The grading and CAO points system in the Leaving Certificate is getting ready for its first overhaul in more than 20 years.

From 2017 the number of grades awarded to students will be reduced from 14 to eight and instead of the current A1/No Grade marking scheme students going into 5th year will be graded from H1 to H8 for higher level or O1 to O8 in ordinary level exams.

The Minister for Education Jan OÂ’Sullivan is launching the new scale today and is hoping that the changes will encourage students to take more honours level subjects in their leaving cert.