More students will get higher grades in the Junior Cycle following criticism from pupils and teachers that the existing scoring system was too harsh.
The changes will apply to the more than 73,000 students due to sit their examinations in the coming weeks.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee announced the move on Tuesday in advance of her addresses to the teaching unions’ annual Easter conferences.
Under the changes, there will be the same number of grade bands as before, but the top four grades (distinction, higher merit, merit and achieved) will be evenly distributed in bands of 15 percentage points.
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Previously, the top distinction grade was available to those scoring 90 per cent or more. Between 2 and 4 per cent of students typically achieved this top grade.
The State Examinations Commission has previously defended the low proportion of top grades on the basis they were limited to “exceptional students only”.
Current and new grade bands for Junior Cycle
| Grade descriptor | Current grade bands | New grade bands |
|---|---|---|
| Distinction | ≥ 90 to 100 | ≥ 85 to 100 |
| Higher Merit | ≥ 75 and < 90 | ≥ 70 and < 85 |
| Merit | ≥ 55 and < 75 | ≥ 55 and < 70 |
| Achieved | ≥ 40 and < 55 | ≥ 40 and < 55 |
| Partially Achieved | ≥ 20 and < 40 | ≥ 20 and < 40 |
| Not Graded | ≥ 0 and < 20 | ≥ 0 and < 20 |
However, Ms McEntee said it can be expected that higher numbers of students will achieve distinction and higher merit grades under the changes.
“With the top four grade bands now becoming evenly distributed, this will have a positive impact on students, ensuring their grades are more reflective of their work and effort, as well as of the work of our teachers,” she said.
Since its rollout in 2017, the Junior Cycle replaced traditional As, Bs and Cs with grade descriptors such as merit (55-74 per cent), higher merit (75-89 per cent) and distinctions (90 per cent and above).
Many students and teachers said the merit band was too broad and the distinction band too narrow. As a result, many students felt their efforts were not being properly recognised and some felt it was difficult to make decisions about their senior cycle subject choices as a result.
A ‘change the band’ campaign, initiated by disappointed transition year students, was one of a number of efforts to alter the grading system.
The new system will change how grades are awarded as follows: merit (55-69 per cent); higher merit (70-84 per cent) and distinction (85-100 per cent).
A breakdown of results for the Junior Cycle last year showed the proportion of students earning a “distinction” was about 4 per cent and ranged from a low of 2.6 per cent (English higher level) to 7.9 per cent (Italian).
Ms McEntee said the grade bands remained sufficiently broad to ensure students can focus on learning, engaging in school and on becoming “independent, resourceful and confident learners, rather than focusing solely on examinations”.
“It is vital that students, their learning and engagement remains at the heart of Junior Cycle,” she said.
Ms McEntee also noted that the final report of a longitudinal study on the enactment of the Junior Cycle, commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) from the University of Limerick, is under consideration by the NCCA’s council.
Previous reports have highlighted positives – such as greater collaboration, and negatives – such as concern among principals and teachers over students’ preparedness for the Leaving Cert.
Junior Cycle reforms were aimed at giving students greater ownership of their learning, boosting collaboration among teachers and reducing the emphasis on written exams.
The Minister said she looked forward to receiving the final report in the near future. “I intend to move quickly, both in the interests of students as well as teachers, to ensure there is continuous improvement in the Junior Cycle experience.”
