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Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- General
- Irish Independent
See pictures from Bunclody Community College awards ceremony
The awards ceremony included an illustrious and varied list of awards to present, reflecting the enormous amount of work undertaken by students and staff during the year. According to Deputy Principal Sandra O'Toole, the awards presented reflected the WWETB Core Values of Excellence in Education, Care, Equality, Respect and Community. She also highlighted that the awards did not just relate to academic grades, but were presented to pupils with an undeniable passion for their chosen subjects. "While there were numerous Excellence in Education awards there were also awards given out to those who show a love of their subject (Spirit of Awards), those who show a great work ethic and those who have contributed to the Care, Equality, Respect and Community of the school,' she said. .A number of students also received a Gold Award for 100 per cent attendance this year. There was also a year long initiative to encourage students to read more and the school received the Well Read Award. "Music was provided by our very talented musicians and singers and a number of our Sixth year students gave their final solo performances before their graduation,' she added proudly. Ms Maire Finn, Schools of Sanctuary co-ordinator thanked the school community for their continued support to keep BCC as a Champion School of Sanctuary and awarded a number of students for their exceptional work during the year. School Principal Mr Jay Murphy reflected on the year just gone and on the enormous effort and dedication shown by pupils and staff, during the year. He talked about the future plans for the school the new school building coming on track in 2025, and how new subjects such as Agricultural Science are now onstream. He also thanked the Parent's Council for all their hard work over the past ten years and the Board of Management, the Student Council, staff and students of Bunclody Community College for all their hard work and support throughout the year. He commended the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate Classes of 2025 for their diligence, hard work and resilience in the face of many challenges over the last few years and he wished them well in their exams in June. A presentation was also made to Niamh Redmond who completed her Leaving Certificate Applied in 2024. She received the Fergal Quinn Award for the highest Leaving Certificate Applied results in the region. Prizewinners: Attendance: Gosia Baczek, Emma Fielding, Sean Kehoe, Jack Murphy, Jake Ryan, Jake Sunderland, Leah Hayes, Megan Redmond, Sophie Roche, Meaghan Tobin. Solas Awards: Brogan Doherty, Emma Cleary, Libby Moore Nolan, Cody Cash, Darragh Redmond, Grace O'Neill, Harry Pender Jordan, Josh Kilbride, Padraig Nolan Kenny, Thomas Larkin, Noah Kearns, John Redmond. Music Awards: Best female vocal performance: Junior: Katie Bradley Byrne, Senior: India Mernagh. Best male vocal performance: Junior: Sam Bolger, Senior: Cillian Jeffers, Overall Performer of the Year: Artem Havrylchenko, Spirit of Music: Rory Doyle. Positive Behaviour Winners (from each year): Pauric Cahill, Sophie Roche, Jake Ryan, Danny Farrell, Amy Cloke. Core Values: Care: Samantha McCormack, Dylan Bailey, Equality: Brogan Doherty, Katie Nolan, Community: Teigan Farrell, Taylor Roberts, Respect: Botond Olah, Amy Cloke Excellence in Education: First Year (overall): Emma Fielding, Jack Morris, Katie Nolan, Dylan Bailey Second Year (overall): Lucy Lux, Bree Murphy, Emily Walshe, Freya Binions Third Year (per subject): Thomas Larkin, Conall Murphy, Aaron Sharlott, Sam Bolger, Patrycja Ryl, Artem Havrylchenko, Karolina Ryl, Josh Kilbride, Ariadna Plata Garcia, Gracie Gahan, Keelan Redmond, Grace O'Neill, Jake Sunderland, Pauric Rooney. Fifth Year (overall): Brogan Doherty, Cillian Jeffers, Emilia Siekierska. Sixth Year (per subject): Nessa Keane, Kate McGlynn Green, Sophie Roche, Aleksey O'Shea, Niamh Murphy, Rachel Doyle, Aine Roche, Kellie Cloke, Josh Kearns, Meaghan Tobin, Abbie Doran Walsh, Sam McCormack. Spirit of Subject: Third year: Thomas Larkin, Amy Walshe, Martin White, Karolina Ryl, Conal Murphy, Josh Kilbride, Joao Marcos, Dmytro Kohut, Gracie Gahan, Rick Cullen, Geovanna Pereira, Katie McNamara, Artem Havrylchenko Sixth Year: Sophie Roche, Josh Kearns, Leah Hayes, Abbey Murphy, Sam McCormack, Niamh Murphy, David Henderson, Caoimhe Egan Green, Lisa Kenny, Aine Roche, Kellie Cloke, Libby Moore Nolan, Emma Ryan. Diogras (Consistent worker) Award (First, Second and Fifth): Hannah Watchorn, Harry Jordan, Shannon Meyer, Taylor Ronan, Jake Ryan, Johnny Connors, Anna Mahon, Lexie Byrne, Jake Morris, Ben Doyle, Jasmine Murphy, Teigan Dunbar, Skye Hosey Doyle, Mark Jeffers, Emily Doran Doyle, Rebecca Fraser, Evie Bolger, Yulii Kasianchuk Class Spirit: Leah Hendrick, Jack Morris, Johnny Connors, Katlyn Redmond, Jake Morris, Max Farrell, Amy Cloke, Ariadna Plata Garcia, Katie Tobin O'Reilly, Pairic Cahill, Abbey Doran Walsh, Libby Moore Nolan. Sports: Junior Football Player of the Year: Eoin Raleigh, Junior Hurling Player of the Year: Cathal Treacy, Senior Camogie Player of the Year: India Mernagh. Senior Girls Football Player of the Year: Abbey Murphy, Senior Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Brandon Nolan, Corey Nolan, Junior Basketball Player of the Year: Cian Kavanagh, Tyler Power. Top Scorer in Basketball: Cian Kavanagh, Emma Fielding, Bri Murphy. Meitheal Leaders: (24/25): Corey Nolan, Michaela Byrne, Holly Redmond, Pairic Cahill, Cillian Jeffers, Mark Jeffers, Katie Murphy, Jack Cashe, Katie Tobin O'Reilly, Sophie Levingstone, Kate Breen.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Record number of students to begin Leaving and Junior Cert exams
A record number of candidates will begin the State Leaving and Junior Certificate exams today. 140,457 students will sit the exams, the first time the number has exceeded 140,000. The rise is due to population growth. 61,632 candidates will take the main Leaving Certificate written exams over the next several weeks, an increase of 5% compared to last year. There has been an 11% rise in students opting for the Leaving Certificate Applied programme. 4,512 students have chosen that pathway. 74,313 candidates will begin their Junior Cycle exams this morning. The State exams will take place in examination centres across more than 800 post-primary schools and other centres across the country. The State Examinations Commission has described the process as "a massive logistical exercise involving the secure distribution of circa four million examination papers". The exams begin at 9.30am with English Paper 1 for most Leaving Certificate students. LCA and Junior Cycle candidates will also sit English papers. The last Leaving Certificate exam takes place on 24 June. Leaving Certificate results this year will once again be artificially inflated through a post-marking adjustment which will be applied after all marking of individual papers has been completed. Post-marking adjustments were introduced following the Covid pandemic in an attempt to compensate students who had missed out as a result of school closures and other restrictions arising from the pandemic. Following a request from the Department of Education and in order to facilitate a gradual return to normal pre-Covid outcomes, this year's post-marking adjustment will be reduced to bring results in aggregate on average to a point broadly midway between 2020 and 2021 levels. Leaving Certificate results will be issued to candidates on Friday 22 August. The State Examinations Commission said this date took account of the time needed to apply the post-marking adjustment. It said the timeline for results also had to allow sufficient time for an extensive range of quality assurance checks to be undertaken. Minister for Education Helen McEntee is among many public figures and organisations who have wished the Class of 2025 good luck. Sending her best wishes, Ms McEntee said: "I know the amount of work and effort you have put in to reach this point. It is the culmination of many years of effort. "This can be a very stressful time so I would remind everyone that when it comes to examinations, all we can do is our best. "We are all very much behind you over the next few weeks, and I know that regardless of the outcome of these examinations, there will be many great opportunities ahead for you all," she said.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Record 140,457 sit Leaving, Junior and other state exams starting today
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) said the record number of candidates was 'linked to demographic increases, with the numbers entered passing 140,000 for the first time'. The number entered to take the 2025 certificate examinations has increased by 3pc (up 4,297) compared with last year's entry figure of 136,160 candidates, with the most significant increases in the numbers entered for the Leaving Cert programme (5pc) and Leaving Cert Applied programme (up 11pc). Of those sitting state exams, 61,632 are Leaving Cert candidates, 4,512 are final-year Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) candidates and 74,313 are Junior Cycle candidates. Education Minister Helen McEntee said: 'I want to send the very best wishes to all the students around the country who are starting their Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examinations today. 'I know the amount of work and effort you have put in to reach this point. It is the culmination of many years of effort. 'This can be a very stressful time, so I would remind everyone that when it comes to examinations, all we can do is our best. An extensive logistical exercise involving the secure distribution of about four million exam papers to the examination superintendents 'We are all very much behind you over the next few weeks and I know that, regardless of the outcome of these examinations, there will be many great opportunities ahead for you all.' Students are set to sit exams in more than 800 centres nationwide, including post-primary schools and other locations. Delivery of the state examinations is an extensive logistical exercise involving the secure distribution of about four million exam papers to the examination superintendents responsible for overseeing written exams. The exams will run from today until June 24 for Leaving Cert (Established and Vocational); June 12 for Leaving Cert Applied; and June 16 for Junior Cycle exams. The SEC will apply a post-marking adjustment for the 2025 Leaving Cert examinations, once tests are completed, 'in order to bring the overall Leaving Certificate results in the aggregate on average to a point broadly midway between the 2020 and 2021 levels'. The SEC said it aimed to issue the 2025 Leaving Cert and Leaving Cert Applied examination results to candidates on August 22.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Cork students feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as 2025 State exams get under way
The wait is over for more than 140,000 students as the 2025 State exams get under way. A total of 140,457 students will sit this year's Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied, and Junior Cycle exams in more than 800 centres across the country. Students who spoke to the Irish Examiner ahead of the exams were a mix of nerves and excitement, with many looking forward already to the summer. At Mayfield Community School, the study was "going grand" for sixth year student Evan O'Callaghan. 'I've just been trying to keep on top of it for the last few days and tried not to get distracted by other things.' Kevin Riordan, Francesca Ring and Jack Salter-O'Leary at The Life Centre in Sunday's Well, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins While he's looking forward to subjects like engineering and art, he's a little more apprehensive about maths. 'That's the one I'm scared of, that I'm focusing more on.' When he finishes school, he hopes to study nautical science, an area he's very interested in. 'I was leaning more towards teaching but I fell in love with the campus when I went to visit the place, the course, the opportunities.' While he's happy to be finishing school, it also does 'feel a bit weird', he added. 'It's 12 years of your life in school and then all of a sudden, it's done. You go to college, you become an adult. It's weird!' For fellow Mayfield student Joseph Salis, there's 'just a bit' of nerves about the exams, but overall, he's feeling well-prepared. Hoping to study mechanical engineering at Munster Technological University once he finishes school, he has spent the last weeks prepping and revising. 'For the last couple of weeks, I've been studying since I wake up until lunch. I'll take a break after that, maybe about two hours free, and then back to study.' At Cork Life Centre in Sunday's Well, student Francesca Ring is feeling nervous. 'It'd be weird not to be.' Francesca Ring relaxes in the music room at The Life Centre in Sunday's Well, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins She hopes to study nursing once she finishes school. 'It's what I've been aiming for, for a while. I've been studying every day but I tried not to tire myself out too much because I was literally staying in the library every day until after midnight so I really burnt myself out. I'm trying to be somewhere in the middle, where I study enough but not too much.' She is looking forward to the summer, which she will spend travelling to Vietnam. 'I'll be going to Hanoi, and volunteering and teaching English to children. I'm heading out at the start of July, literally just as the exams are done, giving me a week for a breather.' Fellow Leaving Cert student Jack Salter O'Leary is hoping to pursue his studies in woodcraft once he finishes his exams. He was drawn to the course as he likes working with his hands. "The carpentry side of it is something that I've been interested in and enjoyed the most during my time at the Life Centre. "I had access to it before but when I came here, I got more creative freedom with it." Kevin Riordan looking after the fruit and vegetables gardens at the Life Centre. Picture: Larry Cummins For Kevin Riordan, the prospect of starting the Leaving Cert exams brought a mix of emotion. "I've been doing so much study, I think I'm too tired," he joked. "I'm feeling better than I would have been though." He wants to study applied plant biology. "When my mental health was at its worst, plants were always something that would keep me going," he explained. "It just blossomed from there. I got more into the chemistry and the dynamics of nature; learning about how soil can be used to remediate the climate crisis, very interesting stuff." For the summer, he is tasked with caring for the school gardens at Cork Life Centre. "I'll have to oversee a few fruit trees, a few annual veg crops, and just general maintenance. Nothing too major, they're not forcing me to work," he laughed. Wednesday also marks the start of the Junior Cycle exams for students across the country. At Le Chéile Secondary School Ballincollig, David Deasy Rubio is 'feeling good' about them. 'I've been focused for the last three years, from first year until now. I just have to go in and do my best, no one can really do it for me. I've done all the work, I've been preparing since October, I feel ready.' His classmate Oscar Sandberg is also well-prepared but was feeling a little bit daunted by the prospect of the exams. 'But I have done a lot of revision. I've been doing about two hours of study a day for the last seven or eight weeks.' Fellow Le Chéile Junior Cycle student Katie Pedersen is excited to get the exams under way. 'The teachers have been really helpful in preparing us for them, giving us lots of revision work over the last few weeks. 'The teachers have been focusing one-on-one with the students who might need extra help and some of our maths teachers have been giving extra classes before and after school.'
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Record number of students to sit State exams this year
A record number of students will today begin their Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied and Junior Cycle exams as the 2025 State examinations begin. For the first time, the number of students beginning their exams today has surpassed 140,000, which the State Examination Commission (SEC) has linked to increasing demographics. Overall, the number of students set to take the 2025 exams increased by 3% when compared to last year; From 130,160 to 140,457. This includes 61,632 Leaving Certificate candidates, 4,512 final year Leaving Certificate Applied candidates and 74,313 Junior Cycle candidates. The most significant increases were recorded for the Leaving Certificate programme, up 5% when compared to 2024, and the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, which increased this year by 11%. This year also marks the beginning of moves to tackle grade inflation, which increased sharply post-pandemic. The SEC has been asked by the Department of Education to begin 'a gradual return to normal' Leaving Certificate grades in the main, which will involve a post-marking adjustment. This is expected to bring the overall Leaving Certificate results in the aggregate on average to a point broadly midway between the 2020 and 2021 levels. Education Minister Helen McEntee and Minister of State for Special Education Michael Moynihan wished students beginning their exams today good luck. Ms McEntee said: 'I know the amount of work and effort you have put in to reach this point. It is the culmination of many years of effort. 'This can be a very stressful time so I would remind everyone that when it comes to examinations, all we can do is our best. We are all very much behind you over the next few weeks, and I know that regardless of the outcome of these examinations, there will be many great opportunities ahead for you all.' Mr Moynihan said: 'I know the exam period can be a stressful time for students, so please do take care of yourselves and try to take some solace in the fact that there are many pathways to what you may hope to do next, some which you might not envisage at this point in time. You never know when or in what shape certain opportunities will arise. 'The skills and knowledge that you have learned during your schooling will stand to you during the examinations period, and throughout your life.' SEC chair Jacinta Stewart added: 'Today marks a real milestone in the educational journey for the thousands of candidates taking the State examinations. 'On behalf of my fellow commissioners and the staff of the SEC, I want to offer our sincere best wishes to all those taking examinations this year.' 'I also want to express my appreciation to parents and families as well as school communities for supporting these candidates at this very important time in their lives.'
