Leaving Cert: Physics blasts off week three of exams
Ger Curtin of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said students should have been pleased with the first section of the higher level physics exam.
It covered experiments done in school, and he was particularly happy with one about electricity.
Mr Curtin thought there were some challenging parts to questions in the second section of the exam, such as those on mechanics and heat.
He was pleased with a semi-conductors question and another about radio- activity.
However, he felt some students might rather have seen separate questions on particle physics and applications of electricity, rather than having to choose between them within one question.
With references to the European nuclear research organisation CERN in the particle physics question, Mr Curtin said examiners were continuing to allude to modern issues.
He made the same point about the basing of an ordinary level physics question on the New Horizons spacecraft visit to Pluto last year.
It examined topics on gravitational force and acceleration, and although he thought ordinary level students might not be as well-read on current issues as higher level counterparts, it was a welcome way to relate physics to contemporary matters.
The paper was, otherwise, in line with those of past exams with a question about mechanics giving students a lot of work to complete.
Meanwhile in the afternoon, nearly 6,800 students took their exams in Leaving Certificate accounting.
For higher level students, Teachers’ Union of Ireland subject spokesperson John O’Sullivan said some of the wide choice of questions contained fresh elements to test them.
All except the first one had theory questions which, he said, can challenge accounting students who generally prefer the numerical aspect of the subject.
Those who assumed marginal costing to appear in the management accounting section might have been surprised by its omission.
Mr O’Sullivan thought those who aspired to securing a high grade would have been happy overall with the paper.
ASTI’s Noelle Moran said that the higher level exam was fair and balanced for the topics examined and the choices within the paper.
She noted occasional changes to the type of entries used in a few questions, such as the depreciation of an asset in a suspense account question.
Mr O’Sullivan said the ordinary level accounting questions were direct and almost entirely numerical in content, which should please those who were taking the exam.
In the first section of the paper, a tabular statement and control account questions were very approachable.
He said that a very nice ratio question in the second section should have reassured students, and questions on a farm account and management accounting would also have appealed to the ordinary level candidates.
Long road to the Finnish for Suvi
Spare a thought for Suvi Inkenen whose day of exams began at 9.30am and didn’t end until 8pm yesterday.
Not only is she one of only just a handful of students taking Finnish, the Leaving Certificate candidate at Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Rd, Cork, also had physics and accounting papers to get through.
Because the timing of Finnish and physics clashed yesterday, school staff supervised her throughout lunch and the half-hour break between accounting and the 5.30pm start time for her Finnish exam.
