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Subjects · Leaving Cert Politics & Society

Leaving Cert Politics & Society: Power & decision-making in school

How often Power & decision-making in school comes up on the Politics & Society papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 2 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025.

OL Asked on 6 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Power & decision-making in school, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Power & decision-making in school.

(a)Which Act obliges a post-primary school board to encourage and facilitate a student council?
  1. Education (Welfare) Act 2000
  2. Education Act 1998
  3. Equal Status Act 2000
(b)Students accept uniforms without question because they believe every proper school has one. Which dimension of power is this?
  1. Power exercised by the 'powerless'
  2. Coercion: force or threat of punishment
  3. Ideology: shaping what seems normal
(c)In an Irish post-primary school, which body prepares and adopts the code of behaviour?
  1. The board of management
  2. The Department's inspectorate
  3. The student council
Show the answers

(a) Education Act 1998

(b) Ideology: shaping what seems normal

(c) The board of management

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Power & decision-making in school.

Higher Level

Asked on 2 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1a
2024Not asked
2023Not asked
2022Not asked
2021Not asked
2019Q1d
2018Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Power & decision-making in school questions

Power & decision-making in school, 3 marks

Students, parents and staff help draft a school's anti-bullying policy. What is the main benefit of this consultation?

  1. It removes the board's legal duties for discipline
  2. It means the rules no longer need to be enforced
  3. Rules seen as fair are more likely to be followed
Show the answer

Rules seen as fair are more likely to be followed

Spec 1.4 links rules to fairness. People who help shape a rule tend to see it as legitimate and follow it; the board still adopts and enforces the policy.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 6 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1b, Q6
2024Q9
2023Q1e
2022Q1g
2021Not asked
2019Q8
2018Q1a

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Power & decision-making in school questions

Power & decision-making in school, 2 marks

In an Irish post-primary school, which body has overall responsibility for running the school?

  1. The student council
  2. The parents' association
  3. The board of management
Show the answer

The board of management

The board runs the school on behalf of the patron under the Education Act 1998. It approves key policies such as the code of behaviour and the anti-bullying policy.

Power & decision-making in school, 2 marks

Which of these school rules is mainly about safety?

  1. A rule on hair styles
  2. A ban on fighting in the yard
  3. A rule on the colour of the uniform
Show the answer

A ban on fighting in the yard

The course compares safety rules (fighting, bullying) with non-safety rules (uniform). Safety rules protect people from harm; uniform rules are about identity, cost or order.

Power & decision-making in school, 2 marks

Under the Education Act 1998, the board of management should encourage students to set up what?

  1. A student council
  2. A trade union
  3. A political party branch
Show the answer

A student council

Section 27 of the Education Act 1998 says boards should encourage and help students to set up a student council, giving them a voice in school decisions.

Other Politics & Society topics

All of Leaving Cert Politics & Society