Contingency plans in place if postponed Leaving Cert exams cancelled again 

Nearly 3,000 students have applied to sit the Leaving Cert exams in November.

The postponed Leaving Certificate exams are set to take place next month but contingency plans are in place in case they are cancelled again for public health reasons.

All students at the time were offered the option of receiving calculated grades and sitting Leaving Cert written exams at a later date when it was considered safe to do so. More than 2,800 students applied for that option.

It should be noted that no decision has been taken in relation to these contingency plans

Should the exams in November be cancelled, students would then sit their exams in June 2021 alongside the Leaving Certificate class of 2021. 

However, they would be sitting the 2020 examinations, based on 2020 examination papers. 

"It should be noted that no decision has been taken in relation to these contingency plans," a spokesman for the Department of Education said. 

"The State Examination Commission’s (SEC) clear plan and intention, and that of Government, is that the examinations will proceed as planned in November, with schools provided with the required supports to allow the examinations to be held." 

Close to 3,000 students have applied to sit the exams in November, together with a small number of adult learners and early school leavers who will sit Junior Certificate exams.

The exams, which will be run by the SEC across the country, will adhere to all public health requirements, said the department spokesman. “No decision has been made to change these arrangements.”

“The Government has stated that schools will remain open during the level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, which will facilitate the holding of the examinations.” 

Schools will be provided with extra support to allow the examinations to be held safely, including funding for sanitising and cleaning materials, he added. 

The Central Applications Office (CAO) arrangements currently in place for students sitting the November exams will remain in place if the exams were postponed, he said. 

"Candidates who receive an improved CAO offer on foot of their results of the postponed exams will also receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year." 

Students unhappy with their calculated grades in any subject had the option to opt to sit the exams next month. Students unhappy with their appeals also have the option of sitting the exams. Less than 1% of students who appealed a Leaving Certificate calculated grade received an increase from the process.