise and sunset , with the bell curve ensuring that there ’ s no significant deviation between grades from one year to the next .
This year , however , the pandemic meant that the exams were cancelled and teachers predicted their own student grades .
Through no fault of teachers themselves , it was widely expected that this would lead to grade inflation – and it has .
For most subjects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common grade ) remains at H4 , with a smaller number of subjects having a H3 mode .
As a result of higher grades , CAO points seem likely to rise , although this may be mitigated by a lower number of international students coming to Ireland ( especially in medicine ) and the provision of an additional 1,250 third-level places .
So which subject grades have risen the most , and which have stayed reasonably consistent ?
Since 2012 , Irish has had the highest amount of top grades in any subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that is often lost in somewhat trite chatter about Irish being badly taught .
This year , the number of H1 grades awarded has risen from 6.1 per cent in 2019 to 9.1 per cent in 2020 .
Overall , “ honours ” grades ( H1-H5 ) have risen to 94.3 per cent , up from 87.3 per cent last year .
H8 ( fail ) grades have fallen very slightly from 0.4 per cent to 0.2 per cent .
At ordinary level , O1 grades are up from 0.3 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 5.2 per cent to 8.7 per cent , O3 grades from 18.6 to 19.4 per cent and 26.2 to 26.3 per cent .
Lower marks have fallen slightly , with the fail rate falling from 2.7 to 1.5 per cent .
English is traditionally one of the hardest subjects to secure top marks in , but it also has one of the lowest higher-level fail rates .
This year is no different : while the number of H1s in English are up from 3 per cent in 2019 to 4.3 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some way the lowest amount of top marks awarded in any Leaving Cert subject .
For contrast , the next lowest number of H1 grades is in geography ( 6 per cent ) followed by construction studies ( 7.4 per cent ) and French ( 7.7 per cent ) .
English “ honours ” grades as a whole are up from 84.8 per cent in 2019 to 90.1 per cent this year , while the fail rate is down slightly from 0.6 to 0.3 per cent .
At ordinary level , O1 grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 to 3 per cent this year , with O2 grades up from 7.3 per cent to 10.6 per cent and O3 grades rising from 20.3 to 22.9 per cent .
H8 grades – a fail – are down from 2 per cent to 1.2 per cent .
Maths matters to students and policymakers alike .
For students , a basic pass is a requirement for most third-level courses .
For policymakers , successive Governments have sought to encourage more students to take higher-level maths and , ultimately , to enter into more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Stem ) courses at third level .
In 2019 , 6.4 per cent of students got a H1 , while that figure has risen to 8.4 per cent this year – an increase of 31.25 per cent .
The overall “ honours ” rate has gone from 78.8 per cent to 86.7 per cent .
Failure rates have more than halved , falling from 1.7 per cent in 2019 to 0.5 per cent this year .
The third-level sector will be particularly wary of the surge in higher maths grades this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been repeatedly warning that too many students are entering without a sufficient level of maths .
At ordinary level , O1 grades have jumped from 1.7 to 4.4 per cent , though top grades have stayed reasonably steady .
Fail rates are down from 4.3 per cent to 1.8 per cent .
Year after year , minority language subjects – sat by students who are almost always bilingually raised in a family where at least one parent speaks the language – have the highest grades .
Croatian had the highest number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 70.6 per cent securing a H1 compared to just 9.8 per cent last year – a grade inflation of 720 per cent .
This year , 455 students sat the Polish exam ( compared to 780 sits last year ) , with 36.3 per cent securing a H1 compared to just 8.3 per cent last year , and H2 grades up from 16.7 per cent to 34.9 per cent .
Top grades in higher-level physics have risen from 10.9 per cent in 2019 to 15.6 per cent this year , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent to 0.9 per cent .
“ Honours ” grades in higher-level chemistry are up from 75.2 per cent in 2019 to 88.8 per cent this year , with fail grades down from 7.4 per cent to 1.2 per cent .
Top marks in higher-level biology are up from 8.2 per cent last year to 10.8 per cent this year , with “ honours ” grades up from 73 per cent to 84.2 per cent .
Fail rates are down from 4.8 to 1.3 per cent .
Business students have seen the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 4.2 cent last year to 8.5 cent this year while top marks in accounting have soared from 6.9 per cent to 17.4 per cent .
Last year , 6.9 per cent of history students got top marks , while this year 10.8 per cent secured a H1 .
The number of “ honour ” history grades ( H1-H5 ) , is up from 84.1 per cent to 90.3 per cent .
The number of top geography grades are also up , from 3.9 per cent last year to 6 per cent this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have risen from 80.9 per cent to 87.2 per cent .
The failure rate for classical studies has always been persistently high compared to other subjects , with the chance of top marks correspondingly low .
This year , H1s have more than doubled , from 6.6 per cent in 2019 to 12.3 per cent in 2020 , while the fail rate has fallen from 3.2 per cent to 0.6 per cent .

Through no fault of teachers themselves, it was widely expected that this would lead to grade inflation – and it has. Photograph: iStock
The results are in – and the number of top grades have shot up.
Normally, the Leaving Cert results as a whole are predictable as sunrise and sunset, with the bell curve ensuring that there’s no significant deviation between grades from one year to the next.
This year, however, the pandemic meant that the exams were cancelled and teachers predicted their own student grades. Through no fault of teachers themselves, it was widely expected that this would lead to grade inflation – and it has.
For most subjects, however, the mode (the most common grade) remains at H4, with a smaller number of subjects having a H3 mode.
READ MORE
As a result of higher grades, CAO points seem likely to rise, although this may be mitigated by a lower number of international students coming to Ireland (especially in medicine) and the provision of an additional 1,250 third-level places.
So which subject grades have risen the most, and which have stayed reasonably consistent?
Irish
Since 2012, Irish has had the highest amount of top grades in any subject besides minority languages and music – a fact that is often lost in somewhat trite chatter about Irish being badly taught.
This year, the number of H1 grades awarded has risen from 6.1 per cent in 2019 to 9.1 per cent in 2020. Overall, “honours” grades (H1-H5) have risen to 94.3 per cent, up from 87.3 per cent last year.
H8 (fail) grades have fallen very slightly from 0.4 per cent to 0.2 per cent.
At ordinary level, O1 grades are up from 0.3 per cent to 1.9 per cent, O2 grades from 5.2 per cent to 8.7 per cent, O3 grades from 18.6 to 19.4 per cent and 26.2 to 26.3 per cent. Lower marks have fallen slightly, with the fail rate falling from 2.7 to 1.5 per cent.
English
English is traditionally one of the hardest subjects to secure top marks in, but it also has one of the lowest higher-level fail rates.
This year is no different: while the number of H1s in English are up from 3 per cent in 2019 to 4.3 per cent in 2020, this is, by some way the lowest amount of top marks awarded in any Leaving Cert subject. For contrast, the next lowest number of H1 grades is in geography (6 per cent) followed by construction studies (7.4 per cent) and French (7.7 per cent).
English “honours” grades as a whole are up from 84.8 per cent in 2019 to 90.1 per cent this year, while the fail rate is down slightly from 0.6 to 0.3 per cent.
At ordinary level, O1 grades have doubled from 1.5 per cent in 2019 to 3 per cent this year, with O2 grades up from 7.3 per cent to 10.6 per cent and O3 grades rising from 20.3 to 22.9 per cent. H8 grades – a fail – are down from 2 per cent to 1.2 per cent.
Maths
Maths matters to students and policymakers alike. For students, a basic pass is a requirement for most third-level courses. For policymakers, successive Governments have sought to encourage more students to take higher-level maths and, ultimately, to enter into more science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) courses at third level.
In 2019, 6.4 per cent of students got a H1, while that figure has risen to 8.4 per cent this year – an increase of 31.25 per cent. The overall “honours” rate has gone from 78.8 per cent to 86.7 per cent. Failure rates have more than halved, falling from 1.7 per cent in 2019 to 0.5 per cent this year.
The third-level sector will be particularly wary of the surge in higher maths grades this year, because many lecturers on Stem courses have been repeatedly warning that too many students are entering without a sufficient level of maths.
At ordinary level, O1 grades have jumped from 1.7 to 4.4 per cent, though top grades have stayed reasonably steady. Fail rates are down from 4.3 per cent to 1.8 per cent.
Minority languages
Year after year, minority language subjects – sat by students who are almost always bilingually raised in a family where at least one parent speaks the language – have the highest grades.
Croatian had the highest number of H1 grades of any Leaving Cert subject, with 70.6 per cent securing a H1 compared to just 9.8 per cent last year – a grade inflation of 720 per cent.
This year, 455 students sat the Polish exam (compared to 780 sits last year), with 36.3 per cent securing a H1 compared to just 8.3 per cent last year, and H2 grades up from 16.7 per cent to 34.9 per cent.
Other subjects
Top grades in higher-level physics have risen from 10.9 per cent in 2019 to 15.6 per cent this year, while fail rates have tumbled from 7.3 per cent to 0.9 per cent.
“Honours” grades in higher-level chemistry are up from 75.2 per cent in 2019 to 88.8 per cent this year, with fail grades down from 7.4 per cent to 1.2 per cent.
Top marks in higher-level biology are up from 8.2 per cent last year to 10.8 per cent this year, with “honours” grades up from 73 per cent to 84.2 per cent. Fail rates are down from 4.8 to 1.3 per cent.
Business students have seen the number of H1 grades more than double, from 4.2 cent last year to 8.5 cent this year while top marks in accounting have soared from 6.9 per cent to 17.4 per cent.
Last year, 6.9 per cent of history students got top marks, while this year 10.8 per cent secured a H1. The number of “honour” history grades (H1-H5), is up from 84.1 per cent to 90.3 per cent.
The number of top geography grades are also up, from 3.9 per cent last year to 6 per cent this year, while “honours” grades have risen from 80.9 per cent to 87.2 per cent.
The failure rate for classical studies has always been persistently high compared to other subjects, with the chance of top marks correspondingly low. This year, H1s have more than doubled, from 6.6 per cent in 2019 to 12.3 per cent in 2020, while the fail rate has fallen from 3.2 per cent to 0.6 per cent.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--CAO points likely to increase across many courses

The teachers of Ireland put on the “ green jersey ” when they sat down with their fellow subject teachers in June , to assess their students ’ potential performance in the calculated grades process .
In some cases , the levels of optimism were off the Richter scale and had to be pulled back by the special unit established within the Department of Education ( DES ) to implement the calculated grade process .
Last week the department revealed that this process had reduced teachers grades by on average at least one level in 17 per cent of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where this reduction process occurred prior to the collapse of their system and the reversion to the original teachers ’ assessments , the reduction in grades was in the region of 40 per cent .
Given teachers ’ estimation of their students potential performance would not differ greatly here , it was to be expected that a similar level of grade inflation would affect the Leaving Cert class of 2020 .
That gap between the 40 per cent reduction originally applied in the UK and the 17 in the Irish system is starkly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overall , the proportion of students securing top grades at higher level is significantly ahead of last year .
This means CAO points are likely to increase substantially across many courses .
The level of the increase will be determined by the points differential between grades achieved this year as compared to previous years ’ averages .
For example , students securing a H1 in a higher-level paper will receive 100 CAO points .
Whereas those receiving a H2 will receive 88 points .
Therefore , every extra student who secures a H1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point score by 12 .
In Irish the H1 ’ s awarded are increased in 2020 over the 2019 figures by 49 per cent , in English 43 per cent , in maths 31 per cent , in geography 54 per cent , in art 166 per cent , in applied maths 79 per cent and so on .
Students securing a H2 , H3 , and H4 , secure 11 CAO points for each additional grade achieved .
Across the four highest grade levels , for example , the proportion of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
In Irish they are up by 49 , 11 , 22 , and 7 per cent respectively compared to last year , in English by 43,31,21 and 3 per cent , in maths by 31 , 35 , 25 , and 3 per cent .
If on average students secure a higher grade in four of their seven subjects that is an increase of 45 CAO points for each of those students .
Many students may secure a higher grade than they might have achieved in any other year , across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will inevitably feed through to higher CAO points across the board .
The Government is aware of the challenge this will pose to the college application process and have provided 1,200 additional places across both higher and further education levels , with 340 of those places in high points courses .
This would seem to be a case of trying to fit a pint into a half-pint glass .
The level of grade inflation which has been allowed through the assessment process will result in many happy former sixth-year students on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 9am , to receive their results .
There is a widespread misperception among the general public and many students , that points are determined by the colleges and that you aim to reach that target over the two years of your Leaving Cert studies .
The UCAS system in the UK works on that basis .
If you meet the target grades the college or course director in question set you , then you secure your place .
The CAO points tables published in Monday ’ s Irish Times are those of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the course in 2019 .
If the number of places offered this year are roughly the same as last year , the last lucky applicant through the door may in fact have 40-50 more CAO points than the equivalent student last year .
There may be a level of justice in what is going to occur next Friday as it relates to this year ’ s Leaving Cert class .
The rising tide or green wave will raise all boats , but the highest-achieving students will still secure the coveted high demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secured the points required in 2019 bitterly disappointed .
Where this fairness breaks down is in relation to the 20,201 deferred third-level applicants from previous years who have had no such benefit from the generosity of their teacher ’ s optimism and are stuck with the results they achieved when they sat the Leaving Cert .
They will look with growing trepidation at the celebration of their younger peers today and reflect on what these results will mean for their hopes of securing their longed-for course in the coming weeks .
How will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality when it reveals itself after 2 pm next Friday afternoon ?
Hoping that the effect of releasing bad news on a Friday afternoon , which will be forgotten by Monday morning will , I suspect , not wash in this case .

The teachers of Ireland put on the "green jersey" when they sat down with their fellow subject teachers in June, to assess their students' potential performance in the calculated grades process.
In some cases, the levels of optimism were off the Richter scale and had to be pulled back by the special unit established within the Department of Education (DES) to implement the calculated grade process.
Last week the department revealed that this process had reduced teachers grades by on average at least one level in 17 per cent of cases.
Reduction process
In the UK and Northern Ireland where this reduction process occurred prior to the collapse of their system and the reversion to the original teachers' assessments, the reduction in grades was in the region of 40 per cent.
READ MORE
Given teachers’ estimation of their students potential performance would not differ greatly here, it was to be expected that a similar level of grade inflation would affect the Leaving Cert class of 2020.
That gap between the 40 per cent reduction originally applied in the UK and the 17 in the Irish system is starkly evident in Monday’s results.
Overall, the proportion of students securing top grades at higher level is significantly ahead of last year. This means CAO points are likely to increase substantially across many courses.
The level of the increase will be determined by the points differential between grades achieved this year as compared to previous years’ averages.
For example, students securing a H1 in a higher-level paper will receive 100 CAO points. Whereas those receiving a H2 will receive 88 points. Therefore, every extra student who secures a H1 over and above previous years increases their point score by 12.
Grades
In Irish the H1’s awarded are increased in 2020 over the 2019 figures by 49 per cent, in English 43 per cent, in maths 31 per cent, in geography 54 per cent, in art 166 per cent, in applied maths 79 per cent and so on.
Students securing a H2, H3, and H4, secure 11 CAO points for each additional grade achieved.
Across the four highest grade levels, for example, the proportion of students securing these grades is up across the board. In Irish they are up by 49, 11, 22, and 7 per cent respectively compared to last year, in English by 43,31,21 and 3 per cent, in maths by 31, 35, 25, and 3 per cent.
If on average students secure a higher grade in four of their seven subjects that is an increase of 45 CAO points for each of those students.
Many students may secure a higher grade than they might have achieved in any other year, across most of their six highest subjects and this will inevitably feed through to higher CAO points across the board.
The Government is aware of the challenge this will pose to the college application process and have provided 1,200 additional places across both higher and further education levels, with 340 of those places in high points courses.
This would seem to be a case of trying to fit a pint into a half-pint glass. The level of grade inflation which has been allowed through the assessment process will result in many happy former sixth-year students on Monday when they log on to their computers at 9am, to receive their results.
There is a widespread misperception among the general public and many students, that points are determined by the colleges and that you aim to reach that target over the two years of your Leaving Cert studies. The UCAS system in the UK works on that basis. If you meet the target grades the college or course director in question set you, then you secure your place.
CAO
The CAO points tables published in Monday’s Irish Times are those of the students who secured the last places in the course in 2019. If the number of places offered this year are roughly the same as last year, the last lucky applicant through the door may in fact have 40-50 more CAO points than the equivalent student last year.
There may be a level of justice in what is going to occur next Friday as it relates to this year’s Leaving Cert class. The rising tide or green wave will raise all boats, but the highest-achieving students will still secure the coveted high demand courses, leaving many who this year secured the points required in 2019 bitterly disappointed.
Where this fairness breaks down is in relation to the 20,201 deferred third-level applicants from previous years who have had no such benefit from the generosity of their teacher’s optimism and are stuck with the results they achieved when they sat the Leaving Cert.
They will look with growing trepidation at the celebration of their younger peers today and reflect on what these results will mean for their hopes of securing their longed-for course in the coming weeks.
How will the Minister for Education deal with this reality when it reveals itself after 2 pm next Friday afternoon?
Hoping that the effect of releasing bad news on a Friday afternoon, which will be forgotten by Monday morning will, I suspect, not wash in this case.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Results 2020: Calculated grades out this morning

Click here to download a PDF of the 2020 Leaving Cert results .
https : //iti.ms/3bFsfhV The wait is finally over for the latest crop of Leaving Cert students as the delivery this morning of the much-anticipated calculated grades brings closure to several long and difficult months .
The tens of thousands of students who should have sat their Leaving Certificate this summer never had the opportunity to do so .
Instead of collecting results for exams they sat in June , as has been the norm for decades , students received grades this morning based largely on their performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycle .
It might be a formality for those students whose results will approximate of what they expected from the outset .
For some there will be surprise as some subject grades will exceed expectations while for others there may be disappointment if the grades do not amount to what they had hoped for or expected .
Last week , the Department of Education confirmed that grades will be “ stronger ” this year compared to previous years , which will lead to some grade inflation .
However , it is hoped that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further education places in high-demand courses will enable more students get their preferred course .
This was a year like no other and , while students will automatically try to work out the CAO points equivalent of their grades as soon as they receive them , it is worth bearing in mind that the points allocated this year are likely to be affected by other variables related to Covid-19 .
For instance , the introduction of distance and blended learning practices will mean that some students will have chosen to change their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or perhaps will apply to defer for a year .
In other words , this year ’ s points allocation may well be very different to the points needed to access courses in previous years .
Due to the virus , the Leaving Cert class of 2020 has had to contend with a very challenging situation academically , emotionally and socially .
For a system used to determining grades according to a student ’ s performance in the exam hall , this year brought with it unprecedented change .
Subject grades were assessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Education for a process of evaluation and standardisation , a process that itself came under scrutiny in recent weeks .
The goal was to align the final results with a student ’ s prior performance in class in the hope of making an accurate assessment of how they would have fared had the Leaving Cert actually gone ahead .
Today ’ s results will mark the first step in a move to third level education with the first release of this year ’ s CAO offers in just a few days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of a new learning experience and career opportunities through one of the many thousands of apprenticeships and further education options that are on offer .
Not achieving the hoped-for results should not spell disaster , as many who may not have done as well as expected will find when they start to look at other options available to them .
It has been a challenging time for students and while there may yet be some unexpected turns in the road ahead , today should at least mark the end of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new , exciting chapter in their lives .
It is important to have a Plan B and , happily , there are some 30,000 places available in further education colleges throughout the country .
The Irish Times will publish a special guide to these Quality & Qualifications Ireland ( QQI ) validated courses in our special Smart Choices supplement tomorrow .
It is worth remembering that many of these courses offer an alternative route to attaining that degree .
By the time you read this article , the State Examinations Commission ( SEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of transmitting the Leaving Cert results electronically to the Central Applications Office ahead of the publication of the first round of college offers .
Over the course of the next week we will provide coverage online , in mobile and in print , covering the results and Friday ’ s CAO first round offers .
Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett will be on hand to answer questions about the results and any questions students or their parents might have about the college applications .
The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this week .
The service will also be available from 10am-7pm on Saturday .

Today’s results will mark the first step in a move to third level education for some and will be quickly followed by the first release of this year’s CAO offers in a few days time.
[ here ]
The wait is finally over for the latest crop of Leaving Cert students as the delivery this morning of the much-anticipated calculated grades brings closure to several long and difficult months.
The tens of thousands of students who should have sat their Leaving Certificate this summer never had the opportunity to do so. Instead of collecting results for exams they sat in June, as has been the norm for decades, students received grades this morning based largely on their performance in school during the 2020 Leaving Cert cycle.
It might be a formality for those students whose results will approximate of what they expected from the outset. For some there will be surprise as some subject grades will exceed expectations while for others there may be disappointment if the grades do not amount to what they had hoped for or expected.
Last week, the Department of Education confirmed that grades will be "stronger" this year compared to previous years, which will lead to some grade inflation.
However, it is hoped that the release of more than 1,250 higher and further education places in high-demand courses will enable more students get their preferred course.
READ MORE
This was a year like no other and, while students will automatically try to work out the CAO points equivalent of their grades as soon as they receive them, it is worth bearing in mind that the points allocated this year are likely to be affected by other variables related to Covid-19.
For instance, the introduction of distance and blended learning practices will mean that some students will have chosen to change their course options to study closer to home or perhaps will apply to defer for a year.
In other words, this year’s points allocation may well be very different to the points needed to access courses in previous years.
Class of 2020
Due to the virus, the Leaving Cert class of 2020 has had to contend with a very challenging situation academically, emotionally and socially.
For a system used to determining grades according to a student’s performance in the exam hall, this year brought with it unprecedented change.
Subject grades were assessed by schoolteachers before being submitted to the Department of Education for a process of evaluation and standardisation, a process that itself came under scrutiny in recent weeks.
The goal was to align the final results with a student’s prior performance in class in the hope of making an accurate assessment of how they would have fared had the Leaving Cert actually gone ahead.
Today’s results will mark the first step in a move to third level education with the first release of this year’s CAO offers in just a few days time.
For others it will mark the beginning of a new learning experience and career opportunities through one of the many thousands of apprenticeships and further education options that are on offer.
Not achieving the hoped-for results should not spell disaster, as many who may not have done as well as expected will find when they start to look at other options available to them.
Plan B
It has been a challenging time for students and while there may yet be some unexpected turns in the road ahead, today should at least mark the end of that tumultuous period and the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in their lives.
It is important to have a Plan B and, happily, there are some 30,000 places available in further education colleges throughout the country.
The Irish Times will publish a special guide to these Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) validated courses in our special Smart Choices supplement tomorrow. It is worth remembering that many of these courses offer an alternative route to attaining that degree.
By the time you read this article, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will already be in the process of transmitting the Leaving Cert results electronically to the Central Applications Office ahead of the publication of the first round of college offers.
Over the course of the next week we will provide coverage online, in mobile and in print, covering the results and Friday’s CAO first round offers.
Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett will be on hand to answer questions about the results and any questions students or their parents might have about the college applications.
The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at irishtimes.com/helpdesk from midday until 8pm until Friday of this week. The service will also be available from 10am-7pm on Saturday.


theirishtimes--2020-09-07--Leaving Cert 2020: Winners and losers from calculated grades

It ’ s a been a Leaving Cert like never before .
No summer exams , the first ever set of teachers ’ predicted marks and a record high set of grades across the board .
The devil is in the detail , however .
A closer reading of the results shows there are winners and losers from this year ’ s calculated grades process : Huge grades boost for the class of 2020 There has been a surge in the proportion of top grades achieved by students , especially at higher level .
While the official figure for grade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4.4 per cent , it masks the extent of the rise in grades at the top end .
For example , the proportion of students securing H1s has jumped dramatically in many cases .
In art , for example , the proportion of students who secured a H1 climbed from 3 per cent last year to 8.5 per cent this year .
Or , put another way , the proportion of students who secured a H1 this year over last year soared by 166 per cent .
There were also big jumps in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this yeear versus last in applied maths ( up 79 per cent ) , geography ( up 54 per cent ) , Irish ( up 49 per cent ) , English ( up 43 per cent ) and maths ( up 31 per cent ) to name a few .
Teachers Teachers overestimated their students ’ marks at all points in the achievement spectrum .
It was most pronounced at the upper level , where top estimated grades were sometimes two , three or even four times higher than normal patterns .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost 6 per cent of students – on average – secured the top grade of H1 in each subject .
This year , under teachers ’ estimates , this ballooned to more than 13 per cent .
These marks were adjusted downwards by a standardisation process , which aimed to bring marks closer into line with previous years .
A total of 17 per cent of teachers ’ estimated grades were pulled downwards to help achieve this ( though if teachers ’ estimates were brought fully into line with previous years , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been lowered ) .
Teachers and schools will be happy that most of their estimates remained intact .
Minister for Education The car crash that was the calculated grades process in the UK proved useful for Ireland .
The Department of Education here had a crucial number of extra weeks to learn from British mistakes and make adjustments accordingly .
Policy makers faced a decision : prioritise this year ’ s cohort of Leaving Certs with relatively generous grades , or focus on ensuring grades were strictly in line with previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Minister for Education Norma Foley will most likely escape the kind of controversy that marked the UK experience .
Deferred applicants Up to 20,000 college applicants who applied for courses this year on the basis of Leaving Cert results achieved in previous years now risk being disadvantaged in the CAO points race .
Grade inflation for the class of 2020 looks set to devalue the achievements of many of these students who achieved their results in 2019 , 2018 and so on .
Department of Education officials have said adjustments to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritising fairness for the class of 2020 over eliminating grade inflation ” .
Try telling that to students who will lose out , though .
Students from non-Irish backgrounds About 1,900 students from non-Irish backgrounds were due to sit exams in minority languages .
In about half of these cases – 935 – students were unable to get a calculated grade .
This was because they were studying the subject outside school and either didn ’ t have a tutor or body of work to show their achievements .
Many of these students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grade and will lose valuable points as a result .
The system has responded , to a point , by ensuring any student who had been relying on this subject to satisfy language entry criteria to a NUI college will get an exemption .

The almost deserted UCD campus in Belfield in March after it was shut due to coronavirus. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
It’s a been a Leaving Cert like never before. No summer exams, the first ever set of teachers’ predicted marks and a record high set of grades across the board. The devil is in the detail, however. A closer reading of the results shows there are winners and losers from this year’s calculated grades process:
WINNERS
Huge grades boost for the class of 2020
There has been a surge in the proportion of top grades achieved by students, especially at higher level.
While the official figure for grade inflation across all subjects and levels is 4.4 per cent, it masks the extent of the rise in grades at the top end.
For example, the proportion of students securing H1s has jumped dramatically in many cases.
READ MORE
In art, for example, the proportion of students who secured a H1 climbed from 3 per cent last year to 8.5 per cent this year. Or, put another way, the proportion of students who secured a H1 this year over last year soared by 166 per cent.
There were also big jumps in the proportion who securing top H1 grades this yeear versus last in applied maths (up 79 per cent), geography (up 54 per cent), Irish (up 49 per cent), English (up 43 per cent) and maths (up 31 per cent) to name a few.
Teachers
Teachers overestimated their students' marks at all points in the achievement spectrum. It was most pronounced at the upper level, where top estimated grades were sometimes two, three or even four times higher than normal patterns.
For example, last year a total of almost 6 per cent of students – on average – secured the top grade of H1 in each subject. This year, under teachers’ estimates, this ballooned to more than 13 per cent.
These marks were adjusted downwards by a standardisation process, which aimed to bring marks closer into line with previous years.
A total of 17 per cent of teachers’ estimated grades were pulled downwards to help achieve this (though if teachers’ estimates were brought fully into line with previous years, some 60 per cent of higher level grades would have been lowered).
Teachers and schools will be happy that most of their estimates remained intact.
Minister for Education
The car crash that was the calculated grades process in the UK proved useful for Ireland.
The Department of Education here had a crucial number of extra weeks to learn from British mistakes and make adjustments accordingly.
Policy makers faced a decision: prioritise this year’s cohort of Leaving Certs with relatively generous grades, or focus on ensuring grades were strictly in line with previous years. They opted for the former.
Minister for Education Norma Foley will most likely escape the kind of controversy that marked the UK experience.
LOSERS
Deferred applicants
Up to 20,000 college applicants who applied for courses this year on the basis of Leaving Cert results achieved in previous years now risk being disadvantaged in the CAO points race.
Grade inflation for the class of 2020 looks set to devalue the achievements of many of these students who achieved their results in 2019, 2018 and so on.
Department of Education officials have said adjustments to the calculated grades process were aimed at “prioritising fairness for the class of 2020 over eliminating grade inflation”.
Try telling that to students who will lose out, though.
Students from non-Irish backgrounds
About 1,900 students from non-Irish backgrounds were due to sit exams in minority languages .
In about half of these cases – 935 – students were unable to get a calculated grade. This was because they were studying the subject outside school and either didn’t have a tutor or body of work to show their achievements.
Many of these students had been banking on securing a high grade and will lose valuable points as a result. The system has responded, to a point, by ensuring any student who had been relying on this subject to satisfy language entry criteria to a NUI college will get an exemption.