From Leaving CertiFiCate to Leaving SChooL a Longitudinal Study ...

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From Leaving Certificate to Leaving School
Main Findings
Curriculum in Sixth Year
This report shows that young people’s experiences of sixth year depend on
the Leaving Certificate programme they take, the subjects they select and
the levels at which they study these subjects. Students were broadly satisfied
with the Leaving Certificate programmes that they take, with higher
satisfaction levels among those taking the Leaving Certificate Applied
(LCA) programme. Satisfaction was, however, linked to how well students
were doing academically, with many students critical of the increased
workload during sixth year and the almost complete reliance on a terminal
exam. Students were generally positive about the subjects they were taking.
However, many students expressed regret about taking certain subjects
while others indicated subjects they would have preferred to have
taken. Significant variation was found across schools in the proportion of
students taking higher level subjects, a variation which largely reflected
the between-school differences in level take-up at junior cycle.
Student Perceptions of Teaching
The kinds of teaching methods used were found to differ across the
Leaving Certificate programmes. LCA students reported a greater use of
active learning methods such as group-work and project work as well as
greater interaction with teachers and classmates. In contrast, the Leaving
Certificate Established (LCE) and Leaving Certificate Vocational
(LCVP) programmes were characterised by greater use of teacher-led
instruction, with an emphasis on ‘practising exam papers’ and doing
homework. Students saw ‘good teachers’ as those who came to class
prepared, were patient and willing to explain things, and recognised the
importance of treating students with respect and care. In keeping with
their comments in previous years, students generally favoured the use of
more active learning approaches as well as lessons which were ‘fun’ and
relevant to their lives. What is distinctive about the Leaving Certificate
year is that some students, particularly those from more middle-class and
academically-oriented schools, became highly instrumental in how they
approached the impending exam, focusing only on what was required to
do well. These students were impatient with teachers who did not con-