The High Court is this morning due to begin hearing a legal challenge over the process used to calculate this year’s Leaving Cert grades.

The legal action is seen as a test case, with more than thirty similar cases waiting in the wings.

Freddie Sherry, the student behind the action, missed out on his first CAO choice after the 542 points estimated by his teachers at Dublin's Belvedere College was reduced to 487 under the grade standardisation.

He claims the decision to exclude historical school data from the calculated grades process was unlawful and he has taken a case against the Minister for Education and the State, who reject his claims.

One of the main issues for the court to decide is whether the decision to exclude such data from the process was 'unlawful, unreasonable or irrational' and whether it breached Mr Sherry’s legitimate expectation that it would be included.

The outcome of the case could have significant ramifications for about 30 other cases, which raise similar issues in relation to the process.

Reporting from Frank Greaney