Students denied spelling exemptions for Leaving Cert

Concerns have been raised that students given supports to take account of learning difficulties in the Junior Certificate are not receiving the same allowances when they sit the Leaving Certificate.

Sean Sherlock, junior minister at the Department of Education, told the Dáil that 1,353, just over one third, of the 3,940 students who applied for a spelling and grammar waiver in language exams at the 2012 Leaving Certificate were refused by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

Jonathan O’Brien, the Sinn Féin education spokes-man, queried why it was so high, and the fact that no reason is given to students or their parents, except to be told their application has not been successful: “I have received correspondence from a number of parents of children who have been refused supports for the Leaving Certificate examination, having previously received them at Junior Certificate level.