Exam Conference

Old Bawn

I am thinking of applying to correct Junior Cycle/Leaving Certificate exams next June, and trying to plan my holidays around the dates. I know exams are generally corrected in July, so that month is out, but when are the marking conferences? Do they typically fall on the same week each year? Could a week away in June be a runner, or would you be waiting until August to get away?

spurious

First week in June you might get away, maybe even the second week. It depends on the subject.
Moving this to Teaching and Lecturing.

deiseindublin

Maybe post the Exam & subject you may apply for and somebody who corrected in 2017 might PM you the conference dates they had. Many posters don't like posting publically with their subject/level/exam etc.

happywithlife

To the best of my knowledge conferences run in line with the exam timetable so those on first will have the first conferences but it will vary. I think HL is often on before OL in my subject. And I could be finishing up LC whereas JC would be just about starting. I finish mid July whereas I know others go into August

spurious

Conferences expected between 12 June and 13th July, 2018.

Old Bawn

Thanks very much for the replies, I am looking to correct Leaving Cert English HL

linguist

First of all, I'm sorry to have to tell you that you are unlikely to be assigned to LC higher level if this is your first time marking. The majority of examiners serve their time and prove themselves at Junior Cert and/or LC ordinary level before being promoted to LC higher level where the stakes are very high and you need to have proved your reliability in the work. That said, given that there has been a shortage of examiners in some subjects over the past couple of years, you could be lucky. Personally, it took five years for me to get to that level having started at JC.

Regarding conferences, I would expect the English conference to begin about 8 days after the exam - based on my own subject. You could safely plan to go away during the first week of the exams. Junior Cert conferences are about a week behind LC ones and again roughly follow the exam timetable so JC English would probably be about two weeks after the exam. LC English would correspondingly be the first one completed so, if you do get it, you should be done about 12th July next year.

Exiled1

Highly unlikely you will get LCHL first time around. English conferences start first so the early date is probably the correct one. Still possible to get away in first two weeks of June in that scenario.

shannongreen

Hi I live 100km from my conference centre and I've been asking SEC to confirm that I will get the overnight allowance. They keep repeating if its 100km I'll get it but I want written confirmation I qualify. I'm paying someone to drive me there and collect me so the overnight rate is essential for me.
I'm also moving house next week, 100km away from centre so should qualify (but my current address is 99.9km away).
How does this work? I am afraid that they will turn around after and say no

Millem

shannongreen wrote: »

Hi I live 100km from my conference centre and I've been asking SEC to confirm that I will get the overnight allowance. They keep repeating if its 100km I'll get it but I want written confirmation I qualify. I'm paying someone to drive me there and collect me so the overnight rate is essential for me.
I'm also moving house next week, 100km away from centre so should qualify (but my current address is 99.9km away).
How does this work? I am afraid that they will turn around after and say no

Get them to update your address!

rainbowtrout

shannongreen wrote: »

Hi I live 100km from my conference centre and I've been asking SEC to confirm that I will get the overnight allowance. They keep repeating if its 100km I'll get it but I want written confirmation I qualify. I'm paying someone to drive me there and collect me so the overnight rate is essential for me.
I'm also moving house next week, 100km away from centre so should qualify (but my current address is 99.9km away).
How does this work? I am afraid that they will turn around after and say no

They are not going to give you written confirmation as it's up to you to fill in your claim form with the address you are living at, at the time of the conference.

If you live 100km from the conference why do you need written confirmation? It's a fairly simple rule, you either are 100km away or you're not.

evolving_doors

I've heard from superintendents that they take the distance from google maps (if they do audit your submission).
If you take a slightly different route then that's your mileage accounted for!
Your only about 100m short. Going to the conference centre in Athlone there's quite a few variations. Put down the 105 that you'll end up doing then they'd hardly contest it.

shannongreen

Thanks for the response. My address is 100km away but I was just hesitant to book a hotel as I was afraid they might not approve it. I'm exactly 100km away so they could argue its less. Now I'm even more confused as I was supposed to mark online and that seems to be cancelled for this year. I think that will affect my conference dates.

MathsManiac

shannongreen wrote: »

Thanks for the response. My address is 100km away but I was just hesitant to book a hotel as I was afraid they might not approve it. I'm exactly 100km away so they could argue its less. Now I'm even more confused as I was supposed to mark online and that seems to be cancelled for this year. I think that will affect my conference dates.

Wait until you get your 'conference letter', if you haven't got it already. That will give you the exact venue in Athlone (a particular school, hotel, etc.). Then use Google maps to check the shortest route from your home address to that location. If it's more than 100 km, you're in business.

shannongreen

My exam was supposed to be corrected online and I just got a letter saying it won't be. I'm pretty sure the second day of my conference was dedicated to online marking. I might have to cancel hotel. Letter was quite vague and didn't specify the extent of the change. I also don't know how the traditional system of correcting works.

Postgrad10

Then ring and ask them. They are very helpful.