The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the delivery of the State examinations, including the preparation of all examination papers and test instruments. In accordance with its role, all matters relating to the drafting and setting of examinations and the marking of them fall within its remit.
In view of this, I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy in regard to Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics papers.
To clarify in regard to the matter of a post-marking adjustment, I can advise that in November 2025 the then Minister for Education and Youth confirmed that a post-marking adjustment will again be applied to results on the aggregate in 2026, and is intended to bring them to a point just under 2020 levels. Results in 2020, when the Calculated Grades process was used, were themselves four percentage points above pre-pandemic levels. However, it is important to emphasise that any post-marking adjustment is applied to results on the aggregate and not at the subject level. It is applied following completion of all marking and is therefore entirely separate to the marking process. I can confirm that no student will lose marks as a result of the post-marking adjustment, and the rank ordering of candidates does not change.
The Deputy may also wish to note that examinations in recent years have been subject to assessment adjustments, which gave students greater choice on Leaving Certificate examination papers, including mathematics, as well as reduction in requirements for some coursework. It was also confirmed last November that these adjustments will stay in place until they are washed out by revised specifications and examination formats on the way under Senior Cycle Redevelopment. For mathematics, these adjustments have applied for 2026 students and will also apply in 2027.
