Some schools see drop in those moving on to college
DESPITE predicted grades apparently leading to record-breaking points tallies for the Leaving Cert class of 2020, half of Wexford’s post-primary schools actually recorded a drop in the percentage of students going directly into third level education.
The annual Feeder Schools League Table, published last week, shows that 11 of Wexford’s 22 post-primary schools actually saw a reduced percentage of students go straight into third level education in September of 2020.
While giving a rough snapshot of the choices of Leaving Cert students, the annual feeder table does not take into consideration those students who opt to defer for a year, take up a PLC course or enrol in a college in the UK for example. It’s possible that this year saw an increased amount of students opting to defer amid concerns over Covid-19, but the table makes for interesting reading nonetheless.
The figures show Waterford IT was the most popular choice of third level institution among the Co Wexford Leaving Cert class of 2020, with 473 students out of a total of 1,928 who sat the Leaving Cert taking up a place at the Déise college.
One Co Wexford School saw 100% of its Leaving Cert class go on to immediately take up places in third level courses. Our Lady of Lourdes in New Ross, saw all 61 of their sixth year students take up a place in a third level course with nearby Waterford IT proving most popular, attracting 24 of these students.
New Ross fared extremely well in the table, as the second highest rate of students going on to third level came from St Mary’s Secondary School with 93% of the 118 students taking up a college course, up from 89% in 2019.
St Peter’s College in Wexford was next with 91% of its 123 Leaving Certs taking up a third level course, however, despite predicted grades, this actually represented a minor drop of 1% on the previous year. From there it was back to New Ross with Good Counsel seeing 90% of 141 students taking up courses, up from 82% in 2019.
88% of Coláiste Bríde Enniscorthy’s 116 students went on to third level, a drop of 9% on the previous year, while FCJ Bunclody saw a drop of 2% from 89% to 87% of their 148 Leaving Cert students. There was also a small drop of 1% for the Presentation Wexford, which saw 86% of its 117 students take up a college place.
With only 35 students, Meanscoil Garman in Enniscorthy saw 86% take up a college course in September, but this represented a percentage drop having recorded a 100% record in 2019. 85% of 118 students at the Loreto in Wexford started college in September, down from 95% the year before.
Gorey Community school saw an increase with 84% of its 219 students taking up a college place (up from 75%), as did Coláiste an Atha Kilmuckridge with 83% of its 46 Leaving Certs (up from 59%).
Enniscorthy CBS saw a rate of 75% among its 84 Leaving Certs (down from 80%) while New Ross CBS saw 73% of its 44 students start college (down from 78%). Ramsgrange Community School a significant percentage decrease of students taking up college courses between 2019 and 2020 going from 91% to 69% of its 64 students. Creagh College in Gorey was on the rise with 68% of its 100 Leaving Certs taking up a college course (up from 44%), while Wexford CBS remained static at 68% of 103 students.
Enniscorthy Vocational College saw a rise from 46% of 2019’s students to 67% of 2020’s 36 Leaving Certs going on to third level. 59% of Bridgetown College’s 106 students continued to third level (up from 47%), Selskar College saw an increase from 52% to 56% of its 70 students, while Bunclody Vocational School remained static at 50% of its 26 Leaving Cert students.
Adamstown Vocational College saw 45% of its 31 students take up a college place (down from 52%), while Kennedy College, New Ross saw the highest percentage decrease in those taking up a college course, going from 40% in 2019 to just 11% of its 18 students in 2020.