SOME SAY THAT Ireland never had a summer until state examinations were invented.

As you might have gathered from the recent warm weather, the Leaving Cert is about to get underway. Thousands of students across the country will sit their first exams this week.

The nature of the exams and how subjects are assessed has changed both at senior level and in the Junior Cert over the years. This ranges from a more nuanced points system to some tentative continuous assessment.

But is the exam system fit for purpose? What changes are coming down the line?

Luke Saunders, co-founder and CEO of Studyclix, joins us on this week’s episode to give the lie of the land for anyone whose own memory of sitting the exams might be fading. We look at the lasting impact of the Covid pandemic on the exams and share advice for students and parents alike.

The Explainer / SoundCloud

This episode was created by Laura Byrne, senior producer Nicky Ryan and executive producer Sinéad O’Carroll.

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