Killina Presentation Secondary School

Background

The Leaving Certificate (Established) programme offers students a broad and balanced education while allowing for some specialisation. The certificate is used for the purposes of selection into further education, employment, training and higher education.
The examination is the terminal examination of post-primary education. It is held at the end of the Senior Cycle in post-primary schools. The Senior Cycle caters for students in the 15 to 18 year old age group. The majority of candidates who sit for the examinations are recognised students in post-primary schools, are 17 or 18 years of age and have completed 5 or 6 years of post-primary education.
However, candidature for the examination is not limited to post-primary school students. A candidate following an approved course of study outside the State or who is attending an approved course of study organised under the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme , Adult Literacy and Community Education Schemes, the Department of Social and Family Affairs second-level scheme for the unemployed or an analogous scheme, may be admitted to the examinations on payment of the appropriate fee.
Subject Choice. The examination is offered in the subjects listed below.

Subject Clashes


The State Examinations Commission makes every effort to arrange the examination timetable in order to minimise the potential for subject clashes. Sometimes students enter for subjects that are timetabled for the same time and date. Arrangements can be made to allow time to sit both papers. Please contact Entries Section for further information. Telephone 090 6442704 / 6442702 / 6442706.

Composition of the Examination

The examination incorporates written tests in all subjects. In addition, there are oral and aural tests in the subjects Irish, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. There are practical examinations in the subjects Engineering, Construction Studies, Art and Music. There is Practical Course Work in the subjects Engineering; Construction Studies; Agricultural Economics; Agricultural Science; LCVP; History; Geography and Religious Education . The new examination in Home Economics includes an element of assessed course work and also a Textile option.

Grading

Results of the Leaving Certificate examination subjects are given in the form of grades. Each grade represents a percentage range of marks as follows:

Percentage Range % Grade

90 or over A1

85 but less than 90 A2

80 but less than 85 B1

75 but less than 80 B2

70 but less than 75 B3

65 but less than 70 C1

60 but less than 65 C2

55 but less than 60 C3

50 but less than 55 D1

45 but less than 50 D2

40 but less than 45 D3

25 but less than 40 E

10 but less than 25 F

Less than 10 No Grade

SUBJECTS OFFERED AT SENIOR CERTIFICATE LEVEL
(7 Subjects are usually taken by students)

Religious studies
Gaeilge
English
Mathematics
LCVP
Accounting
Music
Construction Studies-Building
Geography
Social and Science - Home Economics
French
Technical Drawing
History
Biology
Business
Physics
Chemistry
Physical Education
Computer Studies
German
Careers
Art
Design & Communication Graphics