Reaction to 2025 Leaving Certificate English Paper 1 (Higher Level) by Liam Dingle, English teacher at The Institute of Education.
- The paper reflected the world beyond the exam hall and the experiences of modern students.
- The layout and range of questions was consistent with recent papers.
The first exam of the June assessments is always a moment of anxiety, but many students will find themselves reassured by this paper that was familiar in the best way. In Part A, the questions followed the structure of previous exams: insights, opinions, styles. Students who have perused past papers will start the exam with a sense of stability. The array texts reflected the students’ interests and experiences. In particular Text 2 from Margaret Atwood was extraordinarily topical in advocating for the power of hope – a potent message in today’s shifting sands.
Part B will find students relieved by the old friend of the prescribed style and three topics. Again, the students will have found their world brought into the exam through prompts that are both accessible and contemporary. The “Online Response” and “Podcast” are styles more indicative of the media the modern teenager consumes and integrates a skill likely to be used by many in the future. While this will have accommodated most, there is enough challenge built into the nuances of these styles to allow students to distinguish themselves.
Section 2 is the 100 Mark Composition, 25% of the total English grade, and finds the question setter offering a consistent array of prompts. There is something here that will allow every student to select a style that allows them to put their abilities on full display. For the topically or politically minded students, prompts like Q2’s speech for or against “truth has become a valueless currency in today’s world” or Q6’s personal essay on values that influence voting preferences will be welcome. With students on the cusp of being launched into the world which they will go on to shape, these issues will be at the fore of many young writers’ minds.
Many students will find themselves drawn by Q4’s invitation to reflect on disappointment but the underlying theme of optimism continues with Q5’s “love letter to Ireland” feature article. For those looking to flex their narrative skill the short story prompts were wonderfully open, lacking the peculiar restrictions sometimes found in tasks. These prompts offered scope to express each writer’s own personal flare.
With so many opportunities to bring their passions and interests to the page, students will need to be mindful of the particulars of assessment. Those who read the question carefully and draft plans will be able to avoid the alluring distractions of the material in order to preserve the clarity of Purpose that is so integral to the marking schemes. For some of these tasks, students will need to think about what to leave out rather than include.
Hopefully, students will leave the exam hall with a sense of satisfaction. There were no artificial barriers or curveballs to startle students facing the rest of their exams. The paper advocated for optimism and the fight of the underdog; hopefully they will have taken that message to heart.