Teachers praise Leaving Cert geography, but slam Junior Cycle history as 'illogical and unfair'
This year's Leaving Certificate geography exam contained no major surprises, offering students a "lovely" and well-balanced paper with reliable and current questions.
However, the unfamiliar 'donut' graph format may have caused some stress for students, teachers who reviewed the paper said.
On the third day of the 2025 State exams, Leaving Cert students sat geography on Friday morning, while Junior Cycle students took their history paper.
The Junior Cycle history exam once again faced criticism from teachers, who say the continued absence of mark allocations and limited time remain significant challenges for students.
The 2025 Ordinary Level geography paper was described as fair by Laura O'Sullivan, a teacher at Bantry Community School and secretary of the Cork Geography Teachers' Association.
'The short questions were really well scaffolded with images, which is really good for candidates, and the longer questions were very accessible," Ms O'Sullivan said.
At Higher Level, she added, the short answer section was more balanced than in previous years.
'In previous years, they were looked for loads of answers for small marks whereas I think this year they were more realistic about what can be achieved in a short amount of time which is fantastic.'
One graph question may have presented difficulty for some Higher Level students, she noted.
'It was just a different kind of graph than they would have come across before.'
'Your more able candidates would have been fine but the weaker candidates might struggle with it.'
'They just won't be used to having seen it, but if they treat it like they treat other graphs, and don't panic, then they'll be fine.'
Students also needed to read a question on rock types and landscapes carefully, she said, as it required more than one example.
'If they only did one rock type, and one landscape, then they'll probably only get half the marks.'
Overall, she described the paper as very fair and said she was 'very happy' with its structure and content.
Margaret Fitzpatrick, a teacher at Midleton CBS, also praised the 2025 geography paper.
'The biggest challenge was actually completing it because they would have so much knowledge."
"It was a lovely, lovely paper with each section nicer than the other.' 'If students had worked off their exam papers, they should have been well able for it. The only challenge would be getting it done in the time allowed.'
Junior Cycle
Meanwhile, Junior Cycle history continues to pose a major challenge, according to Studyclix subject expert Jamie Dockery, a teacher at Tyndall College, Carlow.
Students are expected to answer eight questions across a wide range of topics within a strict two-hour limit.
'Not accounting for the time needed to pre-read the paper and review answers, practices teachers actively encourage, students are left with roughly fifteen minutes per question."
"That's a demanding pace, even for the most capable candidates."
'This year, the difficulty was compounded yet again by the continued absence of mark allocations on the exam paper. Each of the eight questions carried different marks, yet students were given no indication of this during the exam."
Mr Dockery added that under time pressure, students should have the option to prioritise higher-value questions.
"A basic exam strategy they are taught in every other subject. Denying them this opportunity in History is both illogical and unfair," he added.
'It risks disadvantaging students in their results and may even deter some from continuing with History into Senior Cycle."
Read More
Junior Cycle English short story question sparks criticism from teachers
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
30 minutes ago
- Irish Times
‘I'm not even a bit stressed,' Honor goes, ‘I haven't done a focking tap for these exams'
Sorcha thinks we should maybe check on Honor and there's an air of definite excitement in her voice when she says it? Yeah, no, it's the night before the stort of the Leaving Cert and my wife is absolutely determined that this should be one of those mother-daughter moments. She goes, 'The Leaving Cert puts – oh my God – so much pressure on young people. But it's not the be-all and end-all. I read an orticle online about all the famous people who failed the Leaving Cert.' I'm there, ' I failed the Leaving Cert – in fairness to me.' She's like, 'I'm talking about people who went on to actually achieve things?' READ MORE And I'm there, 'Yeah, no, thanks for that, Sorcha.' 'I just remember that – oh my God – my Mom had this amazing, amazing talk with me the night before I storted mine ? She just said, you know, the importance of exams is, like, totally overblown and that the Leaving Cert shouldn't define you for the rest of your life.' 'That's easy for you to say. Didn't you get, like, maximum points?' 'Well, not quite maximum points? I got, like, a B in Honours English, remember?' How could I forget? Her old man spent years appealing it. I think the case was still trundling through the courts when she was pregnant with Honor. 'Come on,' she goes, 'let's go and talk to her,' and I follow her up the stairs to Honor's room. Sorcha knocks and she's like, 'Honor, dorling?' then she pushes the door and looks around it like she's sticking her head in a lion's mouth. Honor isn't studying. That's the first thing I notice. She's sorting through her wardrobe and taking photographs of herself in various outfits with one hand on her hip and her cheeks sucked in. Sorcha goes, 'We're sorry to bother you, Honor. We were just wondering how the study was going?' I don't know where she's getting this we from? Honor's like, 'It's going great – as you can probably see.' 'Well,' Sorcha goes, 'we just wanted to say that, even though it may seem like it now, the Leaving Certificate is not the be-all and end-all.' I'm there, 'I'm living proof of that, Honor.' But Sorcha's like, 'Why don't you leave the talking to me, Ross? What we're trying to say, Honor – and I'm echoing my own mother's words here – is that it doesn't define you as, like, a person ?' Honor's there, 'Why do I buy so many clothes in taupe? It looks so focking meh on me.' Sorcha goes, 'The important thing – as my mom famously said – is that you turn out a happy, well-adjusted girl with a fully functioning moral compass.' Honor's like, 'Does this top make my face look washed out? You can tell me.' [ Honor goes, 'I'm editing the school yearbook photographs of anyone who pissed me off' Opens in new window ] 'What I'm saying,' Sorcha goes, 'is that our results-focused secondary education system sometimes forgets that schools have a role to play in preparing young people for life and not just exams.' 'I hate all my focking clothes.' 'I was just thinking back to my own Leaving Cert – wasn't I, Ross? At the time, I thought it was the most important thing in the world. But if you were to ask me what did I get in, say, Maths or History now, I'd have to actually rack my brains.' 'Didn't you get As in everything?' Honor goes. I'm like, 'Except English – and her old man spent eight years in the courts trying get her B upgraded.' Honor gives her one of her crocodile smiles and goes, 'So much for results not being important. Anyway, for your information, I'm not even a bit stressed?' I'm like, 'Oh, that's good – isn't it, Sorcha?' And Sorcha's there, 'Er, yeah – I suppose it is.' 'As a matter of fact,' Honor goes, 'I haven't done a focking tap for these exams.' And I'm like, 'I'm going to say fair focks to you, Honor. I think I speak for both of us when I say you've put our minds at ease. Come on, Sorcha, let's leave her to it.' But Sorcha's mind isn't at ease? Outside on the landing, she goes, 'What do you think she meant when she said she hasn't done a tap?' I'm there, 'Excuse me?' 'Like, did she mean it in the same way that I used to say it? Look, I'm not saying I was a secret studier – which is what all the girls used to say about me – but I was, like, naturally bright and I had an amazing, amazing memory.' 'Again, fair focks.' [ Honor is staring at Brett like he's an ATM and she's sitting in a JCB, trying to work the levers Opens in new window ] 'Or was she saying that she hasn't done a tap in the same way that – no offence, Ross – you didn't do a tap, as in, like, literally?' 'What does it matter? The important thing is that she's a happy girl with a fully functioning whatever-you-said.' 'Yes, Ross – but within reason.' 'Within reason?' 'I mean, it's also important that she gets into a good college. And into a degree course that's, like, high points.' 'But I thought you said–' 'Never mind what I said. What the fock is she doing in there?' 'I think she was questioning some of her 2024 wardrobe choices.' She goes, 'Did she even have a book open?' and before I can answer no, she bursts into Honor's room again, with no knock this time, and she's like, 'Why aren't you studying?' Honor goes, 'Excuse me?' Sorcha's there, 'You have an exam tomorrow! Where are your books? Where are your cog notes?' [ 'That picture The Last Supper is weird. They're all sitting on the same side of the table' Opens in new window ] Honor's like, 'I thought you said the Leaving Cert doesn't matter.' Sorcha goes, 'I didn't mean it literally doesn't matter. Oh my God, what happens in the next fortnight is going to shape the rest of your life, Honor! What are you going to do if you don't get into college? Stort an OnlyFans account? Live on the streets? Become a ketamine addict?' Honor looks her in the eye and goes, 'I have to leave the exam an hour early tomorrow. I have, like, a nails appointment?' Sorcha ends up totally flipping out and I have to put my orm around her shoulder and escort her out of there like my old dear being helped out of the prosecco tent at Bloom. She's like, 'You might be fine with having a daughter who fails her Leaving Cert, Ross, but I am not.'
Irish Times
14 hours ago
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘Take a deep breath - the weekend is a time to recharge'
Phew – that was intense. The first few days of the exams really are the hardest. The weekend, thankfully, offers the chance of some much-needed respite for everyone. Leaving Cert students who sat maths paper one on Friday afternoon may well feel deflated . But remember: if it was hard for them, it was hard for lots of others too. Our live coverage of the exams on Friday includes lots of comments from students who really struggled with the content and questions. Examiners tend to mark 'hard' exams easier in order to keep the same proportion of grades from year to year. It's also know as the bell curve . So, there is every chance the marking scheme will take account of this. READ MORE Students Why not take a deep breath – the weekend is an opportunity to recharge. It may be tempting to spend every moment revising, but rest is just as important. Brian Mooney, our guidance counsellor, recommends a balanced approach : review upcoming exams in manageable sessions, and then step away from the books. Take a walk, get exercise, meet up with friends or watch your favourite show: it can do wonders for your focus and mood. Parents For parents, supporting your child can simply involve a calm presence and encouraging downtime. Try to keep the atmosphere relaxed and remind them that it's normal to feel nervous or tired. A favourite meal, a listening ear or a quiet space to work can make all the difference. With balance, support and rest, your child can face the week ahead with greater energy and clarity. Keep going – you're doing great!
Irish Times
16 hours ago
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert maths: Some students left deflated by ‘off-putting' higher-level exam
Many higher-level Leaving Cert maths students were left deflated by paper one, but it had many manageable elements and was less wordy than in previous years, teachers have said. Eoghan O'Leary, a teacher at Hamilton High School in Cork and head of maths at , said students welcomed a return to more maths and less writing. In recent years, teachers and dyslexic students have repeatedly raised the wordiness of the maths paper, saying that it disadvantages them and is unnecessary. 'The paper was dominated by calculus, sequences & series and algebra,' said Mr O'Leary. READ MORE 'Students who hadn't revised sequences were in trouble because they featured in two long questions, so therefore could not be avoided.' Louise Boylan, a maths teacher at the Institute of Education, said that paper had an off-putting appearance, but was approachable. 'Students likely won't feel triumphant as they leave the exam hall, but they shouldn't feel defeated,' she said, adding that there were many novel elements on the paper. 'While there was a lot that was out of the box – logic puzzle style questions, material that hasn't appeared since the course's overhaul – there was much that would be welcome. Algebraic skills, rates of change, differential calculus, and sequence and series would all have fallen into the familiar,' Ms Boylan said. Stephen Begley, subject expert and head of maths at Dundalk Grammar School, said that the paper was more prompted and scaffolded than usual, and didn't appear as dense as it had in the past. 'While the short questions were rather delightful in ways, the long questions were a little light in parts and were heavily scaffolded,' Mr Begley said. 'Beneficial in ways, the examiner was generous throughout in pointing out what methods and techniques students should use to approach a question, for example by indicating to use a certain formula or technique.' This view was echoed by other teachers, including Ms Boylan. 'Later in the paper, question seven's wall of text will have caused some to pause, but once that was parsed, the underlying sequences and series were familiar,' she said. Overall, Ms Boylan said it was a challenging paper for everyone sitting it as the question setter continues the trend of drawing from all corners of the course. 'As such there was material examined on the paper that simply wasn't present in past exams and some students will rightly feel that they were pushed beyond their comfort zone. However, with much that will earn them marks, they shouldn't focus solely on the negative – the marking will reflect the challenge,' she said. Mr O'Leary said that some students were concerned that, with some students finding it too easy, there was concern that it would be harshly marked. 'I hope there will be fairness there,' Mr O'Leary said. On the ordinary level paper, Mr Begley said that it was a fair paper spanning the usual suspects of financial maths, complex numbers, algebra, calculus, functions, patterns and area. 'While parts were certainly not without challenge, the short questions in section A were quite nice and students could play to their strengths answering any five of the six,' he said. 'Those who prepared using past papers would have benefitted from the familiarity of question styles from years gone by. 'The long questions in Section B had students answer any three of the four. The topics covered here were functions, differentiation, financial maths, number patterns and area. 'Topic wise it followed suit with previous exams and students were well prompted and guided in parts. Overall, a good start to the ordinary level maths exams and all eyes will be on paper two on Monday, for which I advise students to take a look at their statistics, trigonometry, coordinate geometry of the line and circle and probability over the weekend, as these are always the main players,' Mr Begley said. Try this one at home: Leaving Cert maths, higher level, Q6(a) Write down, in descending powers of 𝑝𝑝, the first 3 terms in the binomial expansion of: (2𝑝𝑝 +3)7 Give each term in its simplest form. For example, the first term should be of the form ap 7, where a is a constant.
