A lower bar for failing the Leaving Certificate at higher level, which would see students awarded points even if they drop below 40 per cent, will be introduced for fifth year students from this September.

Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan is bringing proposals to Cabinet this week which would see the threshold for failing higher level subjects drop, while remaining at 40 per cent for ordinary level students.

The move, first proposed by a third-level taskforce, is designed to encourage more students to step up from ordinary to higher level and reduce the worry of losing out on CAO points for failing at higher level.

At higher level, the threshold for failing will drop to 30 per cent, with points now being awarded between 30 and 39 per cent.

Ordinary level

The measures are part of a wide package of reforming the Leaving Certificate grading system, expected to be agreed by Ministers this week. The number of Leaving Certificate grades drop from 14 to eight, with the intention of working alongside a reformed CAO points system. Grades will change in gaps of 10 per cent, rather than the existing 5 per cent.

“We are lowering the bar a bit at higher level to provide more of a safety net, to encourage more students to stretch themselves and aim for higher level,” said one source.

Some of the changes were recommended by an expert group last year, but Ms O’Sullivan’s move means they will take effect for the 2017 Leaving Certificate .