From next year, there will be a gradual move back to standard Leaving Cert results after several years of inflated grades due to Covid-related educational disruptions. This implies that this year’s Leaving Cert students will still enjoy the advantage of a “post-marking adjustment” keeping the average results on par with the elevated grades of recent times. A shift back to regular results patterns is expected to begin with the 2025 cohort.
Leaving Cert results currently are on average 7 percentage points above the pre-Covid average, and this is expected to dip to about 5.5 percentage points by 2025. Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that this year’s Leaving Cert results will be out on August 23rd, which is a bit earlier than usual.
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will initiate a post-marking adjustment starting next year, which will bring combined Leaving Certificate results to a level somewhere between the scores of 2020 and 2021. The 2025 experience will guide the future adjustments to examinations and assessment after 2025 and the timeframe for phasing out the post-marking adjustment.
Minister Foley indicated that while it’s essential to return overall results to pre-pandemic levels, the disruptions to education mean it was correct to maintain higher results in recent years via post-marking adjustments. A similar approach will be used in 2024 acknowledging that the majority of students won’t have the opportunity to take Junior Cycle examinations due to the disruption. Over time, we need to return to regular Leaving Certificate results, and by implementing a slight, gradual reduction in post-marking adjustment, we can alleviate potential impacts on students.
Ms Foley has confirmed the plan to slowly revert Leaving Cert outcomes back to the standards prior to the pandemic. The process, scheduled to take off with the 2025 cohort, will avoid a sudden shift to previous outcomes, honouring her promise to prevent an abrupt turnaround.
The outcomes, while predicted to be lower than the figures in 2024, are nonetheless expected to surpass the 2019 results by at least 5.5 percentage points in average. She also explained that post-marking changes will still be implemented to ensure the cumulative results match a median point between the outcomes of 2020 and 2021.
The School Examinations Committee (SEC) provided a timeline, stating the results of the Leaving Cert 2024 will be released on Friday, 23 August. Minister Foley added that the specific date will be beneficial in providing this year’s students with much-needed reassurance.
She furthermore announced the continuity of current assessment modifications, such as offering more question options in exams. These alterations, in place for two years and continuing through this year, will persist into 2025 for Leaving Cert students.
Regarding Junior Cycle assessments, she confirmed that pre-existing evaluation adjustments relating to Classroom-Based Assessments will continue being applied for Junior Cycle examinees in 2025 and 2026. Further instructions for schools will be given following an ongoing study evaluating Junior Cycle reform impacts.
In Ireland and across the globe, a surge in aggregate results post-pandemic interventions has been documented. The introduction of Calculated Grades in 2020 and Accredited Grades combined with exams in 2021 saw an upward shift in results. The rise was 4.4 percentage points in 2020 and an additional 2.6 percentage points in 2021, leading to a total increase of approximately 7 percentage points relative to 2019 outcomes.
The UK Government has guaranteed not to enforce a sudden decrease in the overall Leaving Cert results, safeguarding students affected by the Covid pandemic from being deprived of further and higher education opportunities. Recently, two forms of intervention have been employed.
Firstly, amendments to the examinations and assessments have been enacted. According to the Department of Education, these modifications maintain the current structure of exams that students are accustomed to while providing more options in the exams. In several instances, these changes have allowed for an extension in teaching time by lessening the preparatory work for practical exams.
Secondly, the SEC has incorporated a post-marking revision to the grades obtained through the usual marking procedure in both 2022 and 2023. This amendment post-marking has maintained the average aggregate results constant since 2021. Educational officials argue that this method is justified due to the continued interruption to student learning caused by Covid.
However, mirroring actions in neighbouring regions, Ms Foley advocates planning to return to the regular Leaving Cert outcomes and begin phasing out post-marking adjustments. By 2025, it is anticipated that a post-marking adjustment will result in aggregate scores being, on average, at least 5.5 percentage points higher than 2019 levels.
Upon the conclusion of the 2025 examination process (inclusive of marking, post marking adjustment and provision of results following any appeals), a review will be undertaken to decide the strategy for the subsequent year.
Concerning modifications to exams and assessments, the revisions made to State examinations in 2023 will be retained in 2024 and 2025 but will be updated as required. Schools will receive information about the amended assessment arrangements for every subject/module descriptor in several Leaving Certificate programmes and Junior Cycle programmes in time. Schools will be tasked with informing all students of these modifications.