Guide

How to get a H1 in Leaving Cert Construction Studies

By Brian McAuliffe - 7 minute read

Brian got a H1 in his Leaving Cert Construction Studies and in this guide, he shares his advice for succeeding in this subject. He was awarded 1st place in Construction Studies Higher Level 2018 by the Techno Teachers Association and he now studies civil engineering in UL.

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Introduction

To achieve high marks in the construction studies exam, your answers must be both practical and visual. Long-winded fancy paragraphs will grant you no marks if they don’t include labelled sketches, a practical approach and factual points. Many students may have the knowledge to answer every question correctly but they lose marks because they don’t present this knowledge in an effective manner.

Studying all the information needed for the exam is not the difficult part of getting an H1 in this subject, it is understanding the exam paper, answering the questions with sketches and brief points, timing and knowing which questions to answer and which ones not to. This guide will hopefully guide you to getting that H1 guide.

Exam question breakdown

There are 10 questions in total on the exam paper and you must answer Question 1 along with four other questions. You only have a choice in Question 10. It is crucial you are confident in at least eight of the ten questions before walking into the exam. Some questions are easier to predict than others, for example:

  • Questions 1, 5 and 7

    There are three questions that typically have the same structure each year: Questions 1 and 7 are practical drawing questions and Question 5 is a U-value calculation question. I strongly recommend focusing on these three questions in detail and being confident enough to achieve full marks in them before the final exam.

  • Question 10

    Question 10 is another question that generally has similar topics each year (passive housing/sustainability, etc.) but I found these questions too broad and never felt confident that my answers would grant enough marks. This is because the questions require more writing and less factual, straight-to-the-point answers. 

Air-tightness and thermal bridges

These topics are usually asked in Question 9 but can appear in other questions throughout the paper. It’s important to have detailed, labelled sketches and explanations for every opening/joint in a house, e.g. windows, eaves, chimneys, etc. Accurate sketches are vital as 80% of the marks on questions go for sketches and brief explanations with the remaining 20% going for Part (b) which requires a much broader answer. Here's some advice for approaching these types of questions:

  • Examples of H1 quality answers can be found on Studyclix.ie

  • You need an accurately labelled sketch with 5-6 bullet points explaining it. 

  • The sketch doesn’t need to be a masterpiece, just good enough for the examiner to understand and see what you are trying to say.

  • Don't write a short essay for each question, this is not an English exam. Short and concise answers with lots of sketches are all that is needed.

Services

Services questions are very common so it’s important to be prepared by practicing past papers. Services include: 

  • Electricity

  • Heating

  • Plumbing

  • Sewage

It may seem daunting initially as there is a lot of detailed theory to learn but once you have a good understanding of them it won’t be too difficult. Similar to answering questions on air-tightness, use more bullet points and sketches than long paragraphs.

Question 6

Question 6 is a great question to be confident in answering but I would advise only answering it if you are not happy with other questions on the paper. Here's some useful information for answering this question:

  • These questions are similar every year so practicing past papers is important.

  • Questions on house planning show you the plans of a house and ask what you would add to make it more eco-friendly or why it’s already eco-friendly.

  • Answering this question involves a lot of sketches but it’s better to write a brief paragraph for each sketch rather than bullet points.

Renovation

Usually found in Question 3, questions on renovation can be very broad and require lots of thinking outside the box. It can be difficult and time-consuming depending on the question.

You will be asked to design a renovation with specifications and discuss the reasons for your proposed design. This requires creativity and good sketching ability. Like an English essay, there is no definitive correct answer.

Top tip

I recommend leaving this question as a last resort, however, if you are planning on doing it, it’s important to keep practicing past questions until you are comfortable answering it.

Drawing questions

­­I strongly recommend doing both Questions 1 and 7 in the exam. Question 1 is compulsory but all the study needed for Question 1 is relevant for Question 7 as well. Achieving close to maximum marks in both the practical drawing questions is not difficult if they are practiced enough. Bear in mind the following:

  • 4 fundamental drawings

    Once you have a basic understanding of the structure topics (foundations, walls, floors, roofs, etc.) you should start answering the drawing questions related to those topics. I recommend incorporating as many topics as possible into one drawing as a lot of topics cross over each other in exam questions.

  • Detailed drawings

    Now you have four drawings that cover most topics that can come up in the exam, other smaller and more specific drawings must not be forgotten about, e.g. the fireplace, the chimney, the stairs, etc. I advise you to draw these using your notes or textbook, making sure every detail is perfect and labelled properly. Accuracy is key.

  • Strive for perfection

    After doing all your drawings on every topic, ask your teacher to correct your work. If you don’t get 100%, ask where you went wrong. Keep amending the corrections and doing out the drawings again and again until you get 100%. If you lose marks for untidiness or poor drawing skills, don’t worry because you’ll keep improving with practice.

  • Timing

    In the beginning, I found it difficult to get the drawings done accurately in the time given (35-40 minutes) but with enough practice it became easy. The best way to practice is to do past exam questions (Questions 1 and 7) and stop working after 40 minutes regardless of whether you’re finished or not. If you keep practicing within this time frame you’ll gradually train yourself to get the drawings done properly in the time allocated.

  • Revision

    Give the first few drawings you got corrected by your teacher a quick look over before the exam and memorise the most important parts. You will be rewarded for accurate work filled with information, even if the full question is not drawn. Label everything and remember that practice makes perfect.

Top tip

In the exam, try not to get bogged down on any specific detail, just try draw as much as you know as accurately as possible. Do not rush.

Timing

Good timing comes with practice but here's what you need to know:

Total marks 300
Total time 3 hours
Marks per question 60
Time per question 35 minutes

Top tips

Here's some further tips to help you with exam timing:

  • Sketches

    Sketches do not need to be perfect in terms of shading and quality. Use a ruler and a pencil and make sure the sketch is tidy, large, labelled accurately and easy to understand.

  • Paragraphs

    No paragraph should be longer than half an A4 page. Every paragraph or set of bullet points should have a corresponding sketch so let the sketch do the talking.

  • Stick to the plan

    It can be very enticing to spend an extra 5 minutes perfecting a drawing question but it will not be worth it if you run out of time halfway through your last question.

  • Marking scheme

    Study the marking scheme in terms of the amount of marks awarded for each part of a certain question as some parts can be worth much more than others.

  • Don't waffle

    If you are unsure about a question, don’t ramble on writing paragraphs without any substance as you will be rewarded no marks for this. Just write down what you know in bullet points and move on.

Final tips

Final Tips

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Order of questions

I preferred answering questions that had definite answers using sketches and bullet points rather than writing time-consuming, long-winded paragraphs that had little substance. Because of this, I prioritised the order of the questions that I was going to answer before the exam: first was Q.1 then Q.7, Q.5, the air-tightness question, the services question, Q.6, Q.10 and finally Q.3.

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Trust yourself

Trust yourself. For example, if you have spent more time studying for Question 7 but a different question looks easier on the day of the exam, do not attempt the other question. It may look nicer but you won’t have enough practice done for that question and will find yourself rambling on about something you’re not sure about.

Be prepared

Don’t go over 35 minutes per question and practice really does make perfect.

Some final tips

for Leaving Cert Construction Studies.

Order of questions

I preferred answering questions that had definite answers using sketches and bullet points rather than writing time-consuming, long-winded paragraphs that had little substance. Because of this, I prioritised the order of the questions that I was going to answer before the exam: first was Q.1 then Q.7, Q.5, the air-tightness question, the services question, Q.6, Q.10 and finally Q.3.

Trust yourself

Trust yourself. For example, if you have spent more time studying for Question 7 but a different question looks easier on the day of the exam, do not attempt the other question. It may look nicer but you won’t have enough practice done for that question and will find yourself rambling on about something you’re not sure about.

Be prepared

Don’t go over 35 minutes per question and practice really does make perfect.

Hope these help - happy studying!

Best of luck in the exam! You'll be great.

By Brian McAuliffe
Related subjects & topics
Higher Construction Studies
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