Q&A: Calculated grades and what's next for Leaving Cert students

Lessons have been learnt from the experience in the UK and the use of historical school data  has been removed from the calculated grades process.

What’s the latest with the Leaving Cert?

Essentially, a school’s track record in the Leaving Cert exams will not be a factor in a student’s results. The use of historical school data, also referred to as ‘school profiling’ or ‘a postcode lottery’, was the most contentious element of the calculated grades process. In the UK, a heavy reliance on this sort of data saw a disproportionate number of A-Level students in poorer schools have their grades lowered by the standardisation process. At the same time, students in private schools were more likely to see their grades rise.