- LC Oral examinations: 26 March to 15 April
- Out-of-school learners and students studying subjects out-of-school, Initial Information Form due for submission: extended to 22 April
- Portal reopens April/May to confirm levels (date TBC)
- LC Applied orals: 3 May to 12 May
- LCA practical performance test: 17 May to 21 May
- LCA practical coursework interview: week beginning 8 June
- Written exams: 9 June to 29 June
Information for school principals, teachers, parents and students in relation to the examination events that are taking place over the Easter period and afterwards, i.e. the orals, Leaving Certificate Music practical performance and the LCA tasks. Read more...
All information in relation to Accredited Grades for out-of-school learners and students studying subjects entirely out of school is available here.
These further adjustments have been finalised following discussions between the Department of Education, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the State Examinations Commission. They are additional to the previous adjustments, but in some instances these further adjustments supersede the previous ones.
Details of the previous adjustments are available in Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021 .
Below is a short animated guide to the Leaving Certificate and Accredited Grades Process:
Summary information on the Leaving Certificate and Accredited Grades process for parents and students is available to download here.
As outlined in Section 6 of the A Guide to the State Examinations and Accredited Grades for 2021 , following the return to school, teachers may set a limited number of additional assessments up to the 14 May 2021.
The Guide to Supporting Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Context of Accredited Grades 2021 can be downloaded here.
The purpose of this guidance is to provide additional information to teachers on assessment approaches that may be considered when planning and designing assessments for Leaving Certificate students to support the Accredited Grades process.
Supporting Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Context of Accredited Grades 2021
March 2021
DownloadOn 17 February Government announced that the written Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will be held in June with related components also proceeding as far as possible subject to public health advice. A corresponding process of grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will also be available to students who opt to receive them. The Government also announced that the Junior Cycle examinations will not be run in 2021. Read the announcement.
The key points to note from this announcement for Leaving Certificate students are:
- Students will have the option of whether to sit the examinations, receive SEC Accredited Grades, or both, on a subject by subject basis. This means that students can sit examinations in any number of subjects they want, while also receiving SEC Accredited Grades in any number of subjects they want.
- Students must register on the portal to opt for examinations and/or to receive SEC Accredited Grades. The Portal will open on 10 March at 12 noon and will close on 16 March at 6pm.
- Students will be asked to confirm the levels for their subjects (i.e. Higher, Ordinary or Foundation) at a later date.
- There are no fees to pay for examinations or for SEC Accredited Grades.
- On results day, students will get the better of the two results if they opted to both sit examinations and receive SEC Accredited Grades.
- It is intended that the results of both the examinations and the SEC Accredited Grades processes will issue to students within the required timeframe for progression to higher and further education in Ireland.
A Guide to State Examinations and Accredited Grades - Arrangements for Leaving Certificate Applied 2021 can be downloaded here .
Information provided in this guide should be considered in conjunction with A Guide to State Examinations and Accredited Grades for Leaving Certificate 2021.
The purpose of this circular is to provide details of an enhanced range of supports which are available to schools to support the running of the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied Examinations and the Accredited Grades process in 2021.
This circular was published by the State Examinations Commission on Thursday 04 March 2021.
The purpose of this circular is to provide further information under the following headings for the 2021 Leaving Certificate examinations:
1. Coursework Completion dates (Circular S64/20 and SEC email of 14 January relates)
2. Orals, Practicals and Music Practical Performance Test
3. Timetables 2021
4. Candidate Entries and Candidate Self Service Portal
5. Establishment of Examination Centres
6. Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations
7. Recruitment of Contract Staff.
All examinations for 2021 must be arranged in accordance with public health requirements. To ensure that the final examinations for LCVP and Computer Science, both of which are held in May, can be fully compliant with public health guidance the dates for these examinations are confirmed as follows:
- LCVP Links modules on the morning of Saturday 8 May 10am – 12:30pm
- LC Computer Science on the morning of Saturday 22 May 9:30am – 12:30pm
Timetables for the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied are available on the State Examinations Commission website . The written examinations will begin on 9 June.
The Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. This decision brings greater certainty and clarity about what lies ahead. Some further detail has been provided and some issues have yet to be clarified. At the moment some things are out of your control. It’s important to remind yourself that focusing on those everyday things that are within your control can help with minding your wellbeing and staying well while these things are being finalised.
The link below will take you to specific information on minding your wellbeing during the current uncertainty and to a range of wellbeing resources and supports.
The Leaving Certificate 2021 Candidate Self-Service Portal is now closed.
You will be required to login to the portal again at a later date to confirm what level you are taking examination in and/or receiving Accredited Grades in.
An Advisory Group of key stakeholders was convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public health considerations and appropriate contingency measures. The Advisory Group, which was initially constituted in April 2020 in respect of the 2020 state examinations, includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education, including the National Educational Psychological Service. See details on the membership of the group and the role of the group.
In January and early February 2021 a subgroup of the Advisory Group met on a number of occasions to consider in greater depth issues relating to planning towards the 2021 examinations. Read the statements published following these meetings.
Engagement between the Department of Education and Public Health is ongoing in relation to planning for the 2021 state examinations.
Information on the Junior Cycle 2021 can be found here .
