Information for our Leaving Certificate Class 2020
We will continue to support our Leaving Certificate class in every way that is permitted and appropriate in the coming weeks. Ms O’Regan, our Guidance Counsellor, Mr Hurley, our School Chaplain and Ms Daly will answer any questions you may have regarding student support and guidance. I will answer any questions you may have regarding the examination process.
Our Leaving Certificate students remain students of our school until the end of the school term. In terms of the school’s role in supporting the wellbeing of Leaving Certificate students, this support will remain available until the end of the school term (31st May 2020).
Our Guidance Counsellor is permitted to continue to provide guidance counselling support to 6th year students (1:1 and small group work). Guidance counselling support may be provided to students wishing to discuss their social personal, education and career concerns. However, In advance of any planned interaction with students a clear statement must be communicated to students and parents/guardians that the guidance counsellor will not be engaging in discussions regarding the calculated grading process or potential marks awarded by teachers.
Guidance Counsellors, teachers and students may not discuss the student’s achievement in the subject over the past two years. Nor can they discuss the student’s ranking in a class, or their estimated mark or the level at which an estimated mark is to be provided in a subject. All conversations between Leaving Certificate students and members of the School’s Student Support Team, during this time, need to be prefaced with a statement such as the following:
‘As part of our conversation today we are prohibited from having any discussion about student achievement over the past 2 years, student ranking in a class, student’s estimated mark or the level an estimated mark is to be provided in a subject. If our conversation strays into speaking about any of these matters, our meeting will have to cease immediately.’
I would ask you all to take note of the following important points:
- Canvassing
On Monday, 11thMay, the Department of Education and Skills has issued the following statement regarding canvassing:
One of the fundamental principles of the calculated grades model is fairness – both to the individual student and to the students in the school as a whole. Any attempt to influence teachers in relation to the process of Leaving Certificate calculated grades is considered to be entirely inappropriate and will be regarded as canvassing.
- End of Tuition for 6th Year/Final Year Students
At a meeting this afternoon Department officials stated that a message would post on their FAQ section indicating that all tuition for 6th Year/Final Year LC/LCA/LCVP students is to end today May 11th . Teachers should not accept any additional material from this date submitted by students for consideration as part of their estimated mark.
- Student Opportunity to Change Subject Levels
The Department has indicated that students will have the opportunity to change subject levels. The SEC are developing a protocol which may involve the student indicting their desire to change level through a self-service portal for students. Teachers should not contact students to consider changing level in a subject but should await further guidance from the Department when available.