Ms Elaine Sheridan:

It is building on what Ms Forster has said. Again, going back to the recent announcement and the review, it is about doing research. It is learning from others and seeing what has worked in other jurisdictions and what has not. For example, the UK is moving back to linear exams and less modularisation. However, we must remember the assessment load. There are already pinch points. Of the 41 leaving certificate subjects, 27 currently have an additional component on top of the written exam, so depending on which subjects you choose for your leaving certificate you may already have extra coursework there. If you are choosing seven subjects and all of them have an additional component there is a certain amount of load and there are pinch points. Broadening it and the types and modes of assessment is therefore very important but that is back to the research. It is back first of all to seeing what happens elsewhere.

Again, agreeing with Ms Forster and NCCA colleagues it is hugely important to look at how this manifests itself in the school environment. Having been a teacher myself, you look at your own particular subject but you need to be careful as there are 41 subjects and students are taking seven or eight of them. Much of this is about balancing. There is no point thinking bringing in these additional components will lighten the load in June if they cause a complete congestion point in October or November of fifth or sixth year. We must look to see what is done elsewhere and work very closely with the people who are on the ground delivering this to learn what is working for them in the school environment. That will ensure whatever changes come about are to the benefit of the students at the end of the day and not another form of stress. That is the key thing. We do not want to be solving stress by creating stress at different points.