Courts / Dublin / Report

First challenge to Leaving Cert grades comes before High Court

Summary

The High Court heard a challenge by a Dublin 3 student who was denied a place to study medicine at Trinity College Dublin after her calculated Leaving Certificate grades were downgraded. The student, who attended a fee‑paying school and had high estimated grades, was reduced from H1 to H2 in English, Spanish and Maths, losing two points. She claims the State's standardisation model unfairly penalises students from high‑performing schools and that the process used to estimate grades was unclear and unlawful. She seeks orders to quash the downgrades, declarations that the model is unfair and contrary to law, and that the State acted unlawfully. The judge noted the need for expert evidence and adjourned the case to next week, hoping for a hearing in early October with minimal disruption to all parties involved.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: First challenge to Leaving Cert grades comes before High Court. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• 2020-09-16 Publication

Why: She also seeks declarations including that the standardisation model for calculated grades is unfair and contrary to law because it fails to give any appropriate weight to the high performance of her chosen school. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report