The Minister Foley has provided an update for incoming third year and sixth year students who will be taking state examinations in summer 2021.

The documentation which is attached below, sets out the adjusted assessment arrangements for these post-primary students. These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by these students during the 2019/20 school year.

The adjustments have been arrived at through discussions between the Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders.

As schools have significant autonomy in determining how to sequence and pace learning for students in their schools, no centrally prescribed adjustment of the curriculum and courses of study would be effective for students taking the certificate examinations in summer 2021.

Consequently, the most appropriate way to reflect and take account of the challenges for students that have occurred in 2019/20 and may occur in 2020/21 is to incorporate adjustments to the certificate examinations in 2021. The adjustments put in place will play to student strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations while incorporating additional choice. The assessment arrangements provide clarity, certainty and reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools in advance of the start of the 2020/2021 school year.

The document below outlines the assessment changes for each subject comparing 2021 vs the 2020 examinations.