63% believe calculated grades gave accurate results - survey

Getting Leaving Cert results will be a very different experience this year.

A new survey has found 57% of Leaving Cert students are worried they might not get their choice of college course.

This morning Leaving Cert students received their results from the calculated grades system.

Students have received a record number of CAO points this year as calculated grades see results soar across the board, with results up at every level.

With more students opting for higher level this year, more than one in four (25.9%) of grades awarded at this level was a H1 or a H2, which carries a minimum of 88 points.  

Almost 9% of these grades were H1s, which carry a minimum of 100 points. This compares to an average of 5.6% of grades across 2017, 2018, and 2019. At ordinary level, the number of top marks also increased by 1.7%, from an average of 1.5% between 2017 to 2019 to 3.2% in 2020.  

Overall, grade inflation across all subjects at all levels stands at 4.4% according to the Department of Education. It is not yet known what this will mean for the first round of college offers this Friday.

The survey from study website, Studyclix.ie, found that 63% believe the system of calculated grades has treated them fairly and gave accurate results.


However, 23% of students reported being “unhappy or extremely unhappy” with their reported grades.

Studyclix.ie received 1,252 responses from sixth-year students to a survey conducted between 9am and 2pm today.

60% of students said they could have done even better if they had sat the exams, while 6% indicated they would defer their college place. 

Other survey results included:

• 42% said their relationship with their teacher influenced their marks - of which 55% said it negatively affected the marks.
• 57% say they are worried about getting their course choice.
• 40% intend to appeal their grades.
• Only 6% intend to defer.
• 65% said they would not consider sitting the November exams.

“While the majority of students were happy with the grades assigned to them it must be remembered that almost one in four (23%) reported being unhappy or extremely unhappy,” said Studyclix.ie founder Luke Saunders.

“It is these students who will have the strongest opinion today.

“Hundreds of these students took the time to express their disappointment, dismay and anger on the grades they have been given.” 

Commenting on the number of people who might appeal their results, Mr Saunders said: “I am really surprised to see that 4 in 10 students are considering appealing their grade.

“In a normal year only 15% of students would appeal their grades.

“I think the actual number of students who actually appeal will fall drastically once these students will receive a course choice on Friday.”