Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2014 - How it was compiled

Source: Sunday Times Supplement -

"The progression of students to third-level study from all 721 secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland was examined. Data was collected from 30 third-level institutions in the republic and two in Northerrn Ireland partly under Freedom of Information legislation. This data mainly originated in the State Examination Commission and Central Applications Office. Third-level institutions do not stand over its accuracy when used to compile league tables. Data was also collected from Northern Irish universities on admissions from Leaving Certificate students.

In most instances, the data records the school where a candidate sat the Leaving Certificate on their first attempt. A small number of third-level institutions supplied data for both repeat and first-attempt students. . In these instances to reduce the distortion we examined the numbers repeating at each school and made other statistical adjustments. We excluded all external candidates. We also exclude several institutions which specialise in repeat exams. This adjustment means that in some cases those progressing to university and third-level is overstated.

Rank: For schools where % at university is the same, % at thrid-level is used to determine their rank in the Parent Power league table.

% at university: The number of students from the school, divided by three, who registered in the academic years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 with one of the seven universities in the Republic of Ireland, mainstream state run teacher training colleges , the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), National College of Art & Design (NCAD), or Universities in Northern Ireland for an undergraduate degree-level, full-time course. The number of students who sat the Leaving Certificate – adjusted for repeat students — in that school in June 2011 is then divided into this to calculate the percentage for 2011/12. The same method is used to calculate the percentages for 2012/13 and 2013/14. Source Leaving Cert Sits - State Examinations Commission, Athlone.

% at third-level: The average number of students from the school who registered in academic year 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 with
(a)one of the nine universities in the island of Ireland, mainstream state run teacher training colleges , RCSI and NCAD or Universities in Northern Ireland for an undegraduate degree level full time course.;
or
(b) any other state-funded third-level college such as an institute of technology or National College of Ireland for a degree or sub-degree course. Private third-level courses are excluded. The percentage is produced by the same method above.

Pupils: The number of pupils registered in the school in the academic year 2012-13 - source Dept of Education and Skills

Student /Staff Ratio: The number of pupils registered in the school in the academic year 2012-13, as above, divided by the full-time equivalent teaching staff in 2012-13, calculated from data availablef rom the Department of Education and Skills. No data has been supplied by Education Training Boards for vocational schools