Reaction to 2026 Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science (Higher Level) by Catriona Hendry, Agricultural Science teacher at The Institute of Education.
- Students who knew their beef will be happy
- No potatoes or barley will upset many
While much of this paper was very logical and approachable, both sections had stiff starts that offered no comfort for apprehensive students. Often students flick through the paper looking for quick footholds in the exam, but the question setter clearly wants them to slow down and really read the specifics; to see the wood for the trees. Several questions had niche preambles or striking window-dressing that could easily discourage a less careful reader, but those who were discerning in parsing out the questions will be fine.
Section A opens with questions on the environmental impacts of triangular-tracked machinery and photosynthesis to enhance crop production. While a student could potentially logic out the former, the latter would challenge most. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this section was three questions on animal diseases in a row. Though much of the material will be familiar (previous papers’ lameness reappears but for dairy cows now), sometimes the framing of the question was unusual. For example, not many students will be aware of Barber’s Pole Worm and so be instantly dissuaded by Q6’s diagram, yet the rest of the question was a generalist take on parasites that most would know. As the section progressed the selection settled into an array of questions that will be more comfortable for many. Even if students struggled to identify the specific breed of beef bull, they could answer the majority of the questions. The experiment question was standard and many of the later stages of Section A could be approached with some common sense.
Having made their way through Section A and potentially feeling a little more assured in their performance, students will open Section B to find a marmite question on soil. Lots of students hate this topic but for those who don’t, this question was nice and straightforward. This means that for many students the first thing they saw in this section was an immediate skip and a limiting of choice for their preferred four out of six. This is then followed by the synoptic Q14 which required them to combine elements of beef, grassland and the clover experiment to cover all the bases. Q15 harkens back to Section A’s tough starts as its question on tech in cattle reproduction was tricky but gave way to an easy diagram task and an analysis of reproductive cycle dates. The latter half of the section moves into much more comfortable areas and styles of question. Q17 was a nice examination of their beef knowledge and included a nice calculation for anyone who practiced their past papers and Q18 was an nice take on Genetics without being too technical.
Overall, this was not a paper that rewarded rushers; those who charge headlong into the paper hoping to gather up marks instantly. The question setter wants the students to be more analytical and considerate before the pen ever moves.