Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

20 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?The largest single group of those taking LCA receive a merit-levelaward, a pattern evident in both 1997 and 2007 (Figure 3.9). Femalestudents are more likely to receive distinctions and less likely to receivepasses than their male counterparts. Between 1997 and 2007, there hasbeen a decline in the proportion of LCA candidates who receivedistinctions.Figure 3.9: LCA Awards, 1997 and 200760.050.0%40.030.020.0DistinctionsMeritsPassesRecord of Credits10.00.0Male Female Male Female1997 2007* Pass 120-139 credits 60-69 per cent, Merit 140-169 credits 70-84 per cent, Distinction170-200 credits 85-100 per centSource: DES Statistical Reports, various years; SEC Annual Reports, various years.3.3WhichSchoolsProvide theLCAProgramme?The analysis shown above indicates variation in the provision of the LCAprogramme across school sectors. However, variation by sector may reflectdifferences in school size or composition so it is worth exploring whetherother school characteristics influence provision. Two data sources can beused for this purpose: the Moving Up national survey of second-levelprincipals from 2002, and the Department of Education and Sciencestudent database for 2006.Table 3.1 shows the results of a set of logistic regression models of thefactors predicting provision of the LCA programme in 2002 and 2006.Somewhat different variables are available in the two datasets but togetherthey give us insights into the kinds of schools which offer the programme.Provision of LCA does not vary significantly by region so this factor is notincluded in the models shown. In both 2002 and 2006, larger schools werefound to be more likely to provide the programme than smaller schools.This pattern reflects the constraints on smaller schools in allowing studentsto pursue diverse pathways at senior cycle. The variation by school sectorindicated in Figure 3.3 above is not as pronounced when school size anddisadvantaged status are taken into account. However, community/comprehensive schools are somewhat more likely than other school typesto provide the programme, while boys’ secondary schools are less likely todo so.