WHAT IS LCA?
The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is a new approach to education and training. Students apply their knowledge, skills and experience to practical tasks at School, in the workplace and in the wider community.
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF LCA?
The Leaving Certificate Applied aims to develop highly motivated and enterprising young people, It promises personal and communication skills, initiative and enterprise team work and high achievement.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LCA CURRICULUM AND ESTABLISHED LEAVING CERTIFICATE…
There is less emphasis on the final examinations as students’ work is assessed over two years and students gain ‘credits’ as they go along.
While many of the same subjects are studied they have a much more practical orientation in LCA. The curriculum includes the following.
General Education
- Arts Education (Drama and Art)
- Irish
- German
- Social Education
- Leisure & Recreation
Vocational Education
- Mathematical Applications
- Information Technology
- Horticulture
- Hotel Catering and Tourism
- Construction
- Information and Communication Technology
- English and Communications
- Vocational preparation and guidance
WORK EXPERIENCE
An essential element of the LCA programme is the placement of students with local employers for work experience. The students in CCS have had a wide variety of placements ranging from office work, joinery, catering, childcare and vetinary assistants. Throught these placements students have been better prepared for adult and working life.
IS LCA ALL WORK AND NO PLAY…
The LCA student in CCS has plenty of interesting thing to do. We have gone to Cappnalea, The Burren and Kilfinene outdoor pursuits centre over the last number of years. Students have learned to canoe, sail, windsurf, abseil, camp and stay awake all night! This is a very important skill!
As part of class work students visit Fota Wildlife Park, local farms, Dáil Éireann, voluntary organisations in Cork City such as ISPCC and Compassion in World Farming. As well as being fun these experiences are central to the LCA concept of learning by doing.
LCA2 Visit to Fota House – March 2011
LCA2 students got to experience life inside Fota House in the 1800s. Jennifer McCrea, Tour Guide, showed the students the meaning behind the extravagant decor on the walls and ceilings in the house, as well as the tools and living quarters of the house staff. Fota House illustrated the different life experiences between the social classes of the times. It was a very thought-provoking experience.
LCA1 Enterprise Task – Jellyplex Cinema for 1st years and Egg Supreme Easter Eggs Sales.
Pictures of LCA1 trip to down town Carrigaline to find irish signs and symbols in our community.
LCA1 Trip to Farmers’ Market – May 2011
The LCA1 Hotel Catering and Tourism class recently visited the local farmers’ Market in Carrigaline. A guide from the market explained about the different products available. The students bought various foods and later discussed what kind of products could be made from them. Later on at school the students cooked some delicious meals from the products, e.g. quiche, soup, brown bread.
