Leaving Cert Results: Concern over rates of failure in science and maths

Further increases in students taking Leaving Certificate science subjects and higher level maths have been offset by continued increases in numbers failing the exams.

Among the 55,708 students receiving their Leaving Certificate results at schools and other centres around the country this morning, 54,226 students sat maths exams. Of those, 15,198, or 28%, did the higher level exams.

The figure was up from 27% in 2014 and 2015, and from just 16% in 2011, before 25 bonus CAO points for passing honours maths were introduced by third-level colleges.