D-Day for Leaving Cert students

 It's D-Day for the almost 1,500 Westmeath students who sat the Leaving Certificate this summer.

Nationally, the overall number sitting the examination has increased by 2.4% from 55,577 candidates in 2013 to 56,990 in 2014. Of the 56,990 candidates who sat Leaving Certificate examinations this year, 54,025 candidates followed the Leaving Certificate

(Established) programme, including 15,274 (26.8%) who followed the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). A further 2,965 candidates, including 41 students from Westmeath, followed the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.

According to the State Examinations Commission, the results obtained in most subjects this year followed broadly similar patterns to those of previous years.

 What Candidates Should Do Next

Candidates are strongly advised to consult the Leaving Certificate Candidate Information Booklet that they received earlier this year before deciding on their next course of action. (A copy of this booklet is available on the SEC website www.examinations.ie) Candidates should adhere to the instructions provided in order to ensure that they lodge valid requests for viewing marked scripts and appealing results.

 Viewing of Marked Scripts

This free service offers all candidates the opportunity to view one or more of their marked examination scripts and to see how the marking scheme has been applied to their work. This facility assists candidates in deciding whether or not to lodge an appeal against a result. With the exception of external candidates, all applications for viewing of marked scripts should be made through the candidate’s school. The closing date for receipt of completed application forms in schools is Tuesday August 19. External candidates should follow the instructions that accompany their provisional statement of results. All candidates will have access to the marking schemes and will be able to see how they were applied in their case. The viewing of scripts will take place in schools on Friday August 29 and Saturday August 30.

Marking Schemes

Marking Schemes in all Leaving Certificate subjects will be published and made available to schools to facilitate the viewing of marked scripts. The marking schemes will also be available on www.examinations.ie.

 Appeals

School based candidates who wish to appeal should do so through their school. External candidates should follow the instructions that accompany their provisional statement of results. All appeal applications must be with the State Examinations Commission by 5pm on Wednesday September 3 . Results of appeals will be issued in mid October.

 Advice for Candidates

A helpline facility will be operating from early on August 13 to provide information and advice to students and parents at results time. The helpline number operated by the National Parents’ Council (Post-Primary) is: 1800 265 165.