Of the 7,753 Leaving Cert students who sat the higher level agricultural science paper this year, 11% received a grade of H1 (90% to 100%), a 2% increase compared with 2020.

Some 17% of higher level students received a H2 (80% to 89%) and 23% of students received a H3 (70% to 79%).

Among the students who took the higher level paper, the failure rate was similar to last year, at around 3.5%.

However, among the ordinary level students, the failure rate was at 14%, an increase of over 4% on 2020.

Breakdown of ordinary level results

  • H1 - 1%.

  • H2 - 6%.
  • H3 - 14%.

  • H4 - 21%.

  • H5 - 16%.

  • H6 - 9%.

    • Breakdown of higher level results

  • H1 - 11%.
  • H2 - 17%.
  • H3 - 23%.
  • H4 - 21%.
  • H5 - 16%.
  • H6 - 9%.

    • In 2021, 8,468 students took agricultural science as a Leaving Certificate subject. This is down by 33 students on 2020, when 8,501 took the subject.

    Of these students, 7,753 sat the higher level paper and 991 students sat the ordinary level paper.

    Grading

    Some 3,734 students chose to sit the ag science exam and also opted for the accredited/predicted grade. The students then had a choice to take the higher grade of the two, once the results were released.

    A total of 4,730 students opted for the accredited/predicted grade only, meaning they did not sit an exam.

    Out of all Leaving Cert agricultural science students in the country, only four sat the traditional exam without also opting on for the accredited/predicted grades from their teacher.