Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will respond to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29565/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a result of COVID-19, which prevented the State from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. The purpose of this process was to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education.

The system is underpinned by key principles of objectivity, equity and fairness. For the Calculated Grades system to be operated with integrity, and to ensure fairness to all students, an estimated percentage mark, based on credible, satisfactory evidence, could only be accepted from an appropriate source.

There are two particular groups of students who may not have been able to receive Calculated Grades and they will already have been advised of this during August 2020:

- students who were enrolled in full-time education but were studying an extra subject(s) outside the school;

- external students who were not enrolled in full-time education and are regarded as out-of-school learners. These would include home-schooled students.

In cases where a student was attending school, but was studying one or more subjects outside of school, school principals were asked to make every effort to provide an estimated percentage mark for that subject(s) provided there was sufficient, credible evidence available from an appropriate source. The Calculated Grades Executive Office (CGEO) undertook a review of reports received from schools to ensure that the correct procedures were followed.

Out of school learners had to apply directly to the CGEO for Calculated Grades. Of the total of 929 students in the category of out-of-school learner it was possible to provide calculated grades to some 570 students. Some 190 students either did not engage in the application process or confirmed that they did not want to receive a calculated grade.