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Ireland : Assessment arrangements

Last updated: 24-Jun-2005

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6 Assessment arrangements

For information regarding the assessment arrangements for the standard curriculum in mainstream schools in Ireland see sections:

6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.3, 6.1.4, 6.1.5, 6.1.6, 6.1.7, 6.1.8, 6.1.9 (pre-school education)
6.2.1, 6.2.2, 6.2.3, 6.2.4, 6.2.5, 6.2.6, 6.2.7, 6.2.8, 6.2.9 (primary-level education)
6.3.1, 6.3.2, 6.3.3, 6.3.4, 6.3.5, 6.3.6, 6.3.7, 6.3.8, 6.3.9 (compulsory secondary-level education)
6.4.1, 6.4.2, 6.4.3, 6.4.4, 6.4.5, 6.4.6, 6.4.7, 6.4.8, 6.4.9 (post-compulsory upper secondary education)

of the mainstream Ireland Archive.

 

For information regarding assessment arrangements in publicly-funded provision for students with special educational needs, click on the 'next section' link below.

6.5 PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION 6.5.1 CONTROL 6.5.2 PURPOSE(S) 6.5.3 PARTICIPATION 6.5.4 NATURE 6.5.5 ADMINISTRATION 6.5.6 GRADING PROCESS 6.5.7 CONSEQUENCES 6.5.8 USE OF RESULTS 6.5.9 OUTPUT STATISTICS

6.5 PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION

[see 3.2.5]

THAT IS, PROVISION FOR STUDENTS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS SUCH AS THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, HIGH ABILITY, BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES, OR THOSE FROM PARTICULAR ETHNIC GROUPS OR TRAVELLER COMMUNITIES.

6.5.1 CONTROL

Secondary-level assessment

There are national examinations on completion of mainstream, compulsory lower secondary education, and post-compulsory upper secondary education. These examinations are available to students with special educational needs. (See sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the mainstream Ireland Archive in addition.)

Junior cycle assessment

The Junior Certificate is the mainstream examination taken on completion of compulsory education by students aged around 15. In addition, there is a Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP). This is an intervention programme within the Junior Certificate programme, which sets out to offer a flexible approach to the curriculum and its assessment. It is particularly aimed at students who are at risk of leaving school early. Those following this programme take at least two subjects in the Junior Certificate examination, usually English and mathematics at foundation level, and may take other subjects as appropriate. The remainder of the curriculum focuses on key components of the curriculum in other curricular areas. The number of students registered for the JCSP has been rising over recent years, from just 48 in 1995/1996, to 1,440 in the 1997/98 school year.¹²

The Junior Certificate and the Junior Certificate School Programme are currently under review. It is hoped that if, as a result, the Certificate is developed so that there is less emphasis on terminal papers and greater consideration is given to school-based assessment, the potential to assist students with special needs taking the Certificate will be greatly enhanced.¹³

Leaving Certificate examinations

The Leaving Certificate (established) programme (see section 6.4 of the mainstream Ireland Archive) is often inappropriate for many students with general learning disabilities. However, the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), which uses a modular approach and short-term goal-setting has been accessed by some students with a mild general learning disability.¹⁴

Many students with special educational needs will not, however, find traditional post-primary programmes and courses appropriate to their needs. For these students, an alternative model is being included in the curriculum guidelines for students with mild, moderate, and severe and profound general learning disability currently being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) (see section 5.5.1). It is intended that the model will include transitional programmes that have a strong vocational element and a special emphasis on personal development and relationships that will enable students to transfer learning and reinforce it in social settings where possible. The main emphasis will be on the use of age-appropriate and ability-appropriate materials and methodologies and on preparing the student for life beyond the classroom.¹⁵

Leaving Certificate examinations are usually taken on completion of post-compulsory upper secondary education at around age 17 or 18. At present, students with a disability can apply through the school for special arrangements when sitting the Leaving Certificate examinations, for example, the provision of a paper in braille or the use of a tape recorder. The Department of Education and Science (DES) considers each application and gives the school details of any special arrangements granted to the student. A student who is dissatisfied with the arrangements proposed by the DES can appeal to an independent appeals committee.¹⁶

NCVA programmes

The National Council for Vocational Awards (NCVA) was established in 1991 to set, maintain and certify standards for vocational education and training. The courses are constructed on a modular basis and are certified. They operate at four levels, from foundation level to NCVA level 3. Assessment is on a portfolio basis. The awards are designed to provide access to employment and to facilitate progression to further education and training. At present, some special schools access NCVA programmes.¹⁷

Responsible bodies

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)

The NCCA was established by the Minister for Education and Science in November 1987. Its function is to advise the Minister on matters related to curriculum and assessment for early childhood, primary and post-primary education. The Education Act 1998¹⁸ established the NCCA as a statutory body and expanded its functions. The Act states that the object of the NCCA shall be to advise the Minister on matters relating to:

• the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools, and
  
• the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects that are part of the curriculum.¹⁹

The Act further states that is shall be a function of the NCCA:

• to advise the Minister on the requirements as regards curriculum and syllabuses for students with a disability or other special educational needs (SEN), and
  
• to promote equality of access to education generally.¹⁰

The term "students with a disability or other special educational needs" encompasses a wide range of disability and educational needs. In fulfilling its functions in this area, the NCCA is concentrating initially on developing curriculum guidelines for students with mild, moderate and severe and profound general learning disability. Other areas of special educational need will de dealt with subsequently.¹¹

In this context, NCCA is involved in:

• Planning the curriculum, including assessment, by setting out broad policy aims and specific policy objectives, and by drawing up syllabuses or courses of study.
  
• Consulting with all interests, through the representative nature of the Council itself and through consultative documents, discussion papers, seminars and meetings.
  
• Supporting the implementation of the curriculum, for example, through involvement in in-service training courses and the production of guidelines for teachers.
  
• Reviewing the effectiveness of the curriculum by, for example, monitoring students' performance in public examinations and commissioning research.
  
• Informing school authorities, teachers, parents, employers and the general public about developments in curriculum and assessment, through publications, public meetings, briefings and the media.¹²

The Minister for Education and Science appoints the Members of the Council for a three-year term of office. Currently, there are 22 members in all, coming from the various bodies that represent teachers, school managers, parents, employers and trade unions. Other members include Department of Education and Science (DES) representatives and nominees of the Minister. In addition, the NCCA has a small, full-time executive, professional and administrative staff, who are assisted by a number of part-time Education Officers. The latter are mainly subject specialists, usually appointed on a secondment basis to the NCCA. The NCCA works in close cooperation with officials of the DES.¹³

The work of the NCCA is carried out by a number of specialist committees with the guidance of the Executive. The committees comprise teachers, inspectors, representatives of teacher unions and school managerial bodies, parent and subject associations and higher education interests including universities and other colleges. These committees draw up the syllabus or course for each subject, curriculum area or programme.¹⁴

6.5.2 PURPOSE(S)

See sections 6.1.2, 6.2.2, 6.3.2 and 6.4.2 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

6.5.3 PARTICIPATION

See sections 6.1.3, 6.2.3, 6.3.3 and 6.4.3 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

See section 6.5.5 below in addition.

6.5.4 NATURE

See sections 6.1.4, 6.2.4, 6.3.4 and 6.4.4 of the mainstream Ireland Archive and section 6.5.5 below, in addition.

6.5.5 ADMINISTRATION

See sections 6.1.5, 6.2.5, 6.3.5 and 6.4.5 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

State examinations

Under present regulations governing the administration of state examinations, special arrangements may be made for a candidate with special educational needs, when it is indicated in advance of the examination that the candidate has difficulties which may preclude him or her from displaying the achievements which are assessed in the examination. In addition, special consideration may also be sought during or after an examination on the grounds that unforeseen circumstances arose during the course of, or around the time of, the examination which interfered with a candidate's performance.¹⁵

There is provision for a range of special arrangements. These may include:

• An additional time allowance. In cases where a scribe or mechanical aid is used or a candidate is visually impaired, candidates may be allowed 10 minutes' extra time per hour.
  
• Altering the means of access to questions. For example, examination papers may be read to certain candidates; or some questions may be modified for certain candidates. If questions refer to visual material such as diagrams, photographs or maps, these may be substituted by alternative questions for candidates who are visually impaired, for example.
  
• The provision of braille translations.
  
• The provision of enlarged print in examination papers.
  
• Permitting answers to be recorded on tape or word processor.
  
• Permitting the dictation of answers to a scribe.
  
• Sending an examination paper to a supervising examiner, if the examiner has difficulties reading it.
  
• Allowing candidates to take the examination in a special room in a school or hospital.¹⁶

An advisory group on the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate examinations, set up by the DES to study the arrangements made in examinations for students with special needs, reported back to the Minister of Education and Science in January 2000. The Group's report recommended that consideration should be given to making the time element of examinations less critical for students with special needs, and also recommended increasing their accessibility. As a result, a pilot initiative in the Leaving Certificate has been launched. This involves an increased time allocation of 20 minutes for papers in the subjects of Gaeilge (Irish), English, history and geography. In addition, in accordance with the recommendations of the report, it is intended that greater openness and transparency should apply in the operation of the decision-making process, and that a student applying for special examination arrangements should have access to an independent appeal body if dissatisfied with any aspect of the arrangements being made for him/her.¹⁷ The full report is available online at http://www.irlgov.ie/educ/specialneedsreport.htm

It is important to note that any student can apply for these special examination arrangements.

The main proposals for special examinations arrangements contained within the report can be summarised as follows:

• Special arrangements should be made for candidates who, because of a temporary, permanent or long-term disability, have special assessment needs in examinations.
  
• Provision should be made for both physical and learning disabilities.
  
• Special arrangements should not put the integrity, status or reputation of the examination at risk.
  
• Special arrangements should be designed to remove, as far as possible, the impact of a disability on a candidate's performance, so that he or she can demonstrate in the examination his or her level of achievement.
  
• Special arrangements are designed to assist a candidate in demonstrating his or her achievements in an examination setting. They are not designed to compensate for a possible lack of achievement arising from a disability.
  
• Since a core principle of the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate examinations is to ensure equitable treatment for all candidates, arrangements should not give the candidate for whom they are made an advantage over other candidates.
  
• Independent evidence of a disability and support needs should be required before allowing special arrangements.
  
• The precise arrangements to be made should be determined on the basis of the disability or impairment established in each individual case, and of the particular needs of the candidate in each individual subject area. Different subjects and different methods of assessment may make different demands on candidates.
  
• A candidate's disability may be such that it is not possible for him or her to participate in a particular mode of assessment (an aural examination for a candidate with severe hearing impairment, for example). In such cases, the candidate should be able to apply for an exemption from part of the assessment procedure.
  
• Where it is not possible for a candidate to participate in a particular mode of assessment, an alternative assessment procedure may be specified.
  
• An alternative procedure is not acceptable where the purpose of an examination would be compromised by its use. For example, reading a test of reading comprehension to a candidate with a specific reading difficulty.
  

When an element or elements of an examination have been waived, so that the purpose of the examination regarding that element or elements has not been met, or the method of examining has been significantly altered, this should be indicated by the presence of an explanatory note in the candidate's certificate of results.¹⁸

6.5.6 GRADING PROCESS

See sections 6.1.6, 6.2.6, 6.3.6 and 6.4.6 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

FURTHER INFORMATION BEING COLLECTED.

6.5.7 CONSEQUENCES

See sections 6.1.7, 6.2.7, 6.3.7 and 6.4.7 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

FURTHER INFORMATION BEING COLLECTED.

6.5.8 USE OF RESULTS

Junior Certificate examinations

Where students have followed a Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) (see section 6.5.1 for further information), a student profile is kept as a positive record of the student's achievement. On completion of the programme, students receive both state certification based on subjects taken in the Junior Certificate examination and a school-assessed student profile.¹⁹

Where special arrangements have been permitted for candidates taking state examinations, this is not currently indicated on a candidate's certificate of results.  However, under current proposals (see section 6.5.5), this may change.¹⁰

6.5.9 Output statistics

See sections 6.1.9, 6.2.9, 6.3.9 and 6.4.9 of the mainstream Ireland Archive, in addition.

FURTHER INFORMATION BEING COLLECTED.

 

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