Leaving Certificate Applied level numbers fall further

The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) was completed by 2,758 students this year — the lowest number for a decade.

The exams in June were the final stage of the two-year LCA programme which sees students build up credits from work which they begin in fifth-year.

From a peak of around 3,500 between 2004 and 2007, the numbers getting LCA awards dropped below 3,000 in 2013. This year’s total is down more than 4% from nearly 2,900 a year ago, despite overall Leaving Certificate numbers being up 0.9%.