As more detail emerges on the plans for Accredited Grades and exams we have gotten some clarity about the timeline and key dates for the Leaving Certificate. There are still lots of unanswered questions but over the coming weeks further information will be issued and updated on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate. For now it is important to have a clear idea of the key dates you need to be aware of.

Week of March 8:

SEC (State Exams Commission) Student Portal will open for students to confirm details including the subjects and levels and then opt for exams and/or SEC Accredited Grades. You will have approximately one week to do this. This decision is entirely a personal one for each student, but by opting for both continuing to engage fully with school life and learning and then taking the exams, it gives you the best opportunity in terms of results. Remember you will be given the benefit of the higher grade from the two on results day.

Week of March 22:

Further changes will be made to exam papers to give more choice to students. The duration of the exam will stay the same as per the timetable already published. Details of the changes to each subject by SEC will be issued to schools. Separate guidance will be issued to schools for LCA exams.

March 26 - April 15:

Oral Exams take place outside of school hours to be organised locally by school management who may choose to run the orals before or after school, at weekends or during the Easter holidays. They will be conducted under exam conditions by a qualified language teacher, recorded electronically and sent to the SEC for marking.

Late April and early May:

Student Portal will reopen to allow students to review their choices, confirmation of these choices will be sent to schools.

May 14:

Assessment of students for Accredited Grades can take place up to this date. The system recognises student achievement across two years of the Senior Cycle and expected performance in the exam, including written exams, in-class tests, and where relevant tasks, oral, practical and/or coursework components. It is advised that in-class teacher-designed assessments from now up to May 14 should be limited to a maximum of three class tests and last for up to a maximum of one hour. There are two parts to the process, the first is the school estimation of a percentage mark in the particular subject and the second the national standardisation phase.

June 9:

Leaving Cert examinations begin as per timetable, subject to public health guidelines. It is important to note that if you cannot sit the Leaving Cert exams there will not be an opportunity to sit them at a later date. No fees will be payable for either exams or Accredited Grades.

Coursework and practicals for June exams

For students who are sitting some or all of the exams in June, coursework including projects and portfolios will be completed and submitted for correction to SEC. New submission dates will be issued to schools shortly to take into account school closures. Practical exams will not take place in Engineering and Construction Studies, neither will the Performance Assessment in PE. The proportion of the marks allocated to these elements will be allocated to the project component. The proportion of the marks for the written paper will not change. With Music, planning is ongoing and further details will follow. For the most up to date and accurate information at all times keep an eye on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate.