Education

My son is studying a subject outside school for the Leaving Cert. How can he submit his coursework?

More and more subjects nowadays have practical or second components of assessment

Many Leaving Cert subjects nowadays have practical or second components of assessment. Photograph: iStock

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Brian Mooney
Tue Feb 20 2024 - 00:00

My son is due to sit the Leaving Cert in June. While he goes to his local school, he does grinds in agricultural science because the subject isn’t available at his school. I’m told there is a “coursework component” he needs to complete. Could you explain how this works, give that his school isn’t involved?

Anecdotally, more students are studying subjects outside school due to limited subject choice.

Many of subjects nowadays have practical or second components of assessment. Beside agricultural science, there are coursework components for applied maths, art, computer science, construction studies, classical studies, design and communication graphics, economics, engineering, geography, history, home economics, music, PE, politics and society, religious education and technology.

If studying a subject outside school, responsibility for complying with exam requirements rests with the candidate.

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The State Examination Commission (SEC) must be sure that work accepted for assessment is candidates’ own individual work.

In his circumstances, he will have to register for the subject as an external candidate, as he is choosing to enter for an additional subject that he will be following outside school.

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He will need to liaise with a school recognised by the SEC. His own school may, at their discretion, facilitate him in completing the coursework.

If your son is entered for an exam by his own school but will be carrying out practical coursework in another recognised school, the following applies: work can be authenticated provided certain procedures as set out by the SEC are complied with the school authority of the school attended by him and the teacher and principal of the recognised school in which the coursework is being carried out.

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If he entered for examination by his own school, but is carrying out coursework in a private school/centre, the following applies: work can be authenticated provided certain SEC-approved procedures are complied with the school authority of the school attended by your son and the teacher and principal of the private school/centre in which the coursework is being carried out.

If your son is carrying out coursework at a private school/ centre, this applies: work can be authenticated, provided that the private school/centre is recognised for examinations purposes by the SEC.

If your son was to attempt to carry out his study of the subject and the accompanying practical coursework on his own or, with private tuition outside a school or centre, as it would not be possible to have such work authenticated by a teacher and school principal outside a school setting, the practical coursework component will not be accepted for assessment.

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