If you ever have to order concrete to fill a foundation, then find a Leaving Cert Applied student who sat the construction and manufacturing paper yesterday to do the calculations for you.

Question 8(d), which focused on ordering ready-mixed concrete for a boundary wall foundation, was an example of the improvement in the quality of the paper, which is now very practical, said Mr Brendan Burke, a teacher in Carrick on Suir Vocational School, Co Tiperrary, where 13 students sat the specialism. He also singled out the questions on plumbing and painting for praise.

The paper is worth 60 marks with project work accounting for a further 40 marks. Mr Burke's only quibble was with the diagram of a drill in question 15(a)(iv). It was not clear if the arrow is pointing to the motor or the outer cover of the drill.