As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to ‘continue the programme of reform of Senior Cycle to ensure that students benefit from up-to-date curricula, more diverse skills development and assessments, and reduced stress levels.’
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for administering the State examinations and for setting authentication requirements for any coursework components in line with overall examinations and assessment policy. Prior to the implementation of revised subject specifications and assessment arrangements under the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme, 28 existing Leaving Certificate subjects already included assessment components beyond written examinations, including oral examinations, practical performance tests, and coursework. The policy rationale underpinning AACs is to reward students for demonstrating a broader range of skills and competencies than can be assessed through terminal written examinations alone.
To protect examination integrity and ensure inter-candidate equity, the SEC advises that it requires all coursework to be authenticated. Coursework completion and authentication is an ongoing process of engagement and oversight over by class teachers, rather than a single ‘point in time’ engagement. Regular, comprehensive engagement with the student and oversight of the development of the work over the period enables teachers to authenticate any work being submitted to the SEC and enables principals to verify that the coursework has been undertaken in line with the SEC rules.
Each piece of coursework presented for assessment to the SEC must be the student’s own, individual work completed in full compliance with the SEC’s www.examinations.ie/docs/viewer.php?q=f6aceaad84e313de562fc03dc827478372eaaad9 The rules for the completion, authentication and submission of Coursework apply to the eight new Coursework AACs for first examination in 2027, and they also applied to all coursework completed at the 2026 examinations, and indeed to all Coursework completed in all previous years.
The SEC’s consolidated Coursework Rules and Procedures, published in November 2025, bring together longstanding coursework requirements previously set out in SEC circulars. The SEC also issues annual subject-specific instructions on coursework requirements and their acceptance, published in the Schools/Circulars/Orals and Practicals section of www.examinations.ie. Consistent application of these rules is essential to maintaining the integrity, fairness, and public confidence in the State examinations system. Ensuring equity and academic integrity is a shared responsibility of myself as Minister, my Department, and the SEC, as well as schools, teachers, students, and their families. School-based authentication remains central to ensuring fair and reliable assessment.
Some students may not be following a programme of study for the Leaving Certificate examination in a recognised post-primary school or other centre recognised by the SEC to provide the certificate examinations. Some students may be in receipt of home-tuition, or being home-schooled, or may be studying independently. Other students may be attending a recognised school but may wish to take an additional subject outside of their base school.
Any Coursework completed by a student on their own or with private tuition outside a school, or other recognised examination centre, cannot be accepted for assessment by the SEC. This is because it is not possible to have such work authenticated by a class teacher and verified by a principal, as required, in line with the rules which apply to all other candidates.
The requirements are developed to ensure that all candidates complete Coursework under the same conditions and adhere to the same process of authentication. This is to ensure inter-candidate equity and to ensure the authenticity of all Coursework presented for assessment.
For the SEC to accept coursework for assessment which has not been authenticated would represent an unfairness to the general body of candidates required to comply with the rules which safeguard the integrity of the examinations system.
However, there are arrangements that these candidates may be able to make with a recognised school or centre which will enable them to complete and submit valid coursework to the SEC for assessment.
As the Deputy will know, my Department operates a Home Tuition Grant scheme. The purpose of which is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service which includes for Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school. On approval of home tuition, parents/guardians are provided with information regarding the regulations governing the completion, acceptance, and authentication of coursework for the certificate examinations.
In order to fulfil the requirements for the submission of valid coursework for assessment, students in receipt of home-tuition and their tutors may be able to liaise with a recognised school, such as the school the student previously attended, or other recognised examination centre. Such schools/centres may, at their discretion, facilitate a candidate in completing the coursework in that school or centre. The SEC may be able to accept such coursework for assessment provided that the teacher can authenticate the work and the School Principal can verify that the conditions for the completion of valid coursework have been fulfilled.
This also applies to other students in out of school environments who may also be able to attend a recognised school, or other recognised examination centre. Such schools/centres may, at their discretion, facilitate a candidate in completing the coursework in that school or centre.
It is the responsibility of each candidate, and, as appropriate, their parent/guardian(s), to familiarise themselves with the regulations and requirements of the SEC in relation to coursework to ensure that they can comply with the arrangements.
A person who is not a recognised pupil of a post-primary school, may be admitted to the Leaving Certificate examinations as an external candidate provided that certain conditions are met under the Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools. The SEC operates a separate application process for external candidates, and a Memorandum of Instructions is provided in order that external candidates fully understand the terms and conditions under which they can be accepted as an examination candidate. These rules include a requirement that they must first seek the permission of the school principal in the school they wish to sit the various components of their examinations including oral examinations, practical and project work including coursework, as well as the written examinations. External Candidates must provide evidence of the permission of the school principal(s) to the SEC using the School Permission Form available on the SEC website.
My officials and I will continue to engage with the SEC and all our education partners to ensure the redevelopment of senior cycle responds to the needs of our students, preparing them for their future lives in education and the workforce while upholding the high standards of fairness and equity for which the Leaving Certificate is known.
