1.       Press Release - Minister Foley confirms Leaving Certificate 2021 written, coursework, oral and practical performance examinations will be held and a corresponding process of grades accredited by State Examinations Commission will be available to students.

2.       Outline of Arrangements for 2021 State Examinations.

3.       Indicative Dates.

1.  Press Release – Minister Foley 17th February 2021.

In a press release issued on Wednesday 17th February, Minister for Education Norma Foley TD confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. 

The press release included the following key elements:

• The timetable for the written examinations in June will be published on 18th February 2021 by the State Examinations Commission.

• The Minister’s strongly held view is that students must be afforded the choice as to whether to sit the examinations.

• We explored thoroughly the option of providing the SEC-Accredited Grades to students in advance of the written examinations, but this option is not possible.

• The results of the Leaving Certificate 2021 process will issue to students within the required timeframe for CAO admission to higher and further education.

• The Junior Cycle examinations will not be run in 2021. Schools will be provided with guidance on continuing to engage this year group in online learning and assessment during the period of school closure and through in-person learning when schools re-open.

Please find the full text of the Press Release in the link below:

https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2021-press-releases/PR21-02-17.html

2.  Outline of Arrangements for 2021 State Examinations.

Following the Minister’s Press Release the Department of Education issued the following update outlining arrangements for the 2021 State Examinations.

Outline of Arrangements for 2021 State Examinations

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Outline of Arrangements for 2021 State Examinations

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Information Note – 17 February 2021

Main elements

1.           Written Leaving Certificate examinations which will–

·     Operate in accordance with the normal timetable to be published tomorrow

·     Be conducted subject to public health advice and providing, as far as possible, access to the examinations for very high risk students, and

·     Provide clear information and guidance to students communicating the approach to examinations this year

2.           Additional assessment components, such as orals, practical performance tests and coursework will run, subject to public health advice with components in certain subjects not running for public health reasons and schools locally sourcing teachers to administer some of the tests, but not assessing their students. Assessment will be arranged by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

3.           An Accredited Grades system, to be operated by the SEC, will be available whereby Leaving Certificate candidates can opt to have grades in some or all of their subjects (to be known as “SEC Accredited Grades”) issued to them at the same time as the examination results.

4.           The elements of the SEC Accredited Grades system will include the following:

·      The professional judgement of each of the candidate’s teachers which will not be subject to appeal

·       A form of in-school alignment to ensure fairness amongst candidates at school level

·       Approval by the school principal of the estimated subject scores

·       A process of standardisation at national level to ensure as much fairness as possible amongst this year’s candidates

·       The SEC Accredited Grade and examinations outcomes will have regard to the pattern of results in 2020 and previously, with more details of the  process to be determined by the Minister having regard to advice from the SEC

·       A right for students to appeal in respect of their Accredited Grade which will comprise a process review focused on examining possible errors in the transmission and processing of student data, and

·       Provision as far as practicable for out-of-school learners or students studying one or more subjects outside school to apply to receive Accredited Grades through the devising of an appropriate and practicable process

5.           Junior Cycle examinations have been cancelled.

6.           It is intended to prepare and publish, in consultation with stakeholders, accessible and detailed guidance for parents, students, teachers and schools to be issued as soon as possible.

7.           Necessary legislation will be brought forward, the purpose of which will be to confer on the State Examinations Commission power to operate a system of Accredited Grades.

3.  Indicative Dates.

The following indicative dates have been provided by the Department of Education:

• May 14th – Closing date for collection of evidence of learning from 6th year student for the purpose of establishing an estimated mark.

• May 28th – Schools will close for all students to allow the final week for completion of alignment process and data entry related to SEC Accredited Grades by schools.

• June 4th – Closing date for schools to enter/return all data from the school to the SEC relating to SEC Accredited Grades.

• June 9th – Written Leaving Certificate examinations to commence in schools.

• The SEC will issue revised dates for submission of Leaving Certificate course work and the scheduling/arrangements for LCA tasks and interviews in the coming days and weeks.

Updates regarding the Leaving Certificate 2021 including an information video can be accessed through the following link Leaving Certificate 2021

ACCS will remain engaged with the Department of Education and schedule a Webinar for school management once additional information on the detail of the processes has been provided. 

Is mise, Le mór mheas,

John Irwin, GENERAL SECRETARY