Leaving Certificate

Simon Harris due to announce expansion of new initiative at Higher Options careers event

Norma Foley had proposed that 40% of students’ work would be assessed by teachers

Problems facing Norma Foley show end of school exams so deeply embedded in education system that reform is far easier said than done

Revised subjects - including biology, physics, chemistry and business - will include externally assessed project work or practicals

Biology, chemistry, physics will have a greater emphasis on externally assessed project work and practicals

Minister for Education Norma Foley requests report on challenges technology poses to 'fair' assessments of students in the Junior and Leaving Cert exams

There has never been a better time for those proficient in languages, including Irish, to advance their careers

Wide variety of ‘21st century apprenticeship’ options now available across the country

Higher Options and WorldSkills Ireland exhibitions help students choose their next steps after the Leaving Cert

Be open to exploring colleges and courses you may not have initially considered

‘I do get asked: do you feel that you missed out on the college experience? The answer: absolutely not,’ says one apprentice

Expo can help you make the right choice before deciding on what career option to pursue after the Leaving Cert

In Northern Ireland, most students never study the Troubles while the education offered in the South is patchy

No degree? No problem. Growing numbers of companies are looking beyond third-level qualification as a recruitment requirement

Interest profilers are a good way to identify where a student’s strengths lie

We need to value applicants’ unique aptitudes and reward them for selecting relevant courses

We aspire to a ‘world class’ education system but where is the vision?

Minister says Norma Foley made correct decision in retaining inflated Leaving Certificate grades this year following criticism from senior academics

There are still options to secure the course of your dreams – even if you didn’t get an offer

Important distinction to be made between adjustments to assessment process and those made after to marking

The possibility of finding affordable accommodation is, in some cases, determining which CAO options students select

Ireland has a high performing but pressurised system of exams which may be fuelling a fear of failure among some students

Controlling grade inflation is important to protect integrity of results, report finds

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Points fell for many health courses and climbed for those linked to strong employment prospects

Some 85% of CAO applicants were successful in getting one of their top three courses

The first step for students considering a resit is it to review your scripts to see where you might have gone wrong

From PLCs to apprenticeships and private colleges, there have never been so many choices for school-leavers seeking a career path

Jacob Haskins didn’t have enough points to secure his first CAO choice so he took an alternative route to UCD

A decrease in higher level maths grades was likely a factor behind a drop in college entry requirements

Grade inflation and late release of Leaving Cert results blamed on decline in students moving south of Border

Significant reduction in number of courses where random selection was used

Decisions made in relation to marking and grading have had a big effect on points requirement

CAO offers: Estimated 80 per cent of college applicants will likely secure one of their top-three course preferences

Here are alternatives to explore when college offers disappoint - because the CAO is no longer the only game in town

Having achieved middling results in a Leaving Cert that puts a premium on rote learning, some students go on to struggle at university

Despite inflated grades, extra places and falling demand may see some health courses fall

Moment of truth arrives for thousands of CAO applicants as first college offers are issued

If welfare of Leaving Cert candidates is important, we must press ahead with senior cycle reform

Undertaking a related QQI or PLC course is an excellent option for students wishing to pursue Stem courses