URSULINE COLLEGE BLACKROCK

Senior Cycle

"Education is the movement from darkness into light." - Allan Bloom.

L.C.A. is an alternative to the traditional Leaving Certificate and is known as The Leaving Certificate Applied.

L.C.A. is a Senior Cycle pathway, with all subjects taught through practically based modules and tasks. Students continue their education in core subjects areas and experience more skill based subjects such as Hair and Beauty and Childcare. L.C.A. is perfect for students who wish to pursue their further education through more practical and skill based tasks that can be brought into the world of further education and employment.

There are numerous types of students who would benefit from the L.C.A. program. From students who find the traditional Leaving Cert format too stressful or too overwhelming, and therefore are anxious about staying in Secondary Level education. To the student who feels the L.C.A. program would be of benefit to them on their path towards FETAC, College and Third Level education.

A student applies for LCA by filling out an application form which is then followed by an interview with LCA coordinator and The Principal.

The LCA course requires 90% attendance to accumulate maximum credits.
Credits Are Allocated As Follows:
1.   All Key Assignments plus 90% attendance = 62 credits = 31% of Final Result.
2.   7 Student Tasks@ 10 credits each = 70 credits = 35% of Final Result.
3.   Final LCA exam in the 6 subjects listed(exemptions included)= 68 credits =34% of Final Result.
Total = 200 credits =100%

Certification Awarded At Three Levels
●   Distinction 170 - 200 credits = 85 -100%
●   Merit 140 -169 credits = 70 - 84%
●   Pass 120 - 139 credits = 60 - 69%.

LCA is a two year course composed of Modules, Key Assignments, Tasks and a final LCA Exam in the following subjects
●   English And Communication
●   Mathematical Applications
●   Irish
●   French
●   Social Education
●   Hair and Beauty
●   Childcare.
●   Irish or French are examined at the end of the first year and the rest are examined at the end of the second year.

The following subjects do not have a final exam but do have modules, key assignments and tasks.These subject areas are
●   Vocational Preparation And Guidance and
●   Recreation And Leisure.
The subjects of Religious Studies ,Visual Arts ,Information Technology and Science have modules and Key Assignments but no task.

The LCA is made of of four sessions - two in the first year and two in second year.
Session 1 is from September to January of the first year, session 2 is from February to June in the first year, session 3 is from September to January of the second year and session 4 is from February to June of second year.
During each session all subjects will be given credits through particular work called Key Assignments related to modules within each subject. This allows credits to be accumulated for work done once the student has 90% attendance.

A module is a particular area of study in each subject and the number varies from 2 to 5 modules depending on the subject. Key Assignments are particular studies and work related to the modules of each subject. Credits are assigned for Key Assignments at the end of each session.

A task is a project followed by an interview which takes place in the following subjects:
●   English And Communication
●   Recreation And Leisure
●   Vocational Preparation And Guidance
●   Social Education
●   Hair and Beauty
●   Childcare
●   Practical Achievement Task - task is based on the students learning a new skill by attending some classes outside school.

Work experience forms a very important part of LCA and takes place every Thursday for the two years.
A different work placement is required for each session so that the student will not only experience different types of employment but will know what they don’t want to do as a career and what they would be interested in doing as a career.
It will also help guide them to the course they wish to study after their Applied Leaving Cert.

Students get best results in LCA with full to 90% attendance and full commitment by giving their best to Key Assignments, Tasks and studying for the final exams.

Students having completed the LCA can apply to colleges Of Further Education such as School Of Commerce, Scoil Stiofain Naofa, St John's College etc and study to get FETAC Qualifications which can further lead to CIT or any other ITs and go on to study for a diploma and further if they get the required grades.

LCA link to syllabus is: https://pdst.ie>lca

When educating the minds of our youth we must not forget to educate their hearts. Dalai Lama.

(c)   Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)

LCVP is a Senior Cycle Programme designed to give a strong vocational dimension to the
Leaving Certificate. The programme combines the virtues of academic study with a dynamic
focus on self-directed learning, enterprise, work and the community. Students taking the
LCVP have a unique opportunity to develop their interpersonal, vocational and technological
skills. These skills are equally relevant to the needs of those preparing for further education,
seeking employment or planning to commence their own business sometime in the future.

LCVP students have to fulfil the following programme requirements:
●   At least five Leaving Certificate subjects, one of which must be Irish plus the Link Modules
●   Two of the above subjects must be selected from one of the designated Vocational Subject Groupings
●      Link Modules: Preparation for the World of Work and Enterprise Education ( in addition to Five subjects)
●      A recognised course in a Modern European Language other than Irish or English.

Note: If a student is exempt from Irish for the Leaving Certificate they must still comply with the requirement to present a minimum of five subjects in the Leaving Certificate.

The following are the Vocational Subject Groupings which students use to decipher if they
qualify to study LCVP:

Specialist/Service Groupings
●   Construction Studies; Engineering; Design and Communication Graphics; Technology Any Two
●   Physics and Construction Studies or Engineering or Technology or Design & Communication Graphics
●   Agricultural Science and Construction Studies or Engineering or Technology or Design & Communication Graphics
●   Agricultural Science and Chemistry or Physics or Physics/Chemistry
●   Home Economics; Agricultural Science; Biology - Any Two
●   Home Economics and Art - Design Option or Craft Option
●   Accounting; Business; Economics - Any two
●   Physics and Chemistry
●   Biology and Chemistry or Physics or Physics/Chemistry
●   Biology and Agricultural Science
●   Art - Design Option or Craft Option and Design & Communication Graphics
●   Engineering or Technology or Construction Studies or Design & Communication Graphics and Accounting or Business or Economics
●   Home Economics and Accounting or Business or Economics
●   Agricultural Science and Accounting or Business or Economics
●   Art Design or Craftwork Option and Accounting or Business or Economics
●      Music and Accounting or Business or Economics

The highlighted groupings above are typical of the subject options which allow our student to
qualify to study LCVP.

Assessment of Link Modules:
LCVP students follow the same subject syllabi and are assessed in the same way as their peers in the Leaving Certificate. For the Link Modules they are assessed by Written Examination (40%) and by Portfolio of Coursework (60%).
The Portfolio of coursework must be submitted on the first Wednesday in March. The written examination takes place the first Wednesday in May of the Leaving Certificate Year. The examination is of two and a half hours duration and consists of three sections which are outlined below.

The structure of the Written Examination is as follows:
Section A Audio Visual Presentation
Section B Case Study (received in advance by students)
Section C General Questions (4 out of 6)

The Portfolio of Coursework accounts for 60% of total marks. Students assemble the portfolio over the two years of the programme and it is assessed at the end of the final year of the Leaving Certificate. The Portfolio and Written Examination are externally assessed by the Department of Education & Skills.

Link Modules Portfolio:
The following are the core and optional items which are included in the Portfolio which is submitted on the first Wednesday in March of the Leaving Cert Year. There are 4 core items and we usually do the Recorded Interview and My Own Place investigation as our two optional items.

Core Items:
·         Curriculum Vitae
·         Career Investigation
·         Enterprise/Action Plan
·         Summary Report
Optional items:
·         Diary of Work Experience
·         Enterprise Report
·         Recorded Interview/Presentation
·         Report on My Own Place

Certification:
LCVP students receive the same certificate as other Leaving Certificate students but their Certificate includes an additional statement of the results of the Link Modules.
The Link Modules are recognised for points purposes by the Institutes of Technology and the Universities.

URSULINE COLLEGE BLACKROCK

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