Record numbers to sit examinations this year

Today, Wednesday, 7 June, 2023, some 135,033 candidates are due to commence their Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examinations across the country in 5,697 main and some 9000 special examination centres through the network of over 800 post-primary schools and other venues recognised by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to hold the certificate examinations.

Delivery of the state examinations is a massive logistical exercise involving the secure distribution of 8,000 strong boxes containing 4 million examination papers to the examination superintendents responsible for supervising the written examinations.

The examinations will run until Tuesday, 27 June for Leaving Certificate (Established and Vocational); Thursday, 15 June for Leaving Certificate Applied; and Monday, 19 June for Junior Cycle examinations.  

This year sees another record number of candidates due to sit examinations which is linked to demographic increases, with the number of candidates entered for the examinations exceeding 135,000.  

The numbers expected to sit the 2023 certificate examinations has increased by 3% (+3,602) compared to the last year’s figure of 131,431 with the most significant increases in the cohorts entered for the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (+20%) and Junior Cycle (+5%). 

Speaking before the start of the examinations Mr. Pat Burke, Chairperson of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) said, “The state examinations are a significant milestone for candidates, their families and school authorities.  The examinations this year have been subject to appropriate adjustments, proportionate to the educational experience of the class of 2023 over the course of the pandemic.  

“On behalf of my fellow Commissioners and all of the staff of the SEC, I wish to offer sincere best wishes to all those taking the certificate examinations this year”.  

Deferred Examinations
Following a review, the SEC will again provide a deferred sitting of the Leaving Certificate examinations for eligible candidates who miss their examinations in the main sitting due to serious illness, accident or injury or a close family bereavement.  

The main change this year provides for a candidate who experiences an extreme medical emergency during an examination.  

There is also a change to the timing of eligibility for access on grounds of bereavement and an increase in the timeline for the completion of an application from four to five working days.  

Following public health advice, the SEC is advising that Leaving Certificate candidates who only have nasal symptoms, such as a runny nose or a sneeze, but otherwise feel well should attend for their examinations but candidates with Covid-19 may apply for access to the deferred sitting and will be subject to a mandatory absence period of 5 days.  

The deferred examinations series will commence on 29 June at a limited number of regional venues and will run until 15 July. Full details have been issued to schools and candidates.  

Eligibility criteria have been determined with due regard to the principles of equity, fairness and integrity which govern all aspects of the examinations system and these will be strictly applied. 

Speaking about the provision of deferred Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied examinations Mr Burke said “following a review by the SEC of the eligibility criteria for deferred examinations, the inclusion of candidates who experience an extreme medical emergency during an examination represents a further significant improvement to the examinations system, providing an appropriately supportive response for candidates who find themselves in very challenging circumstances at examinations time and unable to take their examinations as a result.” 

Under the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in Certificate Examinations (RACE) Scheme, there are arrangements designed to support candidates experiencing challenging circumstances at examinations time.  

These continue to be available to Junior Cycle candidates; to Leaving Certificate candidates who do not meet the eligibility criteria for access to the deferred examination series; and to those meet the eligibility criteria for the deferred examination series but who choose to proceed with their examinations in the main sitting. 

Date for Leaving Certificate Results
As already announced, the SEC intends to issue the 2023 Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied examination results to candidates on Friday, 25 August.  

The intended Leaving Certificate results day of Friday 25 August is a full week earlier than the 2022 results date.

This follows extensive work by the SEC to improve the timeline to the greatest possible degree taking account of all of the factors which feed into the process and ensuring sufficient time is allowed for the range of checks and quality assurance procedures which are required in the resulting process to ensure that the highest standards possible are maintained.  

Following the announcement at the start of the school year by Minister for Education Norma Foley TD, of the adjustments to the assessment arrangements for students taking examinations in 2023, and the Minister’s commitment that there would be no ‘cliff edge’ or automatic return to pre-pandemic grade profiles for Leaving Certificate results this year, the SEC has been engaged in the planning and delivery of all aspects of the examinations across Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examination programmes. 

The commitment to avoid a “cliff-edge” in the profile of results will require an adjustment to the marks awarded to students through the marking process which can only be applied once all of the marking has been completed. The results issue date of Friday, 25 August takes account of the time needed for this step

The SEC has set out to address shortages in the numbers of teachers undertaking roles with the SEC, especially to mark the written examinations, through a whole-of-system review, in which all of the education partners were included.

Arising from this process which has included a revitalised recruitment campaign, enhanced rates of payment, and very active support from teacher unions, school leadership and management bodies, the number of written examiners is at a higher level than at this time in 2022. 

The SEC has an absolute responsibility to examination candidates to ensure that their work is marked to the highest standards of quality and integrity and the Commission must be able to stand over the results it issues each year. 

Mr Burke expressed his appreciation to those involved in the conduct of the examinations, stating “I wish to fulsomely acknowledge the support of all involved in delivering the examinations this year. This includes school principals, deputy principals, teachers, and other school staff.

“This also, of course, includes parents and guardians, as the ultimate source of care and support for students.  We are particularly grateful this year for the generous response of teachers to our appeal for examiners for the oral, practical and written examination and the education partners for their active support in our ongoing review of this important whole of system issue.  

“Having greater numbers of examiners this year was central to the SEC being able to confirm the intended date for Leaving Certificate results of 25 August.”     

Mr Burke finished by saying, “The Board and staff of the State Examinations Commission are very aware of the effort which students and their families have invested in the forthcoming examinations and extend their best wishes to all.  

“For our part, we in the State Examinations Commission will continue to do our utmost to deliver the examinations as smoothly as possible and ensure that the examinations meet the expected high standards of quality and fairness.”