What the return to school roadmap means for the Class of 2021
The impact of Covid-19 has been felt by all students and the loss of face-to-face teaching hours experienced by the incoming exam students in September has been of major concern to students, parents and teachers. The long awaited guidelines published by the government earlier this month, ‘Reopening Our Schools – The Roadmap for the Full Return to School’, addressed the concerns in relation to incoming 3rd and 6th year students. Full details of the Roadmap can be assessed on https://assets.gov.ie/82087/efe1544c-615b- 4ce1-84dc-0ec6a05128fd.pdf
It has been recognised that in light of the huge disruption to classroom teaching, changes are needed in relation to assessment for certificate for these exam students. The full detail of changes to assessment arrangements for Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate students 2021 can be found at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Curriculum-and-Syllabus/assessment-arrangements-junior-cycle-and-leaving-certificate-examinations-2021.pdf
Leaving Cert Class of 2021
Students sitting the traditional Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied and Leaving Cert Vocational Programme in 2021 will now have a clearer idea of what shape the exam papers will take. The structure of questions or the assessment components won’t change as both students and teachers are very familiar with these and have been planning towards them all through 5th year. The changes vary across subjects but in all cases they involve some combination of the following –
Students will be provided with greater choice in written exams through the provision of additional questions and/or adjustments to mandatory sections on written examination papers.
The dates on which coursework briefs are issued will be brought forward to allow extra preparation time for students and teachers.
In some subjects, changes to the requirements for practical exams will be made to reflect the need to manage access to equipment necessary to complete such exams.
In the case of LCA students, the number of tasks to be completed will be reduced from 3 to 2. Arrangements for the examination of the tasks, to include interviews, will be based on the most up-to-date public health advice.
Junior Certificate Students
The number of Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) to be completed by Junior Certificate students due to sit the exam in 2021 has been reduced from two to one per subject.
The dates for the completion of CBA 1 for these students has been extended into the new school year. They will also not be required to complete Assessment Tasks for the relevant subjects.
Additional supports to students
As well as the adjustments to the examinations the government has placed emphasis on supporting student wellbeing across all year groups in the transition back to the school environment and during the ongoing stress and anxiety caused to young people during the pandemic. An allocation of 1,080 additional teaching posts including 120 guidance counsellor posts will be provided to ensure that students are getting optimum teaching and learning opportunities as well the personal, social, educational and vocational support that is so badly needed at any time but particularly at a time of uncertainty. Schools are currently working hard to issue their own guidelines to students, parents and teachers on what the return to school will look like for individual school communities.