Leaving Cert 2021: What we know so far - and a few things we don't

The latest on orals, coursework, practicals and results.

Orals will go ahead for students who wish to sit written exams. File picture: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

There’s a lot still to be worked out but here’s what we know so far about this year’s very different Leaving Cert - and a few things we don't:

Orals: Orals will go ahead for students who wish to sit written exams. Contingent on public health, these could run over the Easter holidays. It is expected that schools will source teachers to conduct the exam with students, but that the State Examination Commission (SEC) will arrange for a recording of this to be externally assessed.

Coursework and practicals: For those opting to sit the exams, the Department of Education believes that the majority of course work and practical elements can go ahead, public health permitting. Practicals will most likely take place around the Easter holidays. However, the usual arrangements are likely to have to be revised. 

For example, music performance practicals involved significant numbers of students performing together. Construction Studies and Engineering both have practical skills tests usually held on one day, and PE also has a ‘performance assessment’. It is believed there could be significant public health challenges with these tests.

Registering: Students will be asked to register online via the student portal at some point next month. However, exact timelines have yet to finalised. It is expected that students will have the choice to register for written exams, assessed grades, or both here. 

Written exams: Exams will run from June 9, and conducted in line with public health advice. Modifications to the exams were made last September, and it looks unlikely these will be modified any further.

Accredited grades: Unlike calculated grades, this system will be led by the SEC, rather than the Department of Education. The process looks set to be very similar, with teachers’ professional judgment playing a key role here. Similar to last year, these marks will be subjected to in-school alignment, and signed off on by a principal. There will also be a process of standardisation.

Results: The thinking at the moment is that students will receive results from both written exams and accredited grades at the same time. However, students will only receive one set of results that day; Whichever is better. 

It also looks likely that students who opted for both processes will not know if their result is from the written exams or an accredited grade. At a later point they will be able to access this information in case they wish to appeal.

Appeals: There will be an appeals process for both the written exams and accredited grades, but the exact mechanics haven't yet been finalised. As with calculated grades, students will not be able to appeal the assessed grades their school gives them, and appeals will be limited only to checking if there has been an administrative error. 

Third level: The goal is to get students their results within the required timeframe for CAO admission to higher and further education. Results will also issue within the timeframe currently required for entry into UK colleges. 

Unknowns: A big challenge with the approach offered to students will be ensuring fairness between accredited grades and written exams, and the results. There is potential for a massive knock-on effect on the CAO, which will have to be carefully planned for.