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Minister for Education Joe McHugh's Statement this afternoon Re: Schools and State Exams

Created : 10 Apr 2020, 6:08 PM
Archived : 10 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

The following are relevant excerpts from the Government Statement earlier this evening for secondary schools: Minister McHugh said plans were being put in place for the postponed Leaving Certificate examinations to begin in the last week of July or early August, subject to public health advice. Junior Cycle final examinations due to take place in June will be replaced by school-based exams and assessments held early in the new school year. As part of the changes to the Junior Cycle, discussions will take place with teacher unions and school management to allow these examinations, linked Classroom-Based Assessments, Assessment Tasks and project work to be completed as school-based assessments early in the next school year. A series of other decisions has also been taken – • As part of the wider public health measures, schools are closed until further notice. • Practical examinations for Leaving Certificate students which were due to have been held in May are deferred. They will be rescheduled for late July/early August. • The new Leaving Certificate exam timetable will be confirmed in early June. Minister McHugh also said: “Students with special educational needs will be fully supported in sitting the rescheduled Leaving Certificate examinations in line with the reasonable accommodations as already arranged for them.” Minister McHugh said the intention was to allow at least two weeks of class time, in school, before the Leaving Certificate examinations begin. The admissions process for higher education, managed by the Central Applications Office (CAO), will operate as closely as possible to the usual timeframe for offers and the entry date for first year students will be delayed. The Department has asked the Higher Education Authority and the higher education sector to explore ways of assisting access to higher education for students from under-represented groups. “Students and their families have been seeking clarity. Today’s announcement addresses that. It also provides them with several weeks of advance notice to prepare for the examinations. I hope it helps to alleviate some stress being experienced by students and their families at this time.

Happy Easter Wishes to Parents, Staff and Students

Created : 10 Apr 2020, 4:33 PM
Archived : 10 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

We would like to take this opportunity to wish our entire school community a Happy and a Healthy Easter. Hopefully the spring time weather will continue, helping us to keep sane. The announcement by the Minister for Education is breaking as I write this, and many details have yet to be worked out, so I can give no clarification to any of your questions, not even my own. Please don't email me asking about fees or dates or anything that the DES haven't figured out the details to yet, because I won't know either. I promise, the minute I have information, the minute I will inform all parents/students via this App. If you know anyone who does not have the App, please advise them to download and if they have any problems to email either me mmurphy@portlaoisecbs.com or support@uniqueschools.ie. Lastly, I have been in daily constant contact with parents and students since we closed re: subject options, App issues, TY, incoming first years, 5th years, etc. I am delighted to be able to sort all your issues out and also chat with you in these solitary times. But I'm stopping now until Tuesday morning (14/4). If you have any problems with the 5th year Option Subject Consent Form, put it in an email to me (but tell me your son's name please!) over the weekend and I will begin dealing with it on Tuesday. All the issues are usually easily and quickly solved. For students, figure out what subjects you want before you fill it in, order them 1-6 in order of preference, know if you want to do the language, look at courses you may want after LC, read the info I put about LCVP and Overview of all Senior Subject Options for 5th years - both found under Notifications 4 days ago and under 3 lines/'School'/'School Code & Policies' - scroll to bottom and you'll see both documents. And finally I wish you all the best of health and happiness this Easter. To anyone who is sick, awaiting results, worried about their grandparents, and others, I hope the news will be good. Take care. MM

What about PE, some of you are asking?

Created : 06 Apr 2020, 10:52 PM
Archived : 07 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

This is a question which a few of you have been asking. • PE is a Core subject thus everyone must do it for health & wellbeing • The subject will be rolled out nationally for LC students commencing in September 2020, for examination in 2022. • We are not offering it this September as an exam subject. • It does not have to be an exam subject • We are offering 2 other new subjects to our wide range of 18 subjects: o Computer Science o Society & Politics • The following link to www.examinations.ie/misc-doc/BI-EX-14359599.pdf will inform you of the assessment and coursework expected. • For those who are wondering can it be done as a subject outside of school, my reading of that document does not seem to make this possible – "The performance assessment must be your own individual work – authenticated by yourself and by your teacher. Authentication is an important part of how we, in the State Examinations Commission (SEC), ensure fairness to everybody in the assessment of coursework".(p.5) • On p.6: "Your teacher must supervise your completion of the performance assessment. If your teacher cannot confirm that the performance assessment is your own work, and that you carried out the performance assessment and completed the video under his or her supervision, the State Examinations Commission will not accept it for assessment. In that case, you will forfeit the marks for this component of the examination." • My impression is that unless the student is part of a PE class, he cannot do this subject as a LC subject outside of a school setting.

Overviews of all Senior Subject Options - For 5th Years

Created : 06 Apr 2020, 6:31 PM
Archived : 06 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

Please see the links for each of the Senior Subject Option Overviews. They were on the 3 lines/School/School Policies Section of this App from Friday-Sunday night. I had to remove them to edit, but it will be uploaded to that section again now, as well as here on Notifications now. Most links are easily viewed. There are a few that require a login from a school email user. When you come across such a link, sign in once with the student's school email and all other links can then be viewed. The reason for this is that they are saved on the School's Sharepoint, and require the viewer to sign in, only once. I think you will find this an excellent resource and I want to thank all the teachers who created these informative and attractive presentations. Anyone who has yet to look at the Subject Option Form should do so now, as there are 25 students' parents who haven't downloaded and registered on the App yet. Those parents received a text from me this morning and need to start this process. Those who have difficulties, should email support@uniqueschools.ie. Otherwise myself at mmurphy@portlaoisecbs.com. Remember, this cannot be viewed on a students' phone, it has to be on a parent's App on their own phone.

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cbs weekly news

Created : 04 Apr 2020, 3:57 PM
Archived : 04 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

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For 3rd years making 5th year subject choices

Created : 04 Apr 2020, 2:28 PM
Archived : 04 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

Hi all. I’ve received some emails from 3rd years going into 5th year telling me they can’t access the Option Form. I will sort that by this evening. It’s the last step in the process from my end that I didn’t realise had to be done till I saw the emails. I will sort it by this evening and let you know via App again when you’ll gain access. Again, please understand the steep learning curve for new methods being used for the first time. I appreciate your emails as they give me clues to what’s happening on your end. Take care. Maura

FAO 6th years

Created : 04 Apr 2020, 10:51 AM
Archived : 04 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

see attached

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TY for 2020-21

Created : 03 Apr 2020, 4:35 PM
Archived : 03 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

All applicants for 2020-21 TY Programme have received an email to their school account in the last few minutes. In order to accept or refuse this place, parents must do so on the School App. I am waiting for Unique Publishing to have this up in the Consent Form Section of this App, and it should be there later this evening. For anyone who does not accept the place or did not receive an offer, the process of selecting 5th year Option Subjects is now beginning. There is lots of information available to you on this App. There is a piece explaining LCVP which was in Notifications 2 nights ago, that will also be found in School Code & Policies over the weekend. Other information such as videos and presentations made by the Senior Subject Teachers will also be found in this section. Again, give it a day or two for it all to be in place. It has been a very busy time creating so many documents and new ways of communicating, but the use of the App has been fantastic.

Should your son do LCVP?

Created : 01 Apr 2020, 10:02 PM
Archived : 02 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

When selecting subjects for Senior Cycle, many people presume that LCVP is a subject. But it’s not a subject, it’s a programme. A student must have a certain combination of 2 subjects to be allowed to sign up for it. I will explain… LCVP's objective is to prepare the student for the world of work - this includes doing work experience, preparing his CV, interview practice, a great deal of time spent in the Computer Room, career investigations and more. The Leaflet attached will explain LCVP's purpose, requirements and ways in which it is assessed. It also lists clearly the combinations of subjects which a student MUST have one of to be allowed to do the Programme. Why would a student opt to do LCVP? One reason is it’s seen as a safety net. How so? It has 3 grades of awards. The points gained from earning a Distinction are 66 which is equal to a H4 in a LC Higher Paper. The exam and portfolio are completed before the student finishes classes in May. One less exam in June is an advantage. It is considered a safety net as a student who doesn’t do as well as expected or as he needs to can substitute the LCVP Award points if they are Merit or Distinction for the lowest subject points of his LC Results. Nobody can predict what illness or event will occur during their exams, and they may find themselves at a disadvantage when the results come out. The fact that their LCVP Exam is done in May, the Portfolio submitted before that, means that he can concentrate on his other 6 subjects and still have one in the bag, so to speak. There are other reasons for doing LCVP – it is what it says – preparation for the world of work. It bridges the academic aspect of our Leaving Cert with valuable experience in a workplace, gives opportunities to learn more about career choices, how to work, and more. Is it a good idea for your son to take it up (if he has the correct subject combination)? • If he is taking on another subject outside of school – No – he has enough to do. • If he doesn’t keep on task with projects and assignments and doesn’t meet deadlines – No – this is about all those things. (preparation for the world of work) • If he may need a safety net as he is weak enough in 1 or 2 of them, and he is willing to keep on task – Yes – it will be good for him. • If he has done TY, done the work experience there, done the career investigations, become certified in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, is prepared to do his projects and submit on time – yes – it should be perfectly suited to your son, because he's had a taste of some of this content before. If he is eager and driven to get the most out of what he does and take advantage of opportunities to learn about possible careers – Yes – he should do well. Whether he has TY or not makes no difference, it is the attitude that he brings to 5th year that will make the difference across all his subjects. The subject combinations – any Career Guidance Teacher will tell you that a student should not pick subjects just because they want to do LCVP. The subjects should be chosen on the basis that they have an aptitude/talent/enjoyment/interest in this area after school – the right reasons. If he gets these subjects and they match up to the combinations listed, (there are no exceptions, these must match) then he is eligible to do LCVP. A few more things to keep in mind about LCVP: • It will be timetabled against PE • If you enlist you must soldier – meaning if you say yes, there is no pulling out of it in September or October. Classes will be formed and teachers assigned for the number who expressed interest which cannot be reversed. • If you are not continuing either French or Spanish into 5th year, you will have to do 1 class a week of a language. If you have never done a language, you will do 1 very basic class of a language. There is no exam at all at the end of 6th year in this language, but it is a requirement that it be timetabled for an LCVP student. Other sources of information about LCVP may be found by clicking the following links: pdst.ie/JCSP-TY-LCA-LCVP/LCVP pdst.ie/lcvpportfolio ncca.ie/en/senior-cycle/programmes-and-key-skills/leaving-certificate-vocational-programme curriculumonline.ie/Senior-cycle/Curriculum/

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5th Year Subject choice

Created : 26 Mar 2020, 11:09 AM
Archived : 02 Jun 2020, 12:00 AM

The TY selection process is underway. Once complete, the 5th year option subject choice will commence. All current TY's and half of the current 3rd years will be going into 5th year in September, please God. We are unable to do the presentations to students by the teachers of these subjects or the parents presentation as planned, for obvious reasons. Most of you are familiar with the following content, but you are now on your own and I would like to summarise your information in this notification so you can now focus. There are several means of doing subject investigations at home. Qualifax is a very useful online website with everything you could possibly ask about what to do after second level: requirements for courses, other non-college options, and more. The following link will take you to a page about Subject Choice www.qualifax.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=131&Itemid=213 . Another excellent webpage which will give you a selection of every LC subject on offer by the DES is curriculumonline.ie/Senior-cycle/ along with the following page www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Curriculum-and-Syllabus/Senior-Cycle-/ On Careers Portal, under 'Tools' if you go to 'Education', there's a wealth of information under Leaving Cert subjects along with videos. Also, on our school website, under Students Tab, there are Career Guidance Resources for your to continue your investigations with. Good luck! All students heading towards Senior Cycle should be focusing on the information on these web pages NOW. Further information about the Subject Option Forms, how they will be returned and the dates will be posted on this App in the next few days. Thank you and keep well.