Written answers

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Department of Education and Skills

State Examinations

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the process for out-of-school learners to engage with in order to be considered for calculated grades will be communicated to stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13936/20]

Photo of Michael CollinsMichael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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428. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a matter (details supplied) will be examined for subjects studied outside school will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14173/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 and 428 together.

A system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor and the purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving Certificate students.

For the calculated grades system to be operated with integrity, an estimated percentage mark, based on credible, satisfactory evidence, can only be accepted from an appropriate source. This is necessary to ensure fairness to all students.

The Calculated Grades Executive Office (CGEO) in the Department of Education has developed a comprehensive guide to calculated grades for out of school learners – the students who are studying entirely outside of school – and has contacted each student individually on 25 June to invite them to apply for calculated grades. The closing date for applications was last Thursday (2 July 2020) and applications are now being processed.

In cases where a student is studying one or more subjects outside of school, school principals were asked to make every effort to provide an estimated mark for that subject provided there was sufficient, credible evidence available from an appropriate source. If the principal was unable to provide an estimated mark for any student they were asked to notify the Calculated Grades Executive Office of my Department.

As part of its commitment to ensure that a calculated grade is provided to as many students as possible, the CGEO are currently undertaking a review of these reports with the schools involved to ensure that the correct procedures were followed.

Despite every effort being made by schools and by the Department of Education, to provide calculated grades to as many students as possible, there will be a small number of cases where there is no credible evidence to support a calculated grade in a particular subject. To attempt to give a calculated grade in such cases would be unfair to all other candidates. Such students will have an opportunity to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations when it is safe to do so.

No decisions have been issued by the Calculated Grades Office in respect of any of these candidates to date (6 July 2020).

My Department has continued to engage with third level stakeholders regarding the Calculated Grades process for students seeking to progress to Higher Education. This has resulted in an agreed common approach in relation to students who have studied some or all of their Leaving Certificate 2020 subjects outside school, and who have not been able to obtain calculated grades in those subjects. Students who have applied for a calculated grade, with a view to satisfying matriculation/basic minimum entry requirements and for whom the Department has been unable to award a Calculated Grade in the subject(s), will be granted an exemption in the subject(s) solely for matriculation/basic minimum entry purposes. The subject(s) for which exemption is granted will not attract points and the exemption cannot be used to satisfy additional programme requirements over and above the matriculation/basic minimum entry requirements.

These exemptions will be granted automatically by the CAO to those students who cannot be provided with a calculated grade.

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