How to efficiently review your exam scripts

Joe’s Jotter

To the class of 2021 –

Many of you will wish to view your Leaving Certificate Exam Scripts to see where you made errors and possibly where you should have picked up some more marks. The first thing to note is that from 5pm on Tuesday September 7, students will have had access to their written exam (component and final) marks and their accredited grade marks via the candidate self-service portal (assuming they opted for both in June).

If you wish to review your scripts, you have to apply to do so by Wednesday 8 September (TODAY) at 8pm. I would recommend that all students review both their scripts marked on paper and online, especially if you find yourself in some way disappointed or confused by your grades.

If you are going to your school to review your scripts, be sure to bring a subject expert with you to find out if it’s worth getting your paper rechecked. You must attend the review yourself but can bring in a separate adult for each script. If you wish to get a subject rechecked, the cost is free in 2021 (it was €40 per subject previously).

Traditionally, around 20pc of all rechecks were upgraded, although this number has now dropped through increased accuracy and the new grading system. For equity, the period of access to online scripts will be identical to the time given in schools to review scripts ‘marked on paper’. It is worth noting though that you can do both. A short application will need to be filled out over the next few days if you wish to review any of your scripts.

Script viewing in schools for ‘scripts marked on paper’ will take place as follows:

1. Script viewing time 1: Saturday 11 September 9-11am

2. Script viewing time 2: Saturday 11 September 12-2pm

3. Script viewing time 3: Saturday 11 September 3-5pm

4. Script viewing time 4: Sunday 12 September 10-noon (at the discretion of the school)

Script viewing in schools for ‘scripts marked online’ will take place as follows:

1. Scripting viewing time: From Saturday 11 September 9am

The appeals facility application window for those who want their grades rechecked (please note the accredited grade appeal, if selected, is an admin check only) will be open from Saturday 11 September at 9am until Monday 13 September noon.

Remember also that further rounds of the CAO process may still hold offers for you, as some students may not take up a specific place offered on a course. You also need to be aware that ‘available places’ emerge where colleges don’t manage to fill the total places available on a given course. This facility will become available on the CAO website on Wednesday 8 September at noon and will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Here are my twenty ACE Tips when viewing your scripts over the next number of days:

1. Be realistic. For a 600 mark subject, you will need 6 marks to get an extra 1%.

2. Bring someone to advise you, whether you are viewing scripts in your school or online.

3. Check all totals first to ensure there are no clerical errors.

4. Use all the time you have been allocated to ensure you are satisfied with each script.

5. Bring in your mobile/tablet to take pics as necessary. Ensure your phone is well charged.

6. Marking schemes for each subject will be available in the review centre, for you to cross check against your script. This scheme will be on the examinations website soon also.

7. If your percentage mark given is quite close to the grade band below it, you need to be careful about appealing the subject in case you are downgraded. Use common sense here.

8. Take time afterwards to consider your options. A recheck is free and between 14% and 20% of students are upgraded each year.

9. An upgrade later may cause a change to your CAO offer if you achieve enough extra points and have reached the minimum entry requirements for a given course.

10. You cannot bring pens/paper into the script viewing or write any information down.

11. The online viewing option will also have a time limit allocated to it.

12. Keep a close eye on your candidate portal over the next week.

13. If you spot an error in a script, take a snap. Photos are important for making a case.

14. In the case of viewing subjects online with two papers. Two AP1 forms will need to be filled in, one for each paper.

15. Marks inside square brackets denote disallowed marks in excess of the number of questions permitted for a paper.

16. Marks inside a circle (in the left-hand margin) beside the question number are the total marks allocated for the question part.

17. During viewing, use the calculator on your phone to check all subtotals and totals.

18. Organising superintendents that are present during the viewing cannot provide any advice on appeals, errors or otherwise.

19. Read through each page of your script calmly and carefully in the viewing centre.

20. You do not have to make an appeal decision on the day. The deadline for making any appeal is Monday 13 September at noon.

To view last week’s feature article on ‘A Guide to the CAO. You Always Have Options’, click here. Get in touch if I can help you in any way. Good luck, Joe.

More details about Joe as a Maths Tutor for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate (2022) and his Award winning ACE Maths Solution Books can be found via the links below.

W: acesolutionbooks.com/ace-maths-tuition

FB: facebook.com/JoeMcCormackEducationalExpert/

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