Leaving Cert Provisional Results, Viewing and Appeals 2020

Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit

State Examinations Commission

Corr na Madadh, Baile Átha Luain, Co. na hIarmhí.  N37TP65

Cornamaddy,  Athlone, Co. Westmeath.  N37TP65

Telephone: +353-90-644 2700.    Fax:+353-90-647 8430.    

Web: www.examinations.ie   E-mail: info@examinations.ie          

LEAVING CERTIFICATE PROVISIONAL RESULTS, VIEWING AND APPEALS 2020

TO THE BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT/AUTHORITIES OF SECONDLEVEL SCHOOLS

Leaving Certificate Examination Results 2020

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will today issue results to more than 2000 candidates who sat the  Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examinations between 16th November and 11th December 2020.  Due to the very small number of candidates involved, bespoke arrangements have been made to issue results to students who took the Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examinations.  

Enclosed please find a Leaving Certificate Matrix Report showing the provisional results achieved by each candidate from your school who sat the later examinations.  Information is provided below about the arrangements which have been made for candidates to access their results.  Full details of these arrangements have been provided directly to candidates and a summary is provided here in case any of your former students are in contact seeking assistance.  

Please note that the the results matrix contains the personal data of the candidates and should be treated with absolute regard to confidentiality and security.  

The results shown on the matrix relate to the examinations only.  It does not show any comparisons between the examination results and the calculated  grades.  

Candidates are also being provided with their actual examination results regardless of how they perfomed compared to their calculated grades.  In line with the comittments made, they will be credited with the higher subject grade achieved between the Calculated Grade and the written examination.  The SEC has provided the CAO with details of the higher grades achieved in the examinations.  

In due course, arrangements will be made by the SEC to issue examination certificates to all candidates at the 2020 Leaving Certificate following the conclusion of the examinations appeal process.  For candidates who received calculated grades and also sat the examinations, the final certificate will be an integrated certificate combining the best results from both processes.  

Grades are based on the written examinations only, except in the case of five subjects where coursework had been completed prior to school closure in March 2020. The coursework in these subjects (listed below) has been marked and marks awarded have been included in the overall grade in these subjects

• Home Economics practical coursework
• LCVP Portfolio
• Design and Communications Graphics practical coursework
• Physical Education (PE) (Physical Activity Project)
• Engineering practical coursework 

Leaving Certificate Grade Descriptor

Accessing Results – Candidates

Candidates will be able to access their results on-line on the Candidate Self-Service Portal from 12 noon on Tuesday, 2nd February 2021. 

Individual statements of provisional results are not being posted to schools.  Candidates will have access to their results through the portal at www.examinations.ie  and   https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d8920c-leaving-cert-2020/. Candidates will see exactly how they performed in the written examinations and will be able to print a statement of their examination results.  Candidates who received calculated grades will continue to have access to their calculated grades through the same website links so they can make their own comparison between their examination results and their calculated grades.  

Candidates receiving examination results will have access to the same appeals process which applies to the issue of the Leaving Certificate results annually including the opportunity to see their marks (including the marks of the components in the five subjects referred to above) and their marked examination script(s) in advance of making a decision to appeal.  All of the script viewing will be online through the Candidate Self Service Portal and access to scripts will be available on Tuesday 9th February.  Full details of the viewing and appeals process will be provided to candidates at the time of issue of the results.

Key dates for candidate on-line services 

Central Applications Office (CAO) Notification Arrangements

The SEC will provide the CAO with details of the Leaving Certificate Examination results for candidates who were not provided with Calculated Grades.  For candidates who received Calculated Grades and who also sat Leaving Certificate 2020, the CAO will be notified of the higher subject grade achieved between the Calculated Grade and the written examination.  Leaving Certificate students who are entitled to a higher CAO offer on foot of these results, will receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. Higher education institutions making improved offers to students will be in contact with them during the week commencing 8 February.  In order to take up a deferred offer, students who have not already done so must make a 2021 application to the CAO. Formal CAO offers of deferred places will issue in July. 

If a student who has started first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer following the written examinations and chooses to accept this offer in the 2021/22 academic year, attendance for the first year on the new course will remain eligible for free fees and SUSI funding as appropriate.

Helplines 

The SEC will provide a helpline for candidates in relation to their examination results.  The helpline will open at 9 am on 2nd February, and will remain open until the appeal application closing date of Friday, 12th February at 5pm. The helpline can be contacted at 1800 100 135 and is available each day from 9am until 5pm.   School authorities with enquiries about the results can also contact the SEC at this number.

The National Parents Council-Post-Primary, with the support of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, will operate a helpline for Leaving Certificate students receiving their results next Tuesday, 2 February 2021. The helpline will be staffed by qualified guidance counsellors and will provide advice to students and parents regarding the examination results. The helpline can be contacted at 1800 265 165, and will remain open until Friday evening, 5 February 2021.  (Note: This helpline facility is not operated by the State Examinations Commission)

Appreciation

I am pleased to report that the delivery of the later examinations in schools was exemplary.  While the numbers of candidates may ultimately have been small, members of the school community invested considerable effort and time, including over evenings and weekends, in the detailed planning and delivery of the revised examination arrangements to ensure that students had the opportunity to sit their examinations safely, in line with all public health guidance, while maintaining the highest standards of examinations integrity.  On behalf of the SEC, please accept my sincere thanks for the co-operation, assistance and support shown by school leaders and staff which ensured that these examinations could take place throughout November and December for the benefit of students.  

Your sincerely, 

Andrea Feeney

Chief Executive Officer

February, 2021