The Leaving Certificate is a two-year, mainly academic course that is exam-focussed. Students complete 7 subjects for their Leaving Certificate in OLM. This is to ensure that their top 6 subjects are counted towards the CAO points sytem for University should they have applied for a 3rd level course.

Most subjects have some coursework element, whether it be practical, oral, or written task. These are completed over two years. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) examines written assessments at the end of 6th Year.

All students complete the following:

• Irish (unless they have a specific exemption)
• English
• Mathematics

Students also choose four optional subjects from the following list:

• Art
• Biology
• Business
• Design & Communication Graphics
• Geography
• History
• Home Economics
• Modern Foreign Language (French/Spanish)
• Music. 

These are the subjects in which they will be assessed by the SEC.

Students’ wellbeing and opportunities to progress are very important at senior cycle. All senior cycle students are timetabed for careers lessons, where they can explore their options about where they wish to go after school. They also complete P.E. and R.E. lessons to allow the time in school dedicated to their physical and mental wellbeing.

Assessment and grades for Leaving Certificate explained:

LCA is a two-year Leavng Certificate course. Rather than being exam focussed, it is assessed in four sessions over two years. Rather than receive grades, students receive credits for each session. There are some limited exams at the end of the course.

More vocational in its approach than LCE, the LCA course is an excellent end of school qualification for those who may wish to progress immediately to the world of work, apprenticeships or College of Further Education. It also allows students to progress to 3rd level so long as they complete a Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) Course first. 

Students complete a number of Key assignments  during each session, and have 7 tasks (projects) to complete over 2 years. It is continuously assessed, for e.g. having 90% attendance is a major part of this course. Subjects are as follows:

• English and Communications
• Mathematical Applications
• Gaeilge (Irish) is covered in 5th year
• Italian is covered in 6th year
• Vocational Preparation: Guidance, Jobsearch, Enterprise 1& 2, Work Experience 1, 2&3 , Community Work, Work and Living
• Hotel Catering and Tourism (Specialism)
• Arts- Visual Art
• Introduction to Communication and Technology (ICT) in 5th Year
• Information and Communication (Elective)
• Craft and Design (Specialism)
• Social Education
• Leisure and Recreation

Students are awarded credits and grades as follows:

• PASS: Students need 60% to pass : 120 credits
• MERIT: 70% to get a Merit: 140 credits
• DISTINCTION: 85% to get a Distinction: 170 credits