Leaving Certificate Applied
The Sacred Heart School embarked upon a new journey in September 2011, with the introduction of the Leaving Certificate Applied.
The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is a distinct self- contained two – year programme aimed at preparing students for adult and working life. The programme puts an emphasis on many forms of achievement and excellence, which the established Leaving Certificate has not recognised in the past.
The LCA focuses on the talents of each individual student and helps students apply what they learn in the classroom into the real world. The girls are studying many new subjects such as Craft and Design, Childcare, Drama, ICT and Social Studies.
We hope all the students in our new LCA class, St. Therese, will have an enjoyable and successful educational experience.
Leaving Cert Applied Overview
The Leaving Certificate Applied was introduced to recognise the talents of all students and provide opportunities for development in terms of responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge. It is an innovative programme in the way students learn, in what they learn and in the way their achievements are assessed
The Leaving Certificate Applied is intended to meet the needs of those students who are not adequately catered for by other Leaving Certificate programmes or who choose not to opt for such programmes.
The advantage of Leaving Certificate Applied is that it focuses on the talents of each individual student and helps students apply what they learn in the real world. The two-year programme consists of four half-year blocks called Sessions and achievements are credited in each of these Sessions.
Each course consists of a number of modules. A module generally represents a half-year’s work and there is provision for some choice of modules:eg: For Arts Education we choose Drama as our option. Choice also exists in relation to Vocational Specialisms. Two courses are selected from a range of Vocational Specialisms. This year in the SHS, the choices are Childcare and Craft & Design.
For the elective subjects, two courses, Religious Education and Science are offered in our school.
LCA students participate in work experience twice a year during the programme.
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.
More information about the LCA programme can be found at: