Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit State Examinations Commission LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED 2005 CHILDCARE / COMMUNITY CARE

Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit State Examinations Commission LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED 2005 CHILDCARE / COMMUNITY CARE CHIEF EXAMINER S REPORT

CONTENTS Page 1. General Introduction 3 1.1 The Syllabus 1.2 The Examination 1.3 Candidature 2. Performance of Candidates 5 3. Practical Coursework Examination 6 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Performance of Candidates 3.3 Analysis of Candidate Performance 3.4 Conclusions 3.5 Recommendations to Teachers and Students 4. Written Examination 11 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Performance of Candidates 4.3 Analysis of Candidate Performance 4.4 Conclusions 4.5 Recommendations to Teachers and Students 2

1. General Introduction 1.1 The Syllabus A revised syllabus for Childcare/Community Care was introduced to the Leaving Certificate Applied programme in September 2000 and was first examined in 2002. The syllabus is offered at a common level. The revised syllabus replaced the existing course in Community Care. The revised syllabus structure comprises five modules: Module 1 The Care of Babies and Young Children Module 2 Child Development and Play Module 3 Parenting and Care Provision Module 4 People with Special Needs Module 5 Older People Students are required to study any four modules which can be completed in any order. 1.2 The Examination The examination in Childcare/Community care is assessed out of a maximum of 12 credits. The examination format comprises: - Written examination (60%) - Practical Coursework (40%) The Written Examination, of 1 hour and 30 minutes duration, takes place in June. The Practical Coursework component requires each candidate to present a completed assignment which complies with one of the two assignment briefs issued by the State Examination Commission. Each candidate is also required to attend an interview to discuss the assignment. Practical coursework is examined in June in the candidate s school by an examiner appointed by the State Examination Commission. 3

1.3 Candidature Table 1: Number and Percentage of Candidates taking Leaving Certificate Applied Childcare / Community Care for the 4 year period 2002 to 2005. Year Leaving Certificate Applied Candidates Childcare/ Community Care Candidates % Taking Childcare/ Community Care 2002 3057 318 10.4 2003 3299 394 13.0 2004 3529 419 14.8 2005 3353 355 11.9 The data presented in Table 1 shows a gradual increase in the percentage of candidates taking Childcare/Community Care in the years 2002 2004. However, a significant drop (3%) in participation rates occurred in 2005. 4

2. Performance of Candidates Table2: Percentage of candidates achieving each credit in Childcare/Community Care for the years 2002-2005. Credits 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Total 2002 3.8 16.7 23.9 26.4 14.8 7.9 0.3 2.5 2.8 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 318 2003 5.6 21.8 27.4 20.6 9.1 5.8 3.3 2.8 2.3 0.8 0.5 0.0 0.0 394 2004 6.2 13.6 20.5 20.7 15.5 8.6 5.0 3.1 2.9 2.9 1.0 0.2 0.0 420 2005 9.9 20.3 21.4 18.0 11.5 7.6 3.7 3.7 2.3 1.4 0.3 0.0 0.0 355 Approximately 30% of candidates attained 9/10 credits in the 2005 examination. Less than 2% of candidates were awarded 3 credits or less. 5

3. Practical Coursework Examination 3.1 Introduction Practical Coursework is a mandatory component of the Childcare/Community Care syllabus and accounts for 40% of the marks of the examination. The specification of coursework has been designed to support the rationale, aims and objectives of the syllabus. Schools were issued with two Childcare/Community Care Assignment Briefs in January 2005. Each candidate was required to complete one assignment. The examination of coursework was conducted in schools in June 2005. Each candidate attended an interview with the examiner to discuss the assignment. 3.2 Performance of Candidates Table 3: Performance of Candidates in Practical Coursework Year 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Total 2002 39.4 22.8 14.9 12.0 3.6 3.7 0.3 1.6 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.0 318 2003 39.9 24.5 14.0 5.9 3.8 4.3 2.4 3.0 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.0 0.0 394 2004 41.2 19.1 15.5 9.0 8.0 2.1 2.8 0.5 1.0 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 419 2005 51.2 14.4 16.3 7.7 3.1 2.8 1.8 1.2 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.0 326 Note: The credits here are indicative only. The actual credits awarded to candidates in Childcare/Community Care are computed from the combined results of the components completed by candidates. 3.3 Analysis of Candidate Performance In general, examiners reported that candidates were well prepared for the examination. The majority of candidates presented work of a very high standard. It was the view of examiners that the topics of the assignments, which were very specific and candidate friendly, contributed to the high standards achieved by candidates. It was evident from responses at interview that candidates had a comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter. Most of the candidates appeared to genuinely enjoy the assignment they had chosen and some cited it as being the best project they had done. Many displayed great pride in their work 6

Assignment A This was the more popular assignment, attempted by 72% of candidates. While the standard of work presented was very good, examiners reported that in some centres assignments lacked individuality and relied on a limited range of resources. In relation to the different aspects of this assignment the following points were noted by examiners: - explanations of terms were generally accurate - surveys of the local community in relation to employment opportunities were usually comprehensive; however some candidates failed to identify the training opportunities or courses available locally - research methods such as questionnaires and interviews were well structured and comprehensive - findings and outcomes were, in some instances, omitted or not analysed - information leaflets presented by candidates, generally, provided a lot of detail regarding the qualities needed to work in childcare but frequently neglected to mention the courses available - candidates who presented a separate, clearly identifiable information leaflet performed better than candidates whose leaflets were indistinguishable from their written reports; a number of candidates produced very high quality leaflets using their ICT skills - a number of candidates failed to get a childcare worker to evaluate the leaflet as required in the assignment - evaluations were sometimes weak, especially the overall evaluation - logs and diaries were very well done by most candidates; however, a number of candidates omitted to do this or presented one with many of the key stages of the assignment omitted. 7

Assignment B This assignment was attempted by 28% of candidates. Some very original work was presented. It was evident that the candidates who undertook this assignment got real insight into the actuality of organising, planning and presenting an activity to a young child on their own. In relation to the different aspects of this assignment the following points were noted by examiners: - the majority of candidates carried out a significant amount of research on the topic - interviews were, generally, well structured and included a range of relevant questions with answers usually recorded - the record of implementation was frequently weak; many candidates didn t mention how the needs and interests of the child were identified and often gave a poor description of the activity. However, most candidates were well able to describe the activity at the interview with the examiner. - very inventive props were produced and these were generally of a very high standard and suited the needs of the selected child - in many instances candidates had taken rhymes from one collection of rhymes and did not have six sources, as required - resource packs were generally excellent, though many candidates did not indicate the sources of individual rhymes - a small number of candidates did not carry out this assignment as intended and conducted the interview with the child s parent on the day of the activity. In one case the interview was planned but not completed. 8

3.4 Conclusions Candidates who scored high marks adhered to the specified requirements of the assignments and portrayed a high level of proficiency in ensuring that all of the key aspects of the assignment were identified and points were analysed in depth. The presentation of many assignments was excellent. Candidates used I.T, clip art, photographs, pictures etc. to add individuality to their assignments and ensured that material was presented in a well-organised, logical sequence. The greatest disparity of standard in the work presented occurred in the areas of (a) findings and conclusions, and (b) evaluations. The standard of work presented varied between centres and errors were often centre specific. The most significant errors leading to loss in marks included the following: (i) many candidates presented assignments that were poorly structured (ii) conclusions/analysis of findings were often omitted or included under evaluation (iii) the range of issues specified in the assignments, while identified in reports, were not always developed / analysed to the required standard (iii) some assignments lacked individuality with work presented being little more than direct transcriptions of information from books with no effort made to extract and analyse the relevant key points (iv) evaluations were often poor with candidates failing to identify weaknesses in conducting the assignment. However, many candidates availed of the opportunity provided by the interview with the examiner to redress this (v) among the aspects of the assignment most frequently omitted were: contents page, sources of rhymes in Assignment B, and bibliographies. The majority of candidates presented very well at interview and were well able to discuss all aspects of their assignment work. 9

3.5 Recommendations Candidates should adhere to the requirements of the assignment and continually refer to it in order to avoid any omissions When conducting research, candidates should use as many different sources as possible e.g. health centres, leaflets, newspaper and magazine articles. A minimum of two sources of information should be used and credited for each assignment. Candidates should avoid transcribing information directly from the class textbook The material presented should be the candidate s own individual work; group work is not acceptable. When conducting evaluations, candidates should critically analyse the outcome and not just describe what they have done. Candidates should use the opportunity provided by the interview to improve their marks. 10

4. Written Examination 4.1 Introduction The examination paper consists of five sections, each based on the five syllabus modules, as follows: Section 1 The Care of Babies and Young Children Section 2 Child Development and Play Section 3 Parenting and Care Provision Section 4 People with Special Needs Section 5 Older People Each section has two questions. Candidates are required to answer a total of four questions. Each question should be selected from a different section. Each question carries 60 marks. 4.2 Performance of Candidates Table 4: Performance of Candidates in written examination Year 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Total 2002 1.6 7.2 17.6 22.3 23.6 14.5 7.9 3.1 1.9 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 318 2003 3.0 12.7 24.4 25.1 16.0 11.9 4.1 2.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 394 2004 3.1 8.1 18.6 16.0 18.4 13.4 9.5 7.6 3.3 1.2 0.7 0.0 0.0 419 2005 3.7 15.5 15.5 23.1 18.3 12.7 5.6 2.5 2.0 0.8 0.0 0.3 0.0 355 Note: The credits here are indicative only. The credits awarded to candidates in Childcare/Community Care are computed from the combined results of the relevant components completed by candidates. 4.3 Analysis of Candidate Performance All candidates answered the required number of questions. 85% of candidates attempted more than the requisite four questions while 10% of candidates attempted all ten questions. Questions were considered by examiners to be well balanced and candidate friendly. The range of questions / topics provided the candidates with the opportunity to attempt the required number of questions. However, the candidates who performed to a high standard were mostly those who answered the four mandatory questions only. 11

Table 5: Average Mark and the Frequency of Attempts per Question. Question Attempt Frequency % Average Mark 1 92.5 45 2 7.5 45 3 42.5 35 4 25.0 30 5 70.0 51 6 27.5 49 7 27.5 42 8 62.5 34 9 2.0 33 10 35.0 29 SECTION 1- CARE OF BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN Question 1 Response rate - 92.5%. Average Mark = 44 This was the most popular question on the paper, and in general, candidates answered the question very well. Part (a) - Many candidates only stated that teething meant when babies teeth were growing. In order to attain full marks, the candidates were required to give a more detailed answer. Parts (b) and (c) and (d) were answered well. Part (e) - Many candidates listed foods that should not be given to the child and lost marks by misreading the question, i.e. not stating snacks to be included in a young child s diet to ensure healthy teeth. Part (f) was answered well with the majority giving a detailed account of the routine for brushing teeth, the foods and drinks to be avoided and visiting the dentist. 12

Question 2 Response rate - 7.5%. Average Mark = 45. In part (a) some candidates confused the phrase balanced diet with the word diet. They explained the term with sentences such as when you don t eat a lot during the day. In parts (b) and (c) some candidates confused weaning of a baby with how to wind a baby and lost marks as a result of this. All other sections of Question 2 were answered well. SECTION 2 CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PLAY Question 3 Response rate 42%. Average Mark = 35. Parts (a) and (b) were well understood and answers were accurate and concise. Part (c). In general this part was answered poorly. Many candidates suggested DVD s or videos or toys and not the items other than toys that could be given to children to support their imaginative play. This suggests that candidates did not fully understand the question or misread the question. In relation to safety factors to be considered, some candidates gave safety factors associated with toys and not those associated with the items asked for in the question. Part (d) was answered very poorly. It was clear that the majority of candidates did not understand the term stereotype. Question 4 Response rate - 25%. Average Mark = 30. With the exception of part (b), all parts of this question were answered well. 13

In part (b) many candidates suggested reasons why play is important but did not focus on physical activity or physical play as required and lost marks as a result. SECTION 3 PARENTING AND CARE PROVISION Question 5 Response rate - 70%. Average Mark = 51. This question was well answered by almost all candidates. In part (b), some candidates repeated points of information, listing similar effects for the teenager as for her parents. Part (d) was answered very well, with many candidates giving very detailed and insightful views on the effects of teenage pregnancy. Question 6 Response rate 27.5. Average Mark = 49. In Part (b) candidates frequently confused personal qualities that a parent should look for with experience in babysitting. Some gave answers that were relevant to part (c) of the question. Part (d) - Many candidates outlined the responsibilities a babysitter should have and not the responsibilities of the parents towards the babysitter indicating that these candidates did not read the question carefully. SECTION 4 PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Question 7 Response rate - 27.5. Average Mark = 42. The majority of candidates answered Parts (a) and (b) of this question well. Responses to Part (c) suggested that some candidates did not know or understand the terms used in the questions. 14

Part (d) was answered very well with most candidates correctly identifying the differences between mainstream and special schools. In Part (e) most candidates correctly named an organisation but generally only mentioned one point in relation to its work and thus lost marks. Question 8 Response rate 62 %. Average Mark = 34. All sections of this question were answered well with the exception of Part (d). Candidates, in general, gave only one point when outlining the help and support available to children and their families. This resulted in significant mark loss for some candidates. SECTION 5 OLDER PEOPLE Question 9 Response rate - 20%. Average Mark = 34. Answers for Parts (b) and (c) were generally disappointing with a significant number of candidates repeating points mostly related to money only. In Part (d) candidates showed a very limited knowledge of saving. Responses in relation to health insurance were frequently confused with life assurance. Question 10 Response rate - 35%. Average Mark = 29. While candidates did not always mention the four items of information required for full marks, the majority did make a good attempt and scored at least nine of the twelve available marks. In relation to the reasons for making a will the majority of answers focused on money issues only and thus answers were incomplete. Many candidates did not understand the terms executor or beneficiary though almost all understood of sound mind and answered this part of the question well. 15

4.4 Conclusions The examiners considered that the examination afforded the majority of candidates the opportunity to show their specialised knowledge of the subject matter. Questions were considered to be well balanced and candidate friendly. The range of questions / topics provided the candidates with the opportunity to attempt the required number of questions. However, the candidates who performed to a high standard were mostly those who answered the four mandatory questions only. The average total mark was 161.85 (67.43%) marks out of a maximum total of 240 marks. Thus the average credit awarded was 9. The majority of candidates scored better on sections 1 and 3 than on sections 2, 4 and 5. Nonetheless, almost all candidates could attempt all parts of the required four questions. In Sections 1 and 3, the standard of answering was particularly high. The majority of candidates completed all sections of questions and presented factually accurate answers. Mark loss on questions in these sections was mainly attributable to candidates misinterpreting parts of questions e.g. questions 1(e), 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c). In Section 2, Child Development and Play, there were parts of questions which were not well answered by the majority, these included Questions 3 (c), 3(d), 4(d) and 4(e). Mark loss was attributable to candidates misreading the questions and not giving factually accurate information where required. Questions from Section 5, Older People, were the least well answered. This was also the least popular section as it was attempted by approximately a third of candidates. Common errors noted in answering included repetition within answers and the presentation of answers that were factually incorrect e.g. questions 9 (b) and 9(d). 16

4.5 Recommendations Candidates should take time to read the entire paper and select with care the four questions best suited to their knowledge. Candidates should read the selected questions carefully and develop points where required. The importance of reading the questions carefully cannot be overstated; not doing so was considered by examiners to be the main factor that contributed to mark loss for candidates in the 2005 examination. It is important for all candidates to recognise and understand the terminology relevant to the course. For example, terms such as stereotype, congenital abnormality and personal qualities should be known. Candidates/teachers might compile a word bank of frequently used terms; this would be particularly useful for candidates who experience difficulties with such terms. Candidates should apply knowledge acquired through the practical experiences engaged in as part of the Childcare/ Community Care course, for example, work experience, tasks, key assignments etc. when answering questions relating to activities. It is important for candidates to recognise and understand the significance of key question cues such as list outline discuss explain describe etc. Candidates should be advised to develop points as appropriate, in order to achieve full marks. Candidates should avoid repeating the same point when answering a question. Candidates should have an awareness of topical issues relating to the modules being studied. This might be achieved by reading newspapers items, watching current affairs programmes, out of school visits to health centres etc. Prior to the examination, candidates should familiarise themselves with the titles of the modules they have studied and be familiar with the layout and format of the examination paper. 17