Junior Cert and Leaving Cert 2024- messages to Laois students from your Principals

Around the country, there are 136,160 students sitting the Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied and the Junior Cert, up 1% from last year.

The State Examinations Commission has said that there are around 4 million papers to be distributed through exam halls over the course of the exam period.

The Leinster Express/ Laois Live reached out to Laois secondary schools for potential messages to students undergoing exams;

"Do your best, try to rest as necessary and not to worry. An honest effort is all that anyone, including yourself, can reasonably expect from you. When each exam is over, move on quickly, ignore the proverbial "postmortem". 

- Principal Gerry Quinn, St. Fergal's College Rathdowney

While the Leaving Certificate, in all its forms, is clearly important, there are many ways forward to your career of choice.  

"Wishing all our Junior and Leaving Certificate students the best of luck and inspiration this morning! You're ready for this, so just do your very best, that is all you can do. Keep calm, pick your questions and keep writing to the end! These exams will never define what you are, but they have to be done, so keep to our motto, "from each their best". 

- Principal Maura Murphy, St. Mary’s CBS

“Between our Leaving Certificate Established and Applied we have 220 students starting their exams tomorrow.

While there is much hype and attention on exams which can add to the stress of the students we encourage students to do their best. I know that is what their parents want and we want as a school. Of course there are some students who will look back and say they should have started studying sooner but unfortunately that cannot be changed now - to use that repeated phase - we are where we are.

Students can be too hard on themselves and feel they are not prepared enough or will not be able to answer the questions but they need to have confidence in themselves. They know more than they think they do. When I was teaching I used to tell my students see the exams as an opportunity to show off what you know.

While exams are important they are not the end point but only a beginning. There are so many routes into courses now. Thankfully everything is not dependent on one exam. Exam results do not define a person either. While we want our students to do well we also see the value in promoting values such as respect, kindness and basic interpersonal skills - the ability to have a conversation with someone. These are life skills which will not be measured in an exam but are equally as important in life. 

We wish all our students and of course their parents well over the next few weeks. Like everything in the exams will come and go but life goes on. Live it!”

- Principal Justin Brown, Coláiste Íosagáin Portarlington. 

“I am sure all our students are very nervously looking forward to the start of the exams after what has been a long lead into the exams due to the extra long final term with an early Easter.

Our students appeared to have prepared very diligently throughout the year and I am sure will take the next 3 weeks in their stride. We hope that they can lean on each other and the supports present in the school if they need to during the exam period.

We encourage all families to reach out to the school if they have any concerns or need advice as exam time can also place stresses on the those around the 6th year student.

All of us here in the school wish them well for the exams and we are in no doubt their effort will be rewarded.”

-Principal Eamon Jackman, Heywood Community School