Colman Noctor: Leaving Cert grinds putting students under additional pressure

High socioeconomic status, household income and parental education are key determinants of the uptake of extra tuition

The burden of attending grinds and revision courses on top of regular schoolwork impacts students’ wellbeing

For many young people, Easter means feasting on chocolate eggs, but for others, it means revision courses in a grind school to prepare for pending state exams.

The growth in popularity of revision courses and individual grinds over the last decade is remarkable. The concept of grinds has dramatically changed since I was in school. In the early 90s, you went to grinds if there was a realistic chance you could fail a certain subject. I remember attending a grind in 1995 as my parents were concerned that I would fail ordinary-level maths. However, many young people I have met in recent years are attending grinds and revision courses, not because they fear failing a subject, but to secure a much sought-after H1.