Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the time when leaving certificate exams were postponed and students were informed that they would be awarded full marks for the oral exam (details supplied); her views on the adequacy of supports in place for students sitting the leaving certificate exams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36486/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Leaving Certificate written examinations commenced on Monday 16th November and will conclude on Friday 11th December. These written examinations will be based on the normal question paper format, content and structure, and duration as in previous years.

These postponed examinations are being provided to students who are unhappy with the outcome of the calculated grades process, as well as to the small number of students who may not be awarded a calculated grade in the absence of credible teacher data to generate an estimated mark.

Candidates taking the November examinations will be graded on the basis of their written papers. It would not be feasible or practical at this stage to conduct examinations in oral or practical components, or to try to complete unfinished coursework. 

The earlier arrangement communicated in March, that full marks would be awarded in respect of oral language and music performance tests for Leaving Certificate, no longer applies.  The March announcement was intended to support the running of all other examination components in the normal fashion as part of a response to the emergency situation relating to Covid-19 at the time.  Candidates were not automatically awarded full marks in respect of any examination component in the Calculated Grades system. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate or fair to now award full marks for some examination components in the interest of inter-candidate equity between those sitting a later examination and those receiving a calculated grade.

Following the closure of schools in March 2020, my Department published a range of guidance to assist schools and teachers in ensuring continuity of teaching and learning for students, as well as supporting their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This guidance aimed to ensure regular engagement of students in lessons, tasks and learning experiences across the range of curriculum subjects, provision of regular assignments and regular, practical, supportive and customised feedback on work submitted.  Schools engaged with their students in various ways, in accordance with the technology and broadband resources available in school and at home.

The aim of the remote learning approaches adopted by schools, the guidance that was issued to all schools, and the regular engagement with students, was to ensure that students stayed connected with and progressed their learning.  These actions will, therefore, have helped to minimise the impact of the school closures and to enable students to complete the curriculum before tuition for 6th year students ceased on 11 May.

Candidates who elect to sit postponed examinations are no longer students in schools. The school which they attended have a new cohort of 6th year students who will be preparing for examinations in 2021, as well as full cohorts of students in every other year. On a practical level, schools will have had no capacity (infrastructural or staffing) to offer additional tuition to candidates for the autumn examinations.

In addition, offering additional supports to students opting to sit the postponed examinations would not be equitable to those who did decide not to so opt. As students may combine their examination results with Calculated Grades results, offering supports to those taking the examinations could result in them having an advantage in attaining grades that would not be offered to students who decide not to opt to sit the postponed examinations. It should also be borne in mind that students choosing to sit postponed examinations will have had additional time to prepare for examination and, if they choose, may opt to sit less than the full suite of examinations.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if one-to-one music lessons are permitted for leaving certificate students who are obliged to perform for a music practical examination in March and April 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36808/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable operation of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of infection.

Schools have a particular role to play in establishing secure and safe learning environments, in supporting the wellbeing of all, and in planning collaboratively for teaching and learning in a way that enables all pupils to progress and flourish in the 2020/21 school year. Subjects which are being followed as part of the school curriculum, including music, can continue, once appropriate control measures are in place in line with a school’s COVID-19 Response Plan.

The specific focus of planning for individual subjects will vary from school to school in light of the individual school circumstances. Schools are advised to consult with guidance published by my Department is respect of practical subjects ‘Return to School Guidance for Practical Subjects in Post Primary Schools and Centres for Education’.

Further information is available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool.

Guidelines on undertaking private activities outside of school are not a matter for this Department.