Ms Andrea Feeney:

I thank the Chair and members of the committee for the invitation to attend before them to discuss the reform of the leaving certificate and the senior cycle. My name is Andrea Feeney and I am the chief executive officer of the State Examinations Commission, SEC. I am joined by my colleagues, Ms Elaine Sheridan, head of examinations and assessment, and Mr. Richard Dolan, director of operations.

The commission’s statutory responsibilities include the development, assessment, accreditation and certification of the second level school examinations and the board of commissioners are the custodians of this key national service. The SEC is committed to working in partnership with all education stakeholders to develop and deliver a high-quality examinations and assessment system, centred on the needs of students.

Our appearance before the committee follows the recent announcement by the Minister and the publication by the NCCA of its report on the review of senior cycle. We commend our NCCA colleagues for their extensive work and recognise the deep and meaningful contribution of stakeholders, many of whom have already appeared before this committee, in the review and consultation process.

The stated purpose of the leaving certificate is to measure the extent to which each student has fulfilled the objectives of the syllabus.

This examination is an important event in the lives of young people. In conducting the examinations, the SEC prioritises fairness and equity, quality in all aspects and upholding examinations integrity and consistency of standards to the greatest degree possible.

It is also noted that the leaving certificate results are used for a number of other purposes, including by employers and as a tool of progression to further education. The latter, in particular, increases the high-stakes nature of the leaving certificate.

In advance of this appearance, the SEC made a submission under the four broad thematic headings identified by the committee. I will now focus briefly on three of those headings.

We have set out in our submission the wide range of components that we provide that extend the assessment landscape far beyond the written examinations and allow students to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in areas that cannot always be assessed in a written examination. Of the 41 subjects being examined at leaving certificate level in 2022, 27 have a component of assessment additional to the written examination worth at least 20%, and in some subjects, up to 60% of the marks.

We look forward to building on this experience in the reform of the senior cycle. We will work with the NCCA, Department colleagues and through the implementation structures to give effect to the changes announced, including reducing the reliance on the final written examination. We also will engage in a programme of research and development on a number of aspects, including the impact of weighting and timing of these additional components in order that they are worth at least 40% in all subjects. We also will implement interim measures to spread the load of assessment pending full subject redevelopment. High-stakes examinations are, by their nature, inherently stressful events. Therefore, care will be required in spreading the load of assessment to mitigate the potential for stress throughout the school year. We also have been asked to jointly research with the NCCA externally moderated school-based assessment and how it will operate in an Irish context, noting that such assessment models are widely used in other jurisdictions.

On digital learning, the SEC has invested in a number of key IT tools to streamline communications, enhance transparency and improve the delivery of examinations. Coursework components in some leaving certificate subjects are completed digitally by students, and technology also has a very significant role for students with special educational needs, allowing them to access the examinations. However, the deployment of technology in assessment, rather than supporting assessment, is at an early stage at second level education in Ireland. It is recognised by the OECD that the development of digitally-based examinations is resource intensive and expensive, and often beyond the reach of national examinations boards. We welcome the inclusion in the announcement of exploration of the potential uses of IT in examinations and assessment, as well as the recognition that this must be tied into the digital strategy for schools.

Accessibility in the examinations starts at design stage and we design our test instruments to be as accessible to the widest range of students as possible. Through the reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations, RACE, scheme, we provide students with special needs with the support arrangements they need to access the examinations. Much work has been done by the board of the SEC to reform the scheme in recent years. The scheme will be subject to further review in the context of senior cycle reform and a priority will be increasing the use of assistive technology to enhance access and to further support independent learning.

The recent announcement by the Minister for Education sets the trajectory for an ambitious programme of senior cycle reform. The review process demonstrated consensus on the need for change. It also recognised the high level of public support and trust attached to the existing leaving certificate qualification and modes of assessment. In undertaking further work, there will be particular focus by the SEC in seeking to underpin validity and reliability in the assessment in order that the integrity of the leaving certificate qualification and public trust and confidence in that qualification are maintained.

The examinations system relies upon the support of teachers, school leaders and other stakeholders for its success. We welcome and value the contribution of the student and parent voice in what we do and how we do it and we wish to strengthen and deepen our relationships in our ongoing work and as we embark on the process of reform.

We look forward to working with colleagues in the NCCA, with the Minister and officials in her Department and with all of the stakeholders in education in the time ahead, contributing to the necessary reform of the educational landscape at senior cycle to the benefit of students and wider society

My colleagues and I would be very happy to respond to any questions that the committee may have. I apologise for going over time.