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What will be the format of the certificate of completion this year?
Students exiting Cert appear ready to have the option of taking advantage of a modified version of the calculated grades, taking written tests in June, or a combination of both.
Students will get a set of results in August / September with their best grade, regardless of whether it is a calculated grade or a Leaving Cert exam.
Oral, practical and performance evaluations also appear ready to take place in the coming weeks, albeit in different formats and in a way that minimizes the need for visiting examiners.
So, will I be able to choose which exam I want to take?
Sources say that students will have the option of choosing the subjects for which they want to sit an exam.
If a student has taken advantage of the calculated grades and takes the exam in a particular subject, the candidate will receive the higher grade of the two, according to sources. A similar system was applied to the grades given to students last year.
Will students bother taking written tests if they can just opt for calculated grades?
The government and the unions are keen to encourage as many students as possible to take the written exams and continue to participate in classes until the end of the school year.
They believe that the failure of students to see the results of their calculated grades prior to the June exams will provide an incentive for most students to submit written assignments as an “insurance policy.”
Will written exams be delayed until late summer?
Sources say there are no plans to delay the written exams, which are likely to start on Wednesday, June 9. A formal exam schedule is expected to be published shortly.
This year’s exams will likely include additional options to make up for the disruption to the school year. The goal is to ensure that students who have not completed the full curriculum are not unduly penalized.
How will the modified version of the calculated scores differ from last year?
Last year’s calculated grades were based on a combination of teacher evaluations or predicted grades, along with a standardization process overseen by the Department of Education to ensure consistency and equity in grades.
This year, it seems likely that a similar structure will be used to calculate student grades.
However, a key change is that the oral, practical and performance components of the exams are expected to be incorporated into the calculated results of student scores.
These “second components” are worth between 20 and 50 percent of the marks in some subjects.
Students who study subjects “outside of school”, such as minority languages, are also likely to be able to take advantage of grades calculated this year. Many were unable to do so last year due to the lack of a formal tutor or courses.
In light of these changes, it is understood that the Department of Education is willing to use a different term than “calculated grades” this year for the process of evaluating student grades.
Will the standardization process for calculated scores change this year?
These issues are still under discussion.
The standardization process involves adjusting the ratings up or down for consistency and fairness.
Last year, the standardization process was based on a student’s Junior Cert class grade profile, the student’s school history on Leaving Cert results (known as the “school profile”) over a three-year period, and national standards of test performance.
However, the use of “school profiling” was later withdrawn amid fears that it might penalize students from disadvantaged schools. This decision is the subject of a significant legal challenge.
When will the students return to the classroom?
Sixth year students are likely to return to the classroom in the last week of February or the first week of March, depending on whether the Irish Secondary Teachers Association (ASTI) agrees with such a move.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), for example, has said that it will facilitate the return of Leaving Cert students from February 22, but a full reopening will need support from ASTI.
When is there likely to be a formal announcement on Leaving Cert plans?
Minister Norma Foley was scheduled to brief ministers on the latest developments on the test format at a meeting of the cabinet committee on education on Wednesday afternoon. This is attended by the Taoiseach and various other ministers.
A formal announcement is expected later Wednesday night after a disembodied or virtual Cabinet meeting.
Will it be safe to take the exams next June given the threat posed by the UK variant?
It is understood that public health authorities have reported that it is safe to take Leaving Cert exams in schools with modifications, similar to the delayed Leaving Cert exams in November.
This saw socially estranged students taking tests in classrooms and test halls, usually supervised by an outside proctor.
What will happen to the Junior Certificate?
Junior Cert exams for 60,000 students will also be canceled to make way for a greater focus on facilitating Leaving Cert.
It seems likely that alternate testing arrangements will be implemented for Junior Cert students in a similar manner to last year.
Last year’s arrangements were to give schools the freedom to conduct their own assessments, which were marked by the students’ teachers.
All students who completed the junior year received a certification of completion of the junior cycle program and a report to the school level.
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