Urgent updates regarding Leaving Certificate/Calculated grades

By piofficer, Tuesday, 12th May 2020 | 0 comments

In discussions between the Department of Education and Skills, the management bodies and the teacher unions, it was agreed that, from Monday, 11th May 2020, teachers and schools would cease to provide tuition (whether online or in other ways) to final year (i.e. 6th Year) Leaving Certificate students. No further tuition is to take place from that date.
As you are aware, the TUI has also requested that a protocol be immediately put in place requiring that any canvassing in relation to the estimated marks/calculated grades will have to be recorded formally at school level and reported to the DES. We anticipate that this protocol will be available very shortly and the DES has issued the following press statement in that regard:

“One of the fundamental principles of the calculated grades model is fairness – both to the individual student and to the students in the school as a whole. Any attempt to influence teachers in relation to the process of Leaving Certificate calculated grades is considered to be entirely inappropriate and will be regarded as canvassing. Detailed guidance for teachers and principals in this matter is being developed by the Department.”

Therefore, if any member is in contact with/contacted by students and/or parents, s/he should politely but firmly refuse to engage in any discussion about estimated marks/calculated grades and say that any approach in that regard will have to be reported to school management.