Re: System for Calculating Grades for Leaving Certificate 2020
Dear Student/Parent/Guardian
The decision has been taken by Government to postpone the Leaving Certificate examinations for 2020 and to offer students a system of Calculated Grades in its place. This includes the traditional Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
All students will be given the option to receive a State Certificate of Calculated Grades in each subject that they have studied. The calculated grades model will have the same status as Leaving Certificate results awarded to students in previous years, but students will also have the opportunity to sit the conventional Leaving Certificate examination, if they wish. No date is available for this yet, but suffice to say that any student who opts for the examination, will not receive results in time for college entry, for this year.
The earlier arrangement by the Department of Education and Skills (communicated in March) that full marks would be awarded in respect of the orals and music performance tests was predicated on the written examinations proceeding this summer. As the examinations will not proceed, that arrangement will not apply.
A system of Calculated Grades will be generated using a statistical model. It will combine estimates of a student’s expected performance with the school’s statistical profiles of achievement in a subject and level, in line with national performance standards over time. This sounds confusing, I know, but essentially teachers will use their professional judgement in estimating what result they expect your son would have attained had he sat the leaving Certificate, based on may factors of his education with us here at Oatlands College.
The role of the school is to provide marks and rankings that reflect:
• An estimation of the percentage mark in each subject that each candidate is likely to have achieved
• Class ranking for each student in each subject
As principal, I will then review the process applied in order to check on the fair treatment of students.
The school then sends the data to the Department of Education and Skills. This estimation is then aligned with a number of national measurement guidelines in order to ensure fairness for all.
There will be strong oversight and control and a number of inherent quality assurance measures to ensure students receive as fair a result as possible.
We are asking all students and parents/guardians to refrain from contacting teachers or the deputy principal/principal to discuss, query or suggest any reference to subject percentages. We appreciate your cooperation with this request.
In conclusion, your son’s teaching and learning at Oatlands College is concluding at 3.30 pm today.. He can still continue to access our guidance services by emailing Ms Mc Donagh. As always, Ms Tobin, Mr Browne and myself are available also to support your son and help re any query/issue that may arise. It is imperative to us that all students receive any support they need over the next few months and as always long after that. At a future date, probably w/b the 18th May students will be able to access the school to recover locker contents etc. I will be in touch regarding this matter as soon as possible and look forward to seeing the boy’s { from a distance} when they come into the College.
Together with your Year Head, Ms Tobin, and all of the staff of Oatlands College, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well, to thank you for your patience and engagement over the last two months and to congratulate you on the completion of your second level education. Leaving Certificate results for 2020 are expected mid-August.
Please be assured that we will be in contact with you as the situation develops. A guide to calculated grades for Leaving Certificate students 2020 is available on the DES website.
Sending you all my very best wishes, as always your son’s best interests will remain paramount in our thoughts and actions.
Kind Regards
Caroline Garrett.
Principal.