Leaving Cert: last-minute subject-by-subject exam tips
Whether brushing up on key concepts or calming exam nerves, a few strategic moves now can boost your confidence. Here are some last-minute study tips from the experts to help you stay sharp and steady for exam day:
English
Tips from Conor Murphy, an English teacher at Skibbereen Community College
Paper one:
READ MORE
Familiarise yourself with the
exam paper
and be conscious of the fact it was designed to lead you into the essay question. The
comprehension
question, A, reminds you of the various genres as well as genre techniques. B reminds you of the need for structure and purpose. Remember these elements when you attempt the final essay.
Revise
techniques
rather than specific genres. There are so many different genres that can be assessed in B, and in the essay, trying to study each one will become overwhelming. Think about the techniques as moving from aesthetic to persuasive, stopping off at narrative and informative on the way. So, you are looking at things like using an appropriate hook, the power of the adjective, the use of aesthetic language, the various rhetorical techniques available. Then look at the question and, with the audience and medium in mind, plan with reference to these techniques.
[
Classroom to College: essential Leaving Cert newsletter for parents, guardians and students
]
Paper two:
Ignore poet predictions. The
poetry
question is worth 50 marks, the main text (usually Shakespeare) is 60 marks and the comparative 70. Keep this in mind when you study.
Narrow down the
quotes
you are learning off. Instead of having hundreds for the main text, look for a quote that will work for numerous elements. Look at a quote like the famous 'give me an egg, and I'll give thee two crowns'. How many elements can this be used for? The Fool, Lear, Goneril, Regan, Kingship, fertility, the concept of nothingness and a few other topics. This is why the quote is so often (over) used. Use this exercise as a way of revising Lear.
Similarly for the
comparative
, narrow down the scenes you are studying to scenes that can be used when talking about at least two of the comparative modes. Obviously these will include the opening and closing of the text. When you have these narrowed down, zoom in on specific elements (dialogue, images, stage directions). These are your specific pieces of evidence needed to illustrate your essays.
In general, test yourself on the various aspects of the course. Pick a
topic
and write down what you know, under headings, on a blank sheet of paper with all your notes out of sight. For instance: pick a poet, write down the name of all their poems, then the themes, then the recurring language techniques, then quotes. This will tell you what you know and what you need to go over.
Students from St Michael's College, Listowel, Co Kerry with their Leaving Cert exam results last year. Photograph: Domnick Walsh
Maths
Tips from Eoghan O'Leary, maths teacher at Hamilton High School, Co Cork and head of maths at The Tuition Centre
General guidance
At this stage, I recommend focusing your revision on individual topics rather than attempting full papers. Concentrate on the topics you're most likely to choose in the exam. Avoid learning new topics you haven't already covered in class – it's time now to revise and refine, not to start from scratch.
Revisit the
formulae and tables book
, and practice using your calculator, especially for operations that involve multiple steps. Also, write out a list of the formulae not included in the tables book and display them somewhere visible so they stay fresh in your mind.
When the exam starts, my advice is to find a section A question you like and do it. It will settle your nerves. It could be counterproductive to read the entire paper at the start of the exam, because there is some much information.
– Paper one:
Functions, differentiation, and integration
are unavoidable. They appear across both Section A and Section B, so they should be a big focus during your final days of preparation.
Algebra
often appears as a full Section A question and is also embedded in many other questions. Ensure you're confident with all the key elements.
Sequences & series
hasn't appeared in a majobig in recent years—it – ould be due this time. Also, be prepared for a long question involving
logarithms and indices
, which is quite common.
Complex numbers
reliably show up in Section A, but not in Section B.
Students often ask if they should revise topics like
induction, formal proofs, algebraic inequalities,
and
financial maths
that don't appear every year. The answer depends on your target grade:
If you're aiming for a
H1
, it's worth covering everything to maximise choice.
If your goal is a
H6
, your time is better spent mastering the more likely and manageable topics, rather than struggling with abstract material.
One commonly overlooked topic is
area and volume
, which can appear with algebra, differentiation, or integration. Even if it doesn't feature prominently in paper one , it's highly likely to come up in paper two.
-Paper two
Paper two is typically more predictable than paper one.
Section A usually includes one question each on:
statistics, probability, the line, the circle, trigonometry, and geometry
.
Section B often features:
Two questions combining
statistics and probability
Two questions involving
trigonometry, geometry,
and
area & volume
Students often struggle to revise for Paper 2 because they find several topics difficult – especially
probability
and
geometry
. My advice: focus on the
core skills
in each topic, as these often appear in combination with others.
Should you learn the
geometry theorems, constructions,
and
trigonometric identity proofs
?
If you're aiming for a H1, yes.
But if you haven't already learned them in school, it could be counterproductive to do so now. Focus instead on the questions you're more likely to attempt in the exam.
In the exam:
Make sure your calculator is in the correct mode (degrees or radians as appropriate).
Double-check your answers for
correct units
and
appropriate rounding
(decimal places or significant figures).
Remember: A score of 539/600 = 89.83%, which equates to a H2. You need to score 540/600 to earn a H1. You don't want to lose a grade over a rounding error.
Fle photograph: Eric Luke / The Irish Times
Irish
Tips from Séadhan de Poire, Irish teacher with
Dublin Academy of Education
Top tips for the run-in to exams?
'For higher level Irish, start to
simplify
material to make sure it actually makes sense. I've corrected the State exams, and I've seen a lot of students try to learn material that's too difficult for them. They then try to reproduce this material in exam settings and because they don't understand what they're writing, there's loads of mistakes in it and it ends up making no sense.
'What I tell a lot of my students is to focus on having simpler Irish that they understand and that they can use instead of trying to learn things off by heart. Especially for Irish paper one, for the essay.'
Hot predictions?
'For Irish paper one, it's all based off
current affairs
so there's no magical list of topics. You kind of have to be following what's in the news in and around November, December and January time. That's typically when the paper's set.
'Based off that, the topics that I'm looking at with my own classes this year would be politics, because of the elections that took place here and abroad, the education system, the Irish language, the
housing crisis
and a little bit on technology. A tip I'd give students is you can overlap a lot of material between those different topics.
'For example, if you're talking about politics and problems – well, housing is a political issue. You don't have to learn five brand new essays. You learn a couple of paragraphs that suit different titles and then you try to fill in the gaps afterwards.'
File photograph: Eric Luke
French
Tips from Elizabeth Lyne, director of
FrenchNotes.ie
The French Leaving Cert paper is 2.5 hours, encompassing the reading and writing tasks. There is then a short 10 minute break, after which students complete the aural or listening section of the exam.
For the
reading comprehension
, students have to read two texts and answer questions based on those texts. The first text is usually journalistic in style and tends to address current issues. The second text is usually an extract from literature, and is more challenging.
My top tip is to start with
question six
as this is asked in English and may give an indication as to the subject matter. Read each section carefully, underlining key parts of the questions, so that you know exactly what you are being asked.
For the written section, my top tip is to keep your French
clear and simple
. Make sure that your opinion questions have an opening, main point/counter or supporting point/personal point and conclusion.
Finally, while it is impossible to predict what will appear on the paper, I suggest focusing on climate, refugees, artificial lintelligence, school uniform, study of foreign languages, science as a 'male' subject, circular economy, screen dependency, disposable vapes, over-tourism and emigration
Students at Rathdown checking their Leaving Cert results. Photograph: Jason Clarke Photography.
Spanish
Advice from Katie Lenehan, French and Spanish teacher with
Dublin Academy of Education
Top tips for the run-in to the exams?
'The biggest piece of advice I would give is to recognise the importance of your
reading comprehensions
. They're worth 30 per cent of the final grade. They're worth even more than the oral exam is and potentially it's something that students forget about because they have so many other things on.
'For the
listening
papers, I'd also try to sit a full listening paper each week ... They're quite practical elements that you can do. For the written paper, I'd recommend making sure you have a solid
introduction
and
conclusion
learned off for your opinion piece. And have 15 to 20 pieces of vocab for each topic that you're planning on covering for the exam, so it nearly becomes a game of jigsaw.'
Hot predictions?
Though she prefers to steer clear of the term predictions, Lenehan encourages her Spanish students to focus on papers from 2008-2014, which may crop up again this June. She lists a range of
topics
to cover – emigration, social media, AI, money, changes in Ireland and the environment.
Common mistakes to avoid?
She says she had 'crippling' OCD during sixth year and learned the hard way how important it is to look after yourself. 'Absolutely, study has to be a priority, but it doesn't have to be the only priority. [Students] need things like
friendship
, fresh air, good food. They need to sleep. Try to surround yourself with people that have a similar work ethic, or that have the same target grade as you, and try to encourage each other.'
Students discussing their exams at Trinity Comprehensive School, Ballymun, Dublin.
Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Biology and chemistry
Advice by Caoimhe Ní Mhuirceartaigh, biology and chemistry teacher
Top tips for the run-in to the exams?
'The marking scheme for both biology and chemistry papers can be quite word-specific. You need to ensure when you're answering a question that it's not waffle and you're hitting the short, concise points.
'For biology especially, you need to know unit one and unit two really well. You can maximise your marks by focusing on the areas that are very repetitive. Knowing the non-negotiable topics that come up every year and are worth a large portion. In biology, the two most important topics would be genetics and ecology.'
Hot predictions?
Both subjects, Ní Mhuirceartaigh says, have quite obvious trends. Topics she thinks may appear in the short questions section of the biology paper include food, ecology, genetics and enzymes. For questions on systems, it is worth preparing human reproduction – particularly the menstrual cycle – and the human defence system.
For experiments, the food test has a high chance of appearing along with the ecology experiment. On long questions, ecology, genetics, enzymes, microorganisms, photosynthesis and respiration could all be worth some focus.
Ní Mhuirceartaigh describes organic chemistry as the most important area to conquer in advance of sitting the chemistry exam. Given you can feature it in three of your eight answers on the paper, it can account for 38 per cent of a student's final grade.
Common mistakes to avoid?
'Make sure the study that you do is effective. You're not just reading over notes at this stage – you're assessing yourself. That can mean exam questions. It can mean doing quizzes online, mind maps, flashcards. There are loads of different ways to assess yourself but don't just be sitting reading through notes.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Children at risk of physical or sexual abuse experienced ‘significant' delays before Tusla intervention, report finds
Children in Dublin who were at risk of physical or sexual abuse experienced 'significant' delays in receiving a child protection and welfare service, according to the health watchdog. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) on Monday published an inspection report on protection and welfare services operated by Tusla, the child and family agency , in the Dublin South Central area. One child was on a waiting list for assistance for more than two years, Hiqa said. In a number of cases, the authority found gardaí should have been informed of certain allegations but were not. The inspection was carried out from April 8th to 11th, 2025. It found that 'in most cases' at-risk children experienced long delays before intervention. READ MORE 'This was as a result of children not being allocated in a timely manner and being placed on a waiting list after they had been deemed to meet the criteria for a service,' the report noted. 'It was clear that the welfare and protection needs of some of the children referred to the Dublin South Central service area were not always met in a timely and effective manner.' One child who had been the subject of three referrals, two of which were for physical abuse, was placed on a waiting list. One of these referrals dated back 26 months before the inspection. 'The third came in as a child welfare referral and was received two months before the inspection. This had not been screened to establish the risk of harm to the child and ensure that it was correctly categorised,' the report said. In relation to another child, a sexual abuse referral was received 14 months before the inspection, with another concern referred one month later. 'The child was placed on a wait-list and prioritised as medium, with no consideration given to revising the priority following the receipt of the second referral,' the report stated. 'The child had not been met with despite audits carried out by a manager that indicated that this should be done. The child had still not received any therapeutic support at the time of the inspection.' In a separate case, Tusla received an allegation of physical abuse in respect of a child with complex needs which 'was inappropriately categorised as a child welfare concern, and prioritised as medium'. 'Gardaí were not notified of this allegation of abuse. This was brought to the attention of the area manager and response provided showed that gardaí had been notified after the inspection,' the report stated. Hiqa said these cases 'illustrated gaps in the service capacity to carry out assessments of children's welfare and protection needs in a timely manner'. 'This had resulted in children waiting for significantly long periods in many cases for the required support and interventions,' it said. 'Inspectors escalated 13 cases and the response provided indicated that all cases had actions completed to ensure children's safety and that risks identified were being effectively managed.' Responding to the report, Tusla said the Dublin South Central area received 7,781 child protection and welfare referrals in the 12 months before the inspection. Despite improvements in recruitment and retention of staff since the previous inspection in February 2024, the service 'remained challenged by the scale of demand, and its current capacity', a statement noted. 'The area has developed an action plan to bring it into compliance, which has been accepted by Hiqa.' Gerry Hone, interim director of services and integration at Tusla, said the Dublin South Central area has been 'challenged to provide a timely service to all children and families'. 'There has been a considerable effort undertaken in the area in the recruitment and retention of staff, and we are beginning to see the dividends of this across the service.' There has been a 7 per cent decrease in the number of children awaiting allocation since the inspection in April, Mr Hone added.
Irish Times
9 hours ago
- Irish Times
5,500 patients have stayed in Irish hospitals longer than medically necessary this year
More than 5,500 patients have been in hospital for longer than medically necessary so far this year, with 29 patients having stayed in hospital for more than six months due to delays in accessing care they need in the community. A delayed transfer of care occurs when a patient is ready to leave inpatient care but is still occupying a HSE -funded bed. It happens for a variety of reason, including delays in accessing home care, delays in accessing residential care, homelessness or complex care needs, among others. An internal HSE report found there have been 5,548 delayed transfers up to August 5th, 2025. This has resulted in 85,556 lost bed days. The number of delayed discharges has decreased when compared to the same periods in previous years. Up to August, 2023, there were 6,610 patients in hospital longer than necessary, while in 2024 the number was 6,235. READ MORE According to the latest report, 74 patients have been in hospital this year despite being medically fit for discharge for three or more months, while 29 have been there for six or more months. Every week, on average, there are 404 patients in hospital who are well enough to be discharged. Galway University Hospitals have the highest weekly average at 44, followed by Letterkenny University Hospital (33) and Sligo University Hospital (26). The hospital with the lowest average number is St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, with zero. In the week ending August 5th, there were 393 delayed transfers, of which almost two-fifths related to delays in accessing nursing homes or residential care settings. Forty-seven patients were delayed as their funding application for nursing home support had not yet been submitted and 12 patients were waiting for their application to be reviewed. A further 47 had been approved for funding but were waiting to secure a place in a care setting, while 20 patients were awaiting step-down placements at community nursing units, district hospitals or HSE facilities. Complex clinical needs is another cause behind the delayed transfers, the HSE report shows. There were 22 patients with behavioural, verbal or cognitive issues who were awaiting access to dementia-specific services in the week ending August 5th. Twelve patients were waiting for a 'bespoke residential placement' due to challenging behaviour that requires specialist management. The HSE is seeking to reduce delayed discharges to alleviate pressure on public hospital beds, which are often in high demand, resulting in more than 100,000 patients waiting on trolleys last year. Delayed discharges are also a concern as they increase a patient's chances of contracting a healthcare-associated infection. A HSE spokesman said to help reduce delayed hospital exits, the executive provides temporary financial support for patients who are medically discharged but unable to return home. 'This funding facilitates timely transfers to private nursing homes or convalescent care, helping to free up acute hospital beds,' he said. The spokesman said discharge delays can occur where patients are awaiting arrangement of suitable home support or residential care and they have complex clinical needs or legally complex circumstances. 'Delays experienced in identifying a suitable nursing home place for a patient can be caused by such beds to meet a patient's specific needs not being available in the area at that time,' he said. 'Some geographic areas are currently experiencing challenges in securing nursing home beds due to a shortage of available nursing home beds in the area.'
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
A close shave: Colm Keena on the trials and tribulations of a summer job in St James's hospital
A while ago, while telling a friend about the job I got during the summer after I left school, he appeared shocked when I mentioned that, among other duties, I'd shaved a dead man. The job was that of ward orderly in James St Hospital, Dublin. It was reasonably well paid and came with the bonus of working alongside a load of female student nurses. I was working in the geriatric wards and, still years away from having to shave myself, one of my duties was shaving the patients. This quickly became the cause of some anxiety, not for me, but for the poor patients. The equipment comprised a plastic basin, a bar of soap, a shaving brush, and a razor. After my first few outings, I added a roll of loo paper. I'd soap the men's faces, then set to work with the razor, often as the patient and I indulged in friendly banter. The problem was the nicks. I'd be shaving away and then I'd feel it, the nick, and the patient would too, as evidenced by their flinch. A dribble of blood would begin to mingle with the lather on their cheek as I tore off some loo paper and used it to stem the flow. READ MORE Sweeny Todd, one of the men kindly called me, referring to the fictional London barber who used to murder his customers. One of older wards had six to eight beds on each side of a long, wide room and I have a memory of surveying my morning's work and seeing an array of older men in striped cotton pyjamas, all with brave smiles, the shakes, and spots of bloodied loo paper stuck to their faces. I have no memory of any complaints, and a hazy view that, despite the nicks, they wished me well. Ireland, back then, was a less litigious place. As already mentioned, one of the upsides to the job was the student nurses. I was hugely shy and both delighted and terrified to be working with them. I had lots of different jobs, including giving the men baths, helping with meals, and helping the nurses with various unskilled nursing chores. One day, a few weeks into the job, a nurse came up to me and told me to stop what I was doing and go shave Mr X, who was in another ward. There were some visitors nearby and I motioned the nurse to one side and, speaking quietly, conveyed what I thought was important news. 'Mr X is dead.' She looked at me as if there was no bottom to my stupidity. 'I know he's dead. That's why I want you to shave him.' I fetched my equipment and off I went. The curtains were drawn around the dead man's bed and when I stepped inside it was just me and him. Someone had placed a ribbon around his head to hold his jaw in place until rigor mortis set in. It felt a bit weird, being there, in a tight space, with the body of a man I'd washed and fed over the previous days and weeks. But I decided to get on with it. I removed the ribbon, lathered his face, and started to shave. Pretty soon I felt it, a nick, and I stopped. But no blood emerged. Ah, I said to myself, as the penny dropped. No blood flow. And I proceeded to give him a good close shave. Curiously enough, I felt glad of the opportunity to do him the service. As I remember it, there was quite a good atmosphere on the wards, among both the staff and the patients. Everything I've seen in the years since has bolstered the idea that caring for others, and thereby not having the time to fixate on your own needs, makes humans happy. When doing so as a team, this creates its own, special atmosphere, so that even those receiving the care are positively affected. Or so it seems to me, Sweeny Todd.
