Leaving Cert applied maths: New topics may have thrown some students
Despite challenges there were also straightforward options
ExamWatch
Leaving Cert politics and society: Essay section ‘more difficult than previous years’
Well-prepared students had plenty of opportunity to shine
Leaving Cert classical studies: Students pushed for time in exam with challenging moments
Mandatory question on philosophy tested students with complex ideas
Leaving Cert physical education (PE): Students pushed for time with longer questions
Candidates had to ‘race through’ sections only to be faced with more daunting long answers
Leaving Cert economics: A ‘great paper’ with topical questions
Students hoping for high marks needed to have studied entire course
Leaving Cert music: A challenging paper with some familiar Irish musicians
Hozier, the Cranberries, Dermot Kennedy and Cian Ducrot make appearance
Leaving Cert design and communication graphics (DCG): ‘True to form with something for everyone’
General tone of paper was one of familiarity with topics that ‘should be in everyone’s arsenal’
Officials investigate after teacher is alleged to have helped students during Leaving Cert exam at Dublin school
Education authority says its takes responsibility to uphold integrity of the State exams with ‘utmost seriousness’
Leaving Cert accounting: A very fair paper - but time was a real issue for some students
Candidates needed to be disciplined to manage their time
Leaving Cert physics: ‘Anyone hoping for a replay of past papers will have been shocked’
Some topics far more challenging than previous years, say teachers
Leaving Cert chemistry: No room for waffle as paper gets straight to the point
Students well drilled in past papers found exam offered a fair chance to show their work
Leaving Cert Spanish: A ‘good’ paper with lots of choice, despite some tricky moments
Students needed to grasp whole phrases in some sections in order to understand important nuances
Leaving Cert agricultural science: Some curveballs but lots of choice
Many questions pitched just outside students’ comfort zones
Leaving Cert Mandarin Chinese: ‘A harder paper than previous years’
Level of language skill necessary was very advanced for students who only took up the language in senior cycle
Leaving Cert parent: It is cruel and unusual punishment - but sometimes you have to laugh
My Dad jokes have been an important mood breaker recently - or so I like to think
Leaving Cert German: a demanding exam which pushed students to ‘think outside the box’
Linguistic challenges posed by novel topics posed steep challenges for weaker students in particular
Leaving Cert business: Exam right on the money with wide choice and familiar questions
While questions on tax and ratio analysis required some maths, students could avoid them due to wide choice
Live reaction: A ‘thrilling’ start to Leaving Cert art exam, but essays challenged many students
Junior Cycle students have German and wood technology exams while it is business and art papers for Leaving Certs
Reaction to day six of the State exams: tricky tests for Leaving Certs in French and history
Almost 100,000 students are completing papers on day six of the State exams
Leaving Cert history: A tricky paper where students were pushed to think on their feet
Reappearance of topics from last year throws some candidates
Leaving Cert French: tricky vocab and grammar questions pose a challenge
Students may have found aural tougher than last year as the pace of the speakers increased
Leaving Cert biology: Plenty of choice but challenging in places
Students give thumbs up to a ‘fair’ and ‘accessible’ paper
Leaving Cert student diary: ‘Biology isn’t my strongest subject - but that was a lovely paper’
Our diarist loves sports and hopes to study physiotherapy - but must still navigate his way through a few more exams
Reaction to Leaving Cert Irish paper two and biology: ‘Student-friendly, balanced and fair’
More than 100,000 students are sitting State exams today
Leaving Cert Irish paper two: Sighs of relief as predicted topics make for approachable exam
Teachers say broad and approachable questions featured in higher level paper
Leaving Cert Irish paper one: a topical paper with some notable absences
Essay options gave students a wide range of current topics
Leaving Cert student diary: ‘I’ve deleted TikTok and Instagram. Phones are a big annoyance for me’
Our exam diarist is trying to minimise distractions in her quest to get enough points to study medicine
As it happened: Reaction to Leaving Cert Irish paper one and maths paper two
Teachers describe exam as a ‘fair and balanced’ with plenty of options for students to succeed
Carl O’Brien: how will the post-marking adjustment affect students’ results?
Marking schemes to be drawn up for exams shortly will take account of exams which papers were ‘hard’ or ‘easy’
Leaving Cert maths paper 2: Students seeking H1s or H2s find paper particularly challenging
Teachers say higher level paper two was even more testing than paper one
Broadcaster Andrea Gilligan on the Leaving: ‘I think the A-level system in Northern Ireland is far superior’
The Newstalk presenter repeated her exams and ended up studying arts in college
Reaction to Leaving Cert maths paper one: ‘This was challenging for everyone’
Geography and maths paper one for Leaving Certs; history and maths for Junior Cycle students
Carl O’Brien: ‘Take a deep breath Leaving Cert students - the weekend is a time to recharge’
The exams are a marathon, not a sprint: rest is just as important as study
Leaving Cert student diary: ‘I’m proof there’s an alternative to incredibly stressful exams’
Amy Cox is sitting the Leaving Cert Applied programme, which offers more vocational and practical approaches
Leaving Cert maths: Some students left deflated by ‘off-putting’ higher-level exam
Teachers welcome return of less ‘wordy’ exam dominated by calculus, sequences & series and algebra
Comedian Emma Doran on her Leaving Cert: ‘I had just given birth to my daughter 13 days before’
The comedian and podcaster on sitting the exams as a single mother, and the teacher who told her she’d be good on TV
Leaving Cert geography: ‘Every section contained challenges’
Relief among many students as human impact on biomes appears on exam
State exams body defends ‘curveball’ short story question in Junior Cycle English paper
Commission says short stories are ‘fully within the scope’ of the curriculum
Leaving Cert student diary: ‘I’m running on adrenaline ... Albufeira, we’re coming for you!’
Our exam diarist was happy her favourite poet appeared but not with the ‘very specific’ questions on English paper two
Carl O’Brien: ‘Students buoyed by positive start to State exams 2025’
We’ve gathered advice, tips and simple reminders to make the coming days a little bit easier
Reaction to Leaving Cert English paper two as it happened: Relief as much-predicted Eavan Boland features
Engineering and English paper 2 for Leaving Certs as Junior Cycle students face Irish and geography
Leaving Cert English paper two: ‘Dense’ questions posed a challenge amid relief over appearance of much-predicted poets
Candidates will have felt a lot more pushed to react and grapple with the exam than they did in yesterday’s English paper one
Helen McEntee on her Leaving Cert: ‘Let’s put it this way - I wasn’t aiming for 500 or 600 points’
Minister for Education loved art, music and English at secondary school but struggled with physics
Junior Cycle Irish: Relief among students over ‘fair’ and ‘relatable’ exam paper
Much anticipated topic of climate change appears in reading comprehension
Junior Cycle English exam: ‘Curveball’ short story question trips up some students
Teachers say paper struck a good balance between familiarity and challenge
Leaving Cert day one as it happened: ‘Challenging’ English paper one and ‘nice’ home economics exam
Live updates: A record number of students – 136,000 – began their State exams on Wednesday morning
Leaving Cert home economics: ‘Practical, topical, no curveballs’
Appearance of predicted materials will have helped offset some of the more niche questions
Carl O’Brien: ‘Day one done’ - Leaving Cert tips for students and their supporters
We’ve gathered advice, tips and simple reminders to make the coming weeks a little bit easier
Leaving Cert diary: ‘My short story was set in interwar Italy when communists and fascists battled it out’
Most writers do several drafts of a story to make it perfect – but not when it’s English paper one
Leaving Cert English paper one: challenging but plenty of choice
Essay options gave students scope to demonstrate their reflective writing skills
Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle: Record 140,000 to sit State exams
Controversial post-marking adjustment to mean lower grades on aggregate for class of 2025
The Irish Times view on the Leaving Cert: a landmark test which needs to evolve
The exam needs ongoing reform if Ireland is to deliver education to the highest international standards
Leaving Cert parent: ‘Is there any chance we can have the kitchen table back?’
Whatever happens to in the next few weeks, we know our daughter will meet this challenge like all others. We couldn’t be prouder of her
‘The system is under real pressure’: why do so many Leaving Cert pupils need special supports?
One in four students sitting State exams is availing of ‘reasonable accommodation’ such as spelling waivers, reading assistance or smaller exam centres
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