Ennis Community College offers the L.C.A programme to senior students. Some students will find this programme a very suitable route to pursue at senior cycle.
It is a modular based programme with continuous assessment of students. Students receive credits for completed assignments. This is a two-year programme incorporating a work experience module.
Ms.Martina McNamara is co-ordinator for all LCA students.
Courses are offered in three main areas:
- Vocational Preparation, involving work experience, enterprise and communication
- General Education, offering lifeskills, the arts, social education, leisure and language
- Vocational Education.
Assessment
Students who successfully complete the programme will receive a Leaving Certificate from the State Examinations Commission. All credits awarded will be recorded on the Leaving Certificate Applied parchment.
This certificate will be awarded at three levels. Certificate Levels Award Result Credits
- Pass 60-69 % (120 – 139 credits)
- Merit 70-84 % (140 – 169 credits)
- Distinction 85-100 % (170 – 200 credits)
Candidates who acquire less than 120 credits will receive a Record of Experience. This will also apply to those who leave before the end of the programme. The Leaving Certificate Applied assessment takes place over the two years under three headings:
- Satisfactory Completion of Modules
- Performance of Student Tasks
- Performance in the Terminal Examinations.
At the end of each Session a student is credited on satisfactory completion of the appropriate modules.
Student Tasks are assessed by external examiners appointed by the Department of Education and Science. These Tasks may be in a variety of formats – written, audio, video, artefact etc. Each student is also required to produce a report on the process of completing the Task. This report may be incorporated in the evidence of task performance.
Chief Examiner Reports on all student tasks are available to download from the State examinations Commission Website.
Terminal Examinations are provided in the following areas:
- English and Communication
- Two Vocational Specialisms
- Mathematical Applications
- Language (Gaeilge Chumarsáideach & Modern European Languages)
Social Education
The written examinations will generally be held in the same period as the other Leaving Certificate examinations.
Oral examinations, as well as written/aural examinations, will be held in the case of all the languages including English and Communications.
Past examination papers, practical examination assignment briefs, marking schemes and Chief Examiner Reports are available to download from the website of the State Examinations Commission.