Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2020-10-01
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Norma Foley (FF), Kerry

On Polymetrika, as the Deputy is aware and as I said earlier, the decision was taken in April to postpone the leaving certificate examinations until July, followed rather quickly on 8 May by the decision by the then Minister to move towards calculated grades. Prior to that, contingency planning was being undertaken as to what might happen if the Minister had to make the decision at that time.
It is important to point out, in reference to previous points the Deputy made about the difficulties and issues around calculated grades, that calculated grades were introduced by the Minister on 8 May but they were first mooted by students and, further to engagement with representative bodies such as teachers, principals, deputy principals, managerial bodies, parents and student representatives, it was an agreed process to move forward with calculated grades. It is important to acknowledge that this was the best view at the time given that we were living in an extraordinarily difficult time. The decision was made to ensure the students, the class of 2020, would have a pathway to move forward in terms of further or higher education or whatever other pathway they would want to choose. In the interests of balance it is very important to mention that.
Polymetrika and its principal, Fernando Cartwright, are experts in a highly technical and specialised field in the area of statistics, psychometrics and educational testing. Polymetrika had worked in Ireland previously and its expertise in statistics and psychometrics is especially in the high stakes fields. Having initially been engaged in an advisory capacity with the technical working group prior to April or May and as part of the contingency planning for the 2020 leaving certificate, it was then engaged to implement and deliver the system when the decision was taken on 8 May to postpone the leaving certificate.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-10-01