Leaving Certificate grades show downward trend

THE dramatic rise in top Leaving Certificate grades being awarded over the past 15 years has been reversed in the last two years.

Statistics released to the Irish Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act show that the proportion of A and B grades rose each year between 1992 and 2006, from 27.1% to 43.2% of all grades awarded in every subject.

But that number fell last year to 42.9%, and again this year to 42.6% of all higher level grades awarded to more than 52,000 students, who received their results last month.