Leaving Cert performance varies more between schools than neighbourhoods

The findings are included in a research bulletin published by the Economic and Social Research Institute examining how school and neighbourhood contexts make a difference to academic achievement.

Supports and resources provided to disadvantaged schools “do not appear sufficient to bridge the gap” in outcomes, as Leaving Certificate performance varies more between schools than between neighbourhoods.

The findings are included in a research bulletin published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) examining how school and neighbourhood contexts make a difference to academic achievement.

Using data from the 1998 Cohort of the Growing Up in Ireland study, researchers measured Leaving Certificate performance in terms of the ‘points’ used for entry to higher education.

The study also looked at factors that influence social background such as social class, maternal education, experience of financial strain, and family type.

At the school level, Deis status was used to proxy a working-class student composition while fee-paying status was used to proxy a middle-class student composition.

The study also looked at the proportion of unemployment, lower levels of education, and lone-parent families when it came to neighbourhoods, as well as a parent-reported measure of perceived disorder in the area, such as graffiti or visible drinking and drug taking.

It found that Leaving Certificate performance varies more between schools than between neighbourhoods.

“Performance differs significantly by mother’s education, social class, family type, and experience of financial strain.” 

These differences are “sizeable”, with a gap of over 100 points between the children of graduate mothers and those whose mothers have Junior Cycle education or less, it added.

“Even taking account of social background, students in Deis schools have much lower grades than those in socially mixed schools while those in fee-paying schools have higher grades.” 

Neighbourhood characteristics make a difference

Neighbourhood characteristics also make a difference, it found, with lower grades in areas characterised by higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage and more neighbourhood disorder.

It added: “While schools serving disadvantaged communities are provided with additional supports and resources through the Deis programme, these do not appear sufficient to bridge the gap in outcomes, at least for this cohort of young people. 

"The findings add to the body of evidence suggesting the need for additional supports for schools serving the most deprived communities, soon to be the basis of a Deis Plus designation. 

"Not all socioeconomically disadvantaged young people live in deprived areas or attend Deis schools," it added. This indicates "the need for additional supports to enable these students to reach their potential".

• Jess Casey, Education Correspondent