CAO Points Investigation

Overview

Students investigate CAO course points and recent trends, focusing on courses and institutions that interest them. Working in research teams, they compare previous points with the latest available information, identify whether points rose or fell, and present cautious conclusions about what the data can—and cannot—tell them about CAO 2026 offers.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand that CAO points can change each year according to demand and available places.
• Students will research reliable information about courses, points and entry requirements.
• Students will compare data from different years and identify patterns or changes.
• Students will communicate findings clearly, using evidence and appropriate caution.

Success criteria

• I can find the course code, institution and points information for a course I am interested in.
• I can accurately compare points across at least two years.
• I can state whether points moved up, down or stayed similar, using evidence.
• I can explain one general trend without claiming that it guarantees future points.

Curriculum links

• Official alignment with the IE Curriculum could not be verified.
• Research and information-processing skills: locating, selecting and checking relevant information.
• Mathematical and data-literacy skills: comparing values, recognising trends and interpreting change.
• Communication and collaboration: presenting evidence and responding to questions.
• Senior Cycle key skills: managing information, working with others and communicating.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook: “Can points be predicted?” Open with the CAO points hook slide and ask students to silently decide whether a course’s previous points can predict its 2026 points. Take a few responses, then clarify that points are not fixed entry grades: they depend on demand, places and the applicant pool.

2. 5–10 minutes – Establish the research question Use the research question and points explainer slides to review the difference between course points, minimum entry requirements and other requirements such as subject or portfolio requirements. Explain that students must use the most recent available CAO or college information and record the date checked, because 2026 offers may not yet have final points.

3. 10–14 minutes – Model a reliable comparison Display the worked example in the model data table. Demonstrate how to record course title, institution, course code, points for two or more years, and the change in points. Model careful wording: “Points increased from 380 to 395,” rather than “This course will require 395 points in 2026.”

4. 14–29 minutes – Team research investigation Place students in teams of three or four, with approximately seven teams. Distribute the CAO points investigation worksheet. Each student or team selects one course of interest, or a closely related course if the first choice has insufficient data. Students research using teacher-approved official CAO and college information, completing the table and noting where and when each figure was found. They should investigate at least two previous years and, where available, note any recent change in course structure, intake or entry requirements.

5. 29–37 minutes – Compare and identify trends Teams compare findings with another team. On the worksheet, they answer: Did points rise, fall or remain broadly stable? Was the change small or substantial? Do several courses show the same pattern, or is the evidence mixed? Remind students not to generalise from one course or one institution.

6. 37–43 minutes – Rapid presentations Use the presentation prompt and trend-summary slides. Each team gives a one-minute report: course and institution, points movement, evidence, and one cautious conclusion. The listening students record one interesting comparison or question. Invite presenters to distinguish clearly between confirmed data and predictions.

7. 43–45 minutes – Individual exit reflection Return to the opening question using the plenary slide. Students complete the final reflection on the worksheet: “One thing I learned about CAO points is…” and “One thing I still need to check before making a course decision is…”. Reinforce that points are useful evidence but should be considered alongside subjects, requirements, course content, progression opportunities and personal interests.

Resources

• the CAO points investigation deck
• the CAO points investigation worksheet
• Devices with internet access, ideally one per team
• Teacher-approved CAO and higher-education information pages
• Projector or interactive display
• Spreadsheet or calculator functions, if available
• Board or shared class display for recording trends
• One current sample course dataset prepared by the teacher
• Pens and highlighters

Assessment

• Monitor team research for accurate recording of course titles, codes, years and points.
• Check whether students calculate or describe changes correctly and distinguish evidence from prediction.
• Collect or photograph worksheets and assess the quality of each team’s evidence-based conclusion and individual reflection.

Differentiation

• Provide a prepared list of courses and institutions, with the relevant information pages already identified, for students who need support with online searching.
• Give a partially completed comparison table and sentence starters such as “The points changed by…” and “This does not prove that…”.
• Pair students strategically and assign roles such as researcher, recorder, checker and presenter; allow speech-to-text or teacher/peer scribing where appropriate.
• Extend confident students by comparing several related courses, calculating the size of changes, or explaining why one course may not follow the wider trend. EAL students can use the displayed key terms and rehearse presentations before speaking.