Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

PATHWAYS INTO LCA 35Somewhat surprisingly, the longitudinal data found that overallacademic self-image of the students, that is, their perceived capacity to copewith schoolwork over the course of the junior cycle, is not significantlyrelated to LCA take-up. In third year, students who went on to take LCAwere just as likely as other students to agree that they were ‘doing well atthis school’ or that ‘the schoolwork is quite easy in this school’. However,when LCA entrants were asked to compare themselves with other studentsin the school, they were much less likely to report that they were doing aswell in their schoolwork (65 per cent compared with 86 per cent).Furthermore, they were much more likely than other students to reportthat they had trouble keeping up with their schoolwork (41 per centcompared with 25 per cent). LCA entrants were also more likely to reportthat they had been ‘below average’ in schoolwork compared to otherstudents in their year group (28 per cent compared with 11 per cent).Perceptions of being ‘below average’ emerged in the qualitativeinterviews where respondents were reflective about their academic ability injunior cycle. Many felt they could not cope with their schoolwork ingeneral. Deirdre felt that she was ‘bottom of the class’ when asked whatshe thought of school in junior cycle:I hated it, being completely honest…. I wouldn’t have been the best now in thatschool, I wouldn’t have been the best now at all, probably, I just didn’t enjoy itbecause like, I wasn’t good at school at all…different subjects I would have beenalways kind of bottom of the class, you know that kind of way, I just didn’t enjoyit at all. (Deirdre, 22, completed LCA, unemployed)Anne disliked school and struggled with her subjects and studying ingeneral:I just hated the, see, I’m not good at studying and it was all studying, I couldn’t, Ijust couldn’t concentrate on the book like. (Anne, 21, completed LCA,employed)When asked whether she liked school during her junior cycle, Marydescribed how she found the whole experience stressful and felt thatschool did not suit her:I hated it…I’m not really a school person, I don’t mind it, it was just thepressure, I don’t work well under pressure, if I’m left to do my own thing I worka lot better. (Mary, 22, completed LCA, home duties)Despite these negative experiences, the longitudinal data show thatstudents entering LCA do not differ markedly from other students in theextent to which they report liking school over the course of the juniorcycle. The exception to this pattern is somewhat less positive attitudes toschool at the end of first year than other students. LCA entrants aresomewhat less likely to have found schoolwork interesting in third year(though the differences are not marked) and significantly less likely to agreethat they ‘like school better than other students’ (16 per cent comparedwith 30 per cent).The qualitative interviews also highlighted the end of first year as aperiod when students began to disengage from school. This may reflect theend of a “honeymoon” period and the fact that students are becoming