3,000 fail maths at ordinary level

Guidance counsellors were busy yesterday dealing with queries about appealing grades and calculating college points as parents and students summed up their results.

With more than 3,000 students failing at ordinary-level maths, the prospects of a college course offer from the CAO on Monday could be shortened.

Jackie O’Callaghan, a spokeswoman for the National Parents’ Council-Post Primary, said students should check if the college they applied to is offering second-chance maths exams.

Many third-level institutions run such exams to assess if an applicant who did not meet the minimum requirement in the subject, but who got the necessary CAO points total, might still be able for the maths element of the course on which they would otherwise be offered a place.

“There’s been a lot of calls to our helpline about failure in maths, but we’ve been able to tell them about these special exams. A lot of people are also looking for information about appeals and how to check their scripts before appealing a grade,” she said.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will allow students view their answer papers on Friday and Saturday week before deciding to appeal or not, but schools have to be notified by Tuesday which exam scripts they want to look over, with which a teacher can assist on the day.

Among the 55,500 results sheets issued yesterday, a range of exam outcomes were covered for students of different capabilities.

For one young man who called the NPC-PP helpline, operated by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, the help he got to calculate that his sister has almost 200 CAO points was enough to bring shrieks of joy as she anticipated being offered entry to a post-Leaving Certificate course.

“It’s really as big a day for those at the lower end of the spectrum as those with eight or nine As. And for anybody who is disappointed, we just want to get across that the Leaving Certificate is only a springboard with so many options out there for study and training, and nobody will ask how many points you got in five years’ time,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

Almost 44,000 of those who got results have applied to the CAO to go on to third-level in the autumn. Around 7,000 of an expected 46,000 available places have been filled over the past month, as colleges accommodated overseas students and others not directly competing with Leaving Certificate students.

The NPC-PP helpline (1800 265165) remains open from 8am to 7pm again today, and until 1pm tomorrow, and will operate Monday to Wednesday next week with advice and support around the CAO Round 1 offers.

All offers should arrive in the post on Monday and can be checked online from 6am on the day, with anyone not receiving an offer also due to be notified by the CAO by letter.

* The Choices for College supplement in next Monday’s Irish Examiner will feature the cut-off points for entry to all 1,370 CAO courses in Round 1. It also features advice on grant applications, student accommodation, college costs, and finance, alternatives to third-level education, as well as a range of other important topics.