What is Leaving Certificate Applied?

The Leaving Certificate Applied is a distinct, self-contained two-year programme aimed at preparing students for adult and working life. The programme puts an emphasis on forms of achievement and excellence, which the established Leaving Certificate has not recognised in the  past. Furthermore, it recognises the talents of all students and provides opportunities for  development in terms of responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge. It is an innovative  programme in the way students learn and in the way their achievements are assessed. Finally, it  offers learners specific opportunities to prepare for and progress to further education and  training.

Aims of Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

  • To meet the needs of those students who are not adequately catered for by other Leaving Certificate programmes.
  • To prepare learners for the demanding transition to adult and working life and to provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills of self-reliance, self-knowledge, communication and decision-making.
  • To recognise the talents of all learners; the programme is responsive to the aptitudes, abilities, needs and interests of students.
  • To provide a student-centred curriculum that develops literacy, numeracy and teamwork skills within students, via active teaching and learning strategies/methodologies.
  • To aid the personal and social development of all students.
  • To develop student’s social awareness and capacity to communicate with others in work/social environments.
  • To provide students with access to further education and training.
  • To assess the progress of the students on an ongoing basis throughout the course of their participation in the programme.

 

Structure of Leaving Certificate Applied Programme in Rosmini

LCA Coordinator

The Coordinator of the LCA Programme in Rosmini Community School is Leon Darbey


Structure of LCA Calendar

The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme is divided into sessions, which are time periods in which key assignments are completed and tasks are assessed.

The structure of the two-year programme is as follows:

Year One                                       Year Two

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4
September – January February – June September – January February – June

 

Programme Assessment and Student Achievement

 Arrangements for Certification of the Leaving Certificate Applied

 The Leaving Certificate Applied is a single award made based on credits accumulated over four sessions and in final examinations. A candidate may accumulate a maximum of 200 credits. Students who successfully complete the Leaving Certificate Applied programme will be awarded a certificate from the State Examinations Commission.

The Leaving Certificate Applied is awarded at 3 levels.

Pass 120 credits (60%-69%)
Merit 140 credits (70%- 84%)
Distinction 170 credits (85%-100%)

 

Student achievement and performance in the Leaving Certificate Applied will be recorded in three modes as follows:

 

Satisfactory completion of modules:-  62 credits  (31%)
Performance of student tasks:-   70 credits (35%)
Performance in a terminal examination:-  68 credits  (34%)

 

The arrangements for the satisfactory completion of modules and the assessment of Student Tasks is detailed below. 

Satisfactory Completion of Modules

Forty-four modules are completed over the two years of the programme and credits are awarded for the satisfactory completion of a module. At the end of each session the student will be credited on satisfactory completion of the appropriate modules.

In order to be awarded credit, students must complete each module by:

  • Attending the classes and out-of-school activities related to the module.
  • Completing the Key Assignments related to the module. No ranking or assessment of performance will be involved.

There is a requirement for completion of all Key Assignments and Tasks. Where a student is in danger of not receiving a credit, the subject teacher alerts the Year Head, Paul Faherty, and the Leaving Certificate Applied Co-ordinator, Chris Gueret, in enough time to allow remedial work to begin with the student. He will also contact parents to express concern about poor attendance or incomplete key assignments.

The student will be involved in the certificate of the completion of modules:

  • by being informed as to what is required for certification;
  • by being made aware, in enough time, when these requirements are not
  • likely to be met;
  • through negotiation concerning completion of outstanding assignment
  • work, if deadlines for such assignments are not being met;
  • by completing the checklist of Key Assignments attaching to the record of evidence.

Student Tasks

The candidate completes seven Student Tasks over the two years. Each task represents a significant piece if work (at least 10 hours). The task enables the candidate to integrate learning and practical experiences from the different courses and modules of the LCA programme.

For General Education, Vocational Education and Vocational Preparation, students can complete any of the following tasks:

  • Develop a product or artefact.
  • Investigate an issue or topic.
  • Stage an event.
  • Conduct a group or individual performance.
  • Provide a service.

Summary of LCA Student Tasks over the two-year programme:

Task Credit % Completed in session Assessed
1. General Education

Originating in Arts Education, Leisure & Recreation, Language or Social Education

10 5 1 January

Year 1

2. Vocational Preparation

Originating in either Vocational Education & Guidance or English & Communication

10 5 2 May

Year 1

3. Vocational Education – 1st specialism

Originating in one Vocational Specialism (ICT with our LCA class of 2018-2020)

10 5 2 May

Year 1

4. Vocational Education – 2nd specialism

Originating in the second Vocational Specialism (Childcare & Community Care with our LCA class of 2018-2020)

10 5 3 January

Year 2

5. Contemporary Issues

Anchored in Social Education

10 5 3 January

Year 2

6. Practical Achievement

Generally out of school

10 5 3 January

Year 2

7. Personal Reflection

Statement 1 from year 1 will be stored and returned to SEC when Statement 2 is complete

10 5 2 & 4 May

Year 2

 

Practical Achievement Task

The Practical Achievement Task is completed by students in Year 2, Session 3. This task is examined in the first week of February. It is worth a total of 10 credits (5% of each student’s final credits score). The reflection and learning that students gained through their completion of this task is recorded in a logbook supplied by their teacher, Mr Faherty.

Students complete the Practical Achievement Task for the following reasons

  • To undertake a practical task.
  • To learn how to set goals.
  • To be able to plan a task, reflect on what they have done and set targets for improvement.
  • To undertake activities needed to achieve their goals.
  • To develop new skills of achievement.
  • To be recognised for out-of-school learning.

Students are encouraged to choose a Practical Achievement task that is…

  • Meaningful for them.
  • Is something they can learn from.
  • Is well supervised by their teacher/professional in the task they are undertaking.

 Assessment of LCA Student Tasks

To receive credits for a student task the candidate must :

  • Produce authentic evidence of task completion
  • Produce a task report
  • Present for interview (Personal Reflection Task does not require an interview)

Examiners will require evidence of task performance. This may be in a variety of formats – written, audio, video, artefact, etc. Each student is also required to produce a report on the process of completing the task. This report may be incorporated in the evidence of task performance. The Tasks will be assessed by external examiners appointed by the State Examinations Commission. The examiners will visit the school during the week indicated on the timetable, at the end of the first and third sessions and during the end of the second session. The work of the external examiners will be monitored by advising examiners. Examiners and advising examiners will receive detailed briefing. All preparatory work relating to the assessment of Student Tasks will be the responsibility of the students themselves. Students will also be required to meet the examiners on the day of assessment of the Tasks.  As part of the assessment process, each student will present the work involved in the Task and discuss it with the Examiner. In the case of a Group Task, each student will explain her/his personal involvement in the work.   It will be open to relevant teachers, should they wish, to meet briefly with the examiners on the day of Student Task assessment. Such a meeting should be arranged, through the LCA Co-ordinator, Chris Gueret, on the day when the examiner contacts the school to arrange the visit. The purpose of any such brief meeting might be to inform the examiner of any circumstances relating to individual students. It is emphasised that at no time will examiners discuss their allocation of marks to Candidates. Following assessment, the completed Student Tasks should, in order to allow for appeals, be retained in a safe place in the school until the end of the appeals period.

 

Assessment Criteria for Task Report:

Each student’s task report must contain the following:

  • Title
  • Statement of Aims
  • Action Plan
  • Research Activities Undertaken (i.e. what methods used)
  • Execution of the Task
  • Presentation and Analysis of Findings
  • Statement of Learning Outcomes (conclusions reached)
  • Evaluation of the student’s own contribution

To summarise:

  • Students complete seven tasks in total over the course of the two-year LCA programme.
  • Each task is worth 10 credits.
  • The seven tasks are worth up to 35% of each student’s overall grade.
  • Tasks are completed in the following LCA courses:

Vocational Preparation

Vocational Education (x2) General Education
Contemporary Issue Personal Reflection Practical Achievement

 

Final Examinations

Final examinations will be provided in the following areas:

  • Gaeilge Chumarsaideach (Year 1) French (Year 2)
  • English and Communication
  • Modern European Languages (French)
  • Social Education
  • Mathematical Applications
  • Vocational Specialisms (2 Specialisms to be taken by each candidate).

Details of arrangements of Final Examinations are scheduled in the timetable which is circulated annually. 

Report of Credits awarded and Statement of Provisional Results

The State Examinations Commission will issue a provisional statement of results to candidates for each session reflecting the credits awarded for the satisfactory completion of modules, the results of the assessment of student tasks and final examinations as appropriate.

 

Leaving Certificate Applied Work Experience Programme

Students are given one day per week to attend Work Experience. LCA 6 students have no timetabled classes on Wednesdays and are timetabled for Work Experience on these days.

Students are expected to source their own Work Experience, and this is signalled also to parents before the Summer break to encourage early organisation of placements. Students are reminded of the need to have completed a ‘Safe Pass Course’.

The Leaving Certificate Applied Co-ordinator, Chris Gueret, provides documentation to students such as insurance arrangements, letters of introduction, letters of thanks, an ‘aims of placement’ document, an employer’s record of attendance/evaluation and a Work Experience journal to be completed by the student during the course of the placement.

Work Experience for LCA students commences at the end of September to allow for Work Experience induction given by the Vocational Preparation and Guidance (VPG) teacher, Maeve McHale. The VPG teacher prepares the students for the placement. The LCA Coordinator keeps a record of student placements and monitors pupil progress through telephone call or visit. Students are informed not to start their placements until they have been prepared for work in VPG class.

The VPG teacher also looks after guidance outside of VPG. Among the activities are guest speakers from Post Leaving Certificate and other colleges, job application and interview techniques, notice of/visits to college open days and individual career advice making use of Internet sites such as www.careerdirections.ie

 

 

Menu