5th and 6th year · Paper 1 and Paper 2
Leaving Cert Maths Grinds
The jump to Higher Level Paper 1, especially calculus and algebra, plus the 25 bonus CAO points riding on staying at Higher Level.
Get in touchLeaving Cert maths, by the numbers
National figures from the most recent sitting.
- 11%
- got a H1 in Higher Level maths
- Down from 12.6% in 2024, and well up on 6.4% in 2019
- 27.3%
- got a H1 or H2
- Of the 23,450 students who sat Higher Level maths in 2025
- 36.3%
- of students now sit Higher Level
- Up from 15.8% in 2011, a 130% rise since bonus points came in
- 25
- bonus CAO points for Higher Level
- Awarded for 40% or above. 22,183 students earned them in 2025
National figures, 2025 exam sitting. Sources: RTÉ, Leaving Cert 2025 results, RTÉ Brainstorm, 2025. The State Examinations Commission does not publish results by county.
The course, strand by strand
Everything on the Leaving Cert syllabus. Sessions weight toward whichever strands are costing you marks.
- 01Algebra
- 02Calculus (differentiation and integration)
- 03Complex Numbers
- 04Functions
- 05Sequences and Series
- 06Probability and Statistics
- 07Geometry and Trigonometry
- 08Financial Maths
What Higher Level maths is actually worth
The 25 bonus points apply at H6 and above, which is why a H6 in Higher Level beats a H1 equivalent at Ordinary.
| Grade | Mark | Points | With bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | 90-100% | 100 | 125 |
| H2 | 80-90% | 88 | 113 |
| H3 | 70-80% | 77 | 102 |
| H4 | 60-70% | 66 | 91 |
| H5 | 50-60% | 56 | 81 |
| H6 | 40-50% | 46 | 71 |
| H7 | 30-40% | 37 | no bonus |
Leaving Cert grinds by county
Online everywhere, so the county you are in changes nothing about the session.