High hopes: the ups and downs of Leaving Cert 2014

Elementary: While Chemistry and Physics have relatively high failure rates, those with an aptitude for these subjects can score high grades

Over the past three years, the numbers taking higher level maths have risen significantly, with students drawn by the carrot of 25 bonus CAO points for an honours grade. These extra points can make all the difference in securing the right college place although the effect of bonus points has been to drive up CAO points for the majority of courses.

Progress has been made since 2013. This year, 14,326 students (27 per cent) sat the higher level maths paper, a proportionate rise of 1 per cent from last year. The overall honours rate has stayed reasonably steady, dipping from 72.9 per cent in 2013 to 72.6 per cent this year. In total, 13,660 students who secured an A, B, C or D will receive 25 bonus points today, which may in turn lead to a further rise in CAO points.

Chemistry and Physics also have relatively high failure rates, at 10 and 8.3 per cent respectively. On the plus side, however, students who have an aptitude for these subjects can receive their just reward: 20.5 per cent of students got A in chemistry and 19.7 per cent took top marks in physics.

Why do these subjects have both a high failure rate and a high number of A grades? It seems likely some students who take them find them tougher than they initially anticipated, whereas students with a gift for figures and science can excel if they work hard.

Biology remains the most popular scihigher level. Just under 70 per cent secured an honours grade, while 24 per cent got D. Almost 7 per cent of students failed the higher level paper.

Tony Donohue, head of education policy with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), says that despite a small increase in the uptake of chemistry this year, the levels have remained stubbornly low over the past two decades. Given the pivotal role that science and technology will play in future economic growth, we need to increase the pool of candidates who are qualified to take science subjects at third level. We must modernise the Leaving Cert curriculum, invest in teachers professional development, and increase the mathematical competence which underpins these subjects. We need a more practical and inquiry-based curriculum which will stimulate young peoples interest in these subjects.

Meanwhile, demand for emerging market languages including Russian, Japanese, Arabic and, increasingly, Mandarin Chinese, is on the up. Savvy students are expected to gravitate towards language degrees when the CAO first round offers are released next Monday.

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High hopes: the ups and downs of Leaving Cert 2014