Nervous wait for Leaving Certs

ABOUT 1,400 students and their families in Clare have a nervous week ahead, as they await the Leaving Cert results, which will be released on Wednesday.

This year, 664 girls and 729 boys were registered to sit their final State exams in June, while a further 31 females and 36 males were registered for the Leaving Cert Applied. This week, they will find out how they got on.

Gardaí in Clare are encouraging young people to enjoy themselves but to behave responsibly in their celebrations.

“People have put a lot of hard work into getting these results and we are here to facilitate them having a good and safe time. There is a responsibility on people to ensure they don’t over-do it and get over-enthusiastic and drink too much because, if that happens, we will have to step in and may have to arrest them. Leaving Cert results are the start of a whole new chapter in people’s lives and the last thing anyone wants is an arrest on their record for a public order offence because they didn’t know to stop drinking when they should have,” Superintendent Derek Smart stated.

A special helpline is open to support the more than 57,000 Leaving Cert students nationwide and their families.
Exam Helpline 2014 is provided by the National Parents’ Council Post Primary (NPCpp) and will open next Wednesday, offering advice, information and support to Leaving Certificate students receiving their results.
The 1800 265 165 Freephone helpline is open from 10am on results day, to take calls from students, parents and teachers seeking advice and information on what choices are available to students.
It is funded by eircom, supported by the Department of Education and Skills and staffed by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. The helpline received thousands of calls last year, helping students make informed decisions about the choices they face and their future career paths. All queries on third-level courses, the points system, rechecks, repeats, CAO procedures, apprenticeships and further training options will be dealt with in a professional and confidential manner.

“We are delighted to once again provide this valuable resource for parents, students and teachers. It can be a very stressful time for parents and students, as they work out their options. Speaking to a qualified guidance counsellor is an invaluable source of accurate and up-to-date information,” Don Myers, NPCpp president, said.

“This year, the lines will be open from August 13 for six days in total. The team will answer exam result queries on August 13, 14 and 15 and then help with CAO first-round queries on August 18,Helpline opening hours are August 13 and 14 from 10am to 7pm, Friday, August 15 from 10am to 1pm, on August 18 and 19 from 8am to 7pm, and on August 20 from 8am to 1pm.

Griffith College has also offered advice to parents dealing with their Leaving Certs ahead of the big day.
Richard Murphy, school’s liaison officer for the college, said,  “It is important for parents to take time ahead of this important day to prepare for all eventualities so that their children feel supported and the correct course of action is taken to ultimately secure a college place.”

According to Richard, parents and students should sit down in advance of the results to talk about their options, should prepare a plan B and remember to be sensitive when discussing their results with friends.