The following documentation published by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) that are now available at www.examinations.ie:
1. Further Adjustments to the Written Examinations - Leaving Certificate 2022
2. Timetables for the 2022 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle written examinations which commence on Wednesday 8 June
Timetable
Leaving Certificate Examination Timetable 2022
Junior Cycle Examination Timetable 2022
Further Adjustments to the Written Examinations
Subject-by-subject arrangements for the 2022 examinations have now been finalised and are published in a document entitled, ‘Further Adjustments to the Written Examinations - Leaving Certificate 2022’, available at this link. In some subjects the adjustments are in addition to the previous adjustments while in some subjects these further adjustments supersede the previous ones. This latest 2022 document also includes details of the four new curricular language subjects – Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, and Lithuanian. These further adjustments apply to the written examinations only. In the case of Gaeilge and the modern foreign languages, there is no change to the aural component, and there is likewise no change to the listening component in music. There are no further adjustments to practical coursework, orals, and practical performance tests. Information on the adjustments to these assessment components are set out in Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2022 (here) and these still apply.
Leaving Certificate
In 2019 the Leaving Certificate written examination timetable was extended to 15 days and this format has been retained for 2022 with Leaving Certificate examinations concluding on Tuesday 28 June. The extended timetable has been designed to alleviate pressure on candidates by eliminating subject clashes as much as possible. The extended timetable has been designed to enhance the wellbeing of examination candidates by eliminating, to the greatest possible degree, the possibility that candidates will have to take three examinations in one day. However, given the timeframe in which the written examinations are held, even taking account of the extra days, the number and duration of the examinations, and the wide subject choices available to candidates, it is not possible to guarantee that a situation will not arise that will require a student to undertake three examinations on one day. The following final examinations will take place in May with the exact dates yet to be announced; LCVP Links Modules written examination; Leaving Certificate Computer Science final examination and LCA Information Technology (Specialism) examination.
Junior Cycle
Junior Cycle examinations will take place this summer having been last held in 2019. Adjustments to the assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle have been made and advised in August 2021, including a reduction in the number of Classroom Based Assessments to be completed, the removal of the requirement to complete Assessment Tasks and adjustments to the requirements in coursework and practical performance tests. These adjustments provide for more teaching time in schools. The examinations which take place this year will see all reformed subjects being examined for the first time with the exception of English, Science and Business. The reformed Junior Cycle English specification has been examined since 2017 while the reformed Junior Cycle specifications for Science and Business were examined for the first time in 2019. Other than Irish, English and Mathematics which are examined at Higher and at Ordinary level, all subjects are examined at Common Level. There are no longer any second papers in Irish, English or Mathematics. Most examinations are of 2 hours duration while those subjects with a coursework component which is externally assessed by the SEC are of 1 hour 30 minutes duration (with the exception of Graphics which is of 2 hours duration).
The reforms at Junior Cycle have facilitated the shortening of the timetable to 9 days in total with the examinations concluding on the morning of Monday 20 June with the examination in Graphics.
Leaving Certificate Alternative Sitting
The announcement regarding arrangements for State Examinations 2022 made on 1 February involves two sittings of the Leaving Certificate written examinations: the first main sitting and a second alternative sitting, which will be strictly limited to students unable to sit one or more papers in the main sitting on one of the following three distinct grounds;
1. serious medical reasons
2. close family bereavement
3. due to Covid-19 based on the public health rules that will apply in society in June.
The eligibility criteria for access to the second sitting, which will be strictly applied, will be determined with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity which govern all aspects of the examinations system. It is intended that the alternative sitting will commence shortly after the conclusion the main sitting. Further details of the alternative sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be issued by the SEC in due course.
Examination Fees 2022
The Minister for Education has decided that there will be no fees levied for the 2022 examinations; Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied or Junior Cycle. Schools are asked to ensure that candidates, parents and guardians are advised that the fees for the 2022 examinations are being waived.