Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

64 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?However, one respondent noted that, as she attended a single-sexschool, she did not have access to technological subjects:Was there some sort of woodwork or something? I think that would haveprobably been pretty cool to do, but obviously the girls aren’t going to go for muchof that. (Sarah, 21, completed LCA, employed)A significant difference in the nature and content of LCA comparedwith LCE/LCVP relates to the key place accorded to work experience.Two-thirds of LCA students reported having work experience during fifthyear compared with 8 per cent of other students. Similarly in sixth year 95per cent of LCA students reported having a work experience placementcompared with 13 per cent of other students. Students were for the mostpart very positive about the role of work experience in the LCAprogramme, and their perceptions are explored in greater detail in Chapter6.5.3PerceivedStandards ofSchoolworkChapter 4 indicated that most of the students taking LCA hadexperienced difficulties with their schoolwork over the course of juniorcycle. This section explores the perceived ease or difficulty of schoolworkwithin the LCA programme. Figure 5.4 indicates that the transition fromjunior to senior cycle is very different for LCA and other LC students.Around half of LCA students find schoolwork easier and spend less timeon homework in fifth year than previously. In contrast, four-fifths ofLCE/LCVP students find schoolwork more difficult than previously andaround half of them are spending more time on homework. LCE andLCVP students experience further increasing demands as they move intosixth year, finding schoolwork more challenging and spending more timethan before on homework (Figure 5.5). In contrast, LCA students are morelikely to find schoolwork and homework ‘about the same’ in sixth year as infifth year. In addition, almost a third of LCA students in sixth year reportspending less time on homework than previously.Figure 5.4: Comparison of Schoolwork and Homework in Fifth Year withExperiences in Junior Certificate Year, as Reported by Students807060%5040302010Harder/more timeSameEasier/less time0LCA LCE/LCVP LCA LCE/LCVPSchoolworkHomeworkSource: Post-Primary Longitudinal Study (PPLS) database.