Leaving Cert Students of 2024 are the final year to receive a pandemic-adjusted Leaving Cert

This is the final Leaving Cert year where allowances will be made due to the impact of Covid-19 on studies. This year’s Leaving Cert students were in first and second year when the pandemic began. On Wednesday morning, students across the country will sit English Paper One. 

What does this adjusted Leaving Cert look like in comparison with other years?

English

Higher Level;

Paper One- No adjustments made.

Paper Two- 

• All three comparative  modes will appear, rather than just two.
• Students will have to answer just one mode. 
• Students will have an option of five poets rather than four. 

The poets on the Higher Level English curriculum this year are; 

• Emily Dickinson
• John Donne
• Seamus Heaney
• Sylvia Plath
• William Butler Yeats
• Gerard Manley Hopkins
• Paula Meehan
• Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin

This year's Shakespearean Single Text is 'Hamlet'.

Ordinary Level

Paper One- no adjustments made

Paper Two-

• There will be no compulsory questions for the single text.
• Q1 & Q2 will be joined together as one 3 part question
• Q3 will be split into 3 individual questions worth 30 marks to offer more choice
• The 3 modes will be offered for the Comparative
• There will be 2 additional poems in the Prescribed poetry section.

Irish;

For the Irish Oral;

• students of both Higher Level and Ordinary Level only had to learn 10 sraith pictúirs, rather than the usual 20. 

Paper One- no adjustments made. Students will sit the Irish Aural listening test and write an essay. 

Paper Two-

Higher Level-

• Students must complete both reading comprehensions
• 2 poems will appear in the poetry section, students must answer only one. 
• 2 stories will appear in the Prose section, students must answer only one
• There is no change to the additional text question (Q4) 

Ordinary Level

• Students will have to complete both reading comprehensions 
• 3 poems will appear in the poetry section, you must answer 2
• 3 stories will appear in the Prose section, you must answer 2

Maths 

The adjustments made to the Maths papers apply to both Higher Level and Ordinary Level.

 Section A (Concept and Skills)

• You have a choice of 6 questions. You have to do 5
• Each question is worth 30 marks and the section will be worth 150 marks in total. 
• Questions will be of similar length and cover the same type of content as previous years, you will just have to answer one less question. 

Section B (Contexts and Applications)

• You will have a choice of 4 questions. You must do 3
• Each question is worth 50 marks. This section in total is worth 150 marks