Leaving Cert exam results to be released on August 25, Norma Foley confirms

The release date is the earliest since 2019, and while returning to August, it is still not back to the pre-Covid norm of the middle of that month.

The CAO is expected to follow with first round offers for college entry in the week beginning August 28.

Months of waiting ended today when Education Minister Norma Foley announced that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) had confirmed the August 25 date.

“This is a significant and very welcome step towards pre-pandemic norms in relation to the timing for issue of results,” she said.

The 2023 date compares with September 7, September 3 and September 2 in 2020, 2021 and 2022, although Ireland still lags behind other countries in reverting to the usual results/offers timeline.

Meanwhile, the minister also announced concessions for Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle candidates in 2024 to take account of the impact of the pandemic on their education.

The class of 2024 will have the same adjustments to assessment as was allowed for candidates in 2023.

The continuing post-Covid delay in issuing Leaving Cert results later than traditional timeline is attributed to a number of factors.

A commitment to this year’s candidates that there would be no “cliff edge” drop from the inflated grades of 2020, 2021 and 2022 requires a post-marking adjustment, which takes time.

Grade inflation across 2020 and 2021 saw average Leaving Cert points rise by 60 and overall results were maintained at this level last year.

This was because of concerns expressed by the class of 2022 that they could have faced unfair competition from CAO applicants using results from 2020 and 20221.

The inflation of 2020 and 2021 is attributed to the use of calculated/accredited grades when teacher’s marks were used as a basis for candidates’ grades because of Covid disruption.

A second sitting of the Leaving Cert for candidates unable to sit the main exams due to bereavement or major illness or injury is another factor in the delayed results.

The second sitting will start on Thursday, June 29, and will run to Saturday July 15.

A shortage of examiners to mark the papers has also been a growing problem and has been another reason for delays in issuing results in recent years.

This year, the SEC has ramped up recruitment efforts, with higher pay rates agreed, and clearly has had sufficient response to announce an earlier date.

Results not issuing until September in recent years has meant a delayed start to college for first years, causing serious disruption to both their education and settling in.

One consequence was that two weeks was cut off the first term.

It remains to be seen now how colleges will respond to this year’s timeline for results/CAO Round 1 Offers and what their start dates for first years will be.

In confirming adjustments to the 2024 exams, Ms Foley said she was pleased to be able to give this clarity and certainty to students

“Thankfully, we are continuing to progress towards normality following the disruption to teaching and learning resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Nevertheless, the impact of the pandemic is not yet in the past. It will have disrupted teaching and learning for the cohort of students sitting state examinations in 2023 and indeed the majority of those sitting Leaving Certificate examinations in 2024 will not have sat Junior Cycle examinations.”

Detail on the adjusted assessment arrangements for every subject/ module descriptor in the Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle programmes will be issued to schools in due course, and schools will be asked to ensure that all students are made aware of these changes.