To repeat, or not to repeat...

SOME students will be disappointed today and will be worrying about whether their results will deliver a desired college offer, and whether they should repeat the Leaving Cert.

There are many reasons why a student may feel today that they wish to repeat. They may fear they will miss out on their dream course by a small number of points. They may have performed badly in one subject or lacked confidence in their ability to achieve during sixth year and now, surprised by their results, are considering what they might have achieved had they settled down to early revision.

Patience is required — no one can predict what will happen with points and students often receive unexpected offers. In the meantime, there is no harm in gathering information, but avoid pressure to make a decision to repeat, just yet.

Whatever may motivate a young person to reconsider returning to Leaving Cert, it is essential to take some time to consider all options, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.

As I am sure every Leaving Cert parent and student will agree, sixth year is one of the most challenging years of any young person’s life and this is not likely to change the second time around.

For many young people, the goal of Leaving Cert is simply to achieve the requirements necessary to gain access to their chosen course and this goal should be kept at the forefront of their mind when making decisions about their options now. If a student has already achieved a place on a course that will get them to their career goal, even if it is not their dream course, moving forward to third level may be the better choice.

If this is not the case,it is worth considering a further education course, which may allow progression to a higher education course relevant to your career goal next year.

There are also apprenticeships and traineeships opening up.

It is often more beneficial for students to move forward in education than returning to a school environment at 18 or 19 years of age, which can be a huge challenge.

Additionally there are options such as CAO ‘available places’ and UCAS ‘clearing’.

When considering whether or not to repeat, it is helpful for students to ask themselves the following questions. What prevented me from gaining the result I wanted last year? Were these circumstances within my control? Will this be different next year or am I likely to fall into old habits?

A candidate can do much better second time round but is equally possible to slide into the same habits and achieve results that are only slightly better, or even lower, than in the first sitting.

Student should also consider their subjects — some will have different course work. For example, in English, the skills that students are required to develop remain fixed, but the texts may change. Other subjects affected by such changes include music and history.

Remember, Leaving Cert points must come from one sitting of the exams, but it is possible to repeat single subjects. Grades achieved in these subjects can be used to meet entry requirements.

Students who decide that repeating is the best option for them must now consider where they might choose to repeat.

They may wish to return to their own school, which is normally at the discretion the school principal.

It may have the benefit of being familiar and close to home, but, if your school does not have a dedicated repeat class (which most do not) then students may find they have outgrown that environment.

A small number of second-level schools offer a dedicated ‘repeat’ year, including O’Connell’s CBS, Dublin and Coláiste Mhuire, CBS Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

It is worth checking with local education and training boards (ETBs), as many further education colleges offer a ‘repeat’ year. This allows students to move to a college environment. Students may also consider ‘grind’ schools, although these are the most expensive option.

Repeating is a difficult decision and should not be entered into lightly. Students should consider contacting a guidance counsellor or the NPCPP Leaving Cert Helpline to discuss their options. of