Press release
Ministers Foley and Madigan congratulate students on receiving Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examination results today
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Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan TD, congratulated some 2,200 Leaving Certificate students who today received results from their written examinations.
2,155 students who undertook the 2020 written examinations across the Leaving Certificate Established, Leaving Certificate Applied and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme are receiving their results today. In addition, 47 adult learners and early school leavers who sat Junior Cycle examinations will be receiving their results.
The 2020 Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied written examinations were held from 16 November to 11 December 2020, following their postponement from June as a result of COVID-19. The examinations were made available to all students who wished to sit them after over 60,000 students received Calculated Grades last September.
Minister Foley said:
“I want to congratulate all of you who undertook the examinations. 2020 was an exceptionally difficult year for all of you. We are still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and you have been through so much even in these extraordinary circumstances. While some of you may have been disappointed with your Calculated Grades results, you undertook the challenge of studying for the postponed exams and have worked hard for your results.
“Due to public health measures in place, you will not be able to celebrate the way you would have liked, but I know that you all understand the role each one of us has to play in keeping one another safe.”
Minister Madigan also offered her congratulations:
“Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis na daltaí ó rang 2020. The class of 2020 has had a very challenging year and I extend my warmest congratulations to those of you who are receiving results today. You have worked hard and come through very difficult times. You now have the opportunity to take time to consider all the options which are available and can lead you to your chosen path, whatever it may be. Life is full of possibilities. Whatever your results today – there will be opportunities for you.”
A Leaving Certificate Exam Helpline, run by the National Parents Council – Post-Primary, with the support of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, will open today at 2.00pm and will provide advice to students and parents regarding the examination results. The helpline, which receives support from the Department of Education, can be contacted at 1800 265 165. It will remain open until 5 February. In addition, the State Examinations Commission will operate a helpline for candidates. This SEC helpline, at 1800 100 135, will be open from 9.00am today until 5.00pm on 12 February.
From 12pm on Tuesday 2 February, Leaving Certificate students can access the results of the written examinations on the State Examinations Commission (SEC) Candidate Self-Service Portal.
Leaving Certificate Applied students will have their results issued to them directly by email.
Results of the Junior Cycle examinations for adult learners and early school leavers have been sent to the schools or centres where they sat the examinations.
2,155 candidates sat the Leaving Certificate examinations, while 47 adult learners and early school leavers sat the Junior Cycle examinations. The Leaving Certificate examinations ran from Monday 16 November until Friday 11 December, while the Junior Cycle examinations ran until Friday 30 November.
Leaving Certificate students are receiving results for the written examinations only, except in the case of five subjects, where the coursework involved was marked as this had been completed prior to school closure and these marks are included in the grading of these subjects. These subjects are:
• Home Economics journals
• LCVP Portfolio
• Design and Communication Graphics coursework
• Physical Education (PE) Physical Activity Project
• Engineering coursework.
Students unhappy with their results will have access to an appeals process.
Final certificates will issue to all Leaving Certificate 2020 candidates later in the year. In the case of students who received Calculated Grades and opted to sit the examinations, their certificates will show the better grade awarded. Students may also continue to access their Calculated Grades via the Self Service Portal.
The SEC has provided the Central Applications Office (CAO) with the following information:
• the Leaving Certificate written examinations results of students who did not receive Calculated Grades and,
• for students who received Calculated Grades and sat the postponed written examinations, the results of the written examinations, in cases where a higher grade has been achieved.
Leaving Certificate students who are entitled to a higher CAO offer on foot of these results, will receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. Higher education institutions making improved offers to students will be in contact with them during the week commencing 8 February. In order to take up a deferred offer, students who have not already done so must make a 2021 application to the CAO. Formal CAO offers of deferred places will issue in July.
If a student who has started first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer following the written examinations and chooses to accept this offer in the 2021/22 academic year, attendance for the first year on the new course will remain eligible for free fees and SUSI funding as appropriate.