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07th Sep 2020

Highest results on record for Leaving Certificate students of 2020

Conor Heneghan

Leaving Cert results

Congratulations to all the Leaving Cert class of 2020 receiving their results this morning.

The 2020 Leaving Cert results published this morning (7 September) are higher than any other year on record.

60,419 Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Vocational and Leaving Cert Applied students will be able to access their results on the online portal from 9am and data from the Department of Education reveals that this year’s results are higher than in any year previous and 4.4% higher than last year.

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the closure of schools and the cancellation of the traditional Leaving Cert examinations in June, a calculated grades process was implemented for this year’s results.

Across all subjects, Department of Education data revealed that the calculated grades are a stronger set of results than would arise in any normal year, while also being lower than the results that would have emerged if the school estimates had been left unadjusted.

At Higher Level, the rate of Grade 1s has risen by 3.3%, while the rate of Grade 2s and Grade 3s has risen by 1.8% and 3.2% respectively.

At Ordinary Level, meanwhile, where there was less prevalence of overestimation, the rate of grade 1s has risen by 1.7%, with the rate of grade 2s rising by 1.8% and the rate of grade 3s by 0.3%.

Department of Education data also shows that grades changed less frequently in designated disadvantaged (DEIS) schools (81.2% of grades unchanged) than in non-disadvantaged schools (79.4% of grades unchanged).

In a letter to Leaving Cert students of 2020, Minister for Education Norma Foley wrote: “This is a very different day from what we had anticipated for you, and from what you had planned and dreamed for yourselves. I do appreciate what an especially difficult time you have had over the past six months, and I want to commend you for the patience, courage and resilience you have shown in that time.

“The creation of the Calculated Grades system came about to ensure there would be a mechanism to enable the class of 2020 to progress to work or further and higher education on completion of your second level school experience.

“This has been a challenging time for students, their families and school communities. However, I do believe what has been created is the fairest possible solution given the extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves as we journey together through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Today, with confidence, you can look back with pride on all that you have achieved and look forward with courage to the next exciting phase of your lives.”

Anyone with any queries about their results can contact the Leaving Cert helpline, while wellbeing resources developed by the National Educational Psychological Service are available here.

Read up on everything you need to know about the 2020 Leaving Cert results right here.

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