Please find hereunder, details of the statement issues by the Minister For Education relating to the Leaving Certificate calculated Grades 2020.

 

Dear Principal,

 

This is to advise you that the Minister for Education and Skills today issued a statement relating to the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades Process. A copy of this statement can be found here

 

The statement relates to two errors that the Department has found in the Calculated Grades process. These errors led to incorrect grades having been issued to some students when they received their results on 7 September.

 

The errors are being rectified and the process is being re-checked, including a series of independent checks, by US-based organisation Educational Testing Service (ETS), which specialises in educational measurement, which is also now in train.  It is expected that this process will be completed over the coming days, at which time contact will be made by the Department with students.  It will not be possible to identify the affected students unless this process has been completed.

 

The Department’s checks have indicated that this will mean that some students will be receiving a higher Calculated Grade in one or more subjects than the grades they received on 7 September. The precise number of students who will receive higher grades will not be available until the process is completed, but it is likely to be in the region of 6,500, or just over 10 per cent of the 61,000 who received their results. The number of grades involved will equate to approximately two per cent of the grades issued. The majority of students affected will receive an upgrade in one subject only.

 

No student will receive a reduced grade in any subject as a result of this process. 

 

This matter is deeply regretted by the Minister and the Department and they apologise sincerely to each student impacted for these errors, and the upset and distress they have caused.

 

The Department has put in place a helpline for students which is now open and will be operated up to Sunday 04 October. The helpline number is 01 8892199. Updated information has also being posted at www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate. An email address for queries is also available at LC2020@education.gov.ie

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit,

Department of Education and Skills.