Economics students tested on Brexit budget

Around 6,000 Leaving Certificate students were entered for economics and the vast majority chose the higher-level exam.

Aoife Noctor of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), said the higher-level paper was a good broad test of the course. It was very topical, with references to Brexit, the property market including social housing, rising property prices, and rent control.

The paper was manageable, with good variety and straightforward short questions. Ms Noctor said some parts of the long questions may have been challenging, but this encouraged students to apply their knowledge of the subject.

She said the ordinary-level paper also examined a broad range of the course, again topical with subjects such as public sector pay and Budget 2017. The short questions were straightforward, Ms Noctor said.

In the afternoon, over 5,600 design and communication graphics papers were given out, incorporating many familiar everyday objects.

ASTI’s subject spokes- person, Michael Horan, said students at both levels should have been relatively happy with what were fair and well-balanced exams.

The higher-level exam asked students to construct drawings around objects such as the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, and a sun canopy over a tennis umpire’s chair.

Although it was challenging, Mr Horan said it rewarded those who studied all areas of the course. This would be particularly evident in a question in which students had to do a perspective view of a display box and then draw a one-piece surface development of the front surfaces.

The short questions would have pleased students, due to the degree of choice and the appropriate level at which they were pitched, Mr Horan said. He drew attention to a question asking students to draw a Ladies Professional Golf Association logo.

He said the ordinary-level paper was “very approachable overall, and the choice of questions should have facilitated candidates to do well.

Among the tasks set for them were the construction of designs for the main stage used in the Glastonbury Music Festival and a perfume bottle.