Clare’s Leaving Cert students are being encouraged to keep their options open, after record results have given rise to concern that college entry points will increase.
1,400 young men and women in Clare are among the 60,000 across the country receving their calculated grades online since this morning.
This year’s Leaving Cert results are higher than any other year on record.
H1 grades of 90 per cent and above are up 3.3% at Higher Level and 1.7% at Ordinary Level.
There’s been a 3% rise in H1 grades in Higher-Level Irish. In English the increase was 1.3% and in Maths there was a 2% rise at higher level.
In Art, Economics, Accounting, Business and Home Ecconomics, the share of H1s at higher level has at least doubled, while in Music, they rose from 4.3 per cent to 13.
Clare Principals are now predicting that the higher results will lead to higher entry requirements for college students, , though they remain hopeful that additional college places will be provided as previously indicated.
Principal of St John Bosco Community College in Kildysart, Denis O’Rourke says students should keep their options open.
The Department of Education says the grades estimated by teachers were even higher before the calculated grades system brought them down.
16.9 per cent of grades have been cut back.
Round One CAO offers are out on Friday and disappointed students can appeal, but Principal of St Flannan’s College in Ennis, Fr Ignatius McCormack is warning it could be a difficult process.
Meanwhile, in response to the new system of calculated grades, Clare Youth Service is offering online support and advice to students receiving their results today.
It will be operational between 12 noon and 9pm today and tomorrow and again on Friday, when CAO offers are released.
