Computer Science outside of school? (Leaving Cert)

Schools still have to apply to the DES to offer the subject, as you said there's a project to be signed off so you would need a teacher, probably in a school that offers it, and part of the exam is on computer so the school would have to provide a computer to a certain spc to do the exam on. It's not as straightforward to do it outside school currently as other subjects.

trihead wrote: »

Other subjects do have projects which can be signed off by a teacher for an external student. However the LC computer science course is taught through 4 applied learning tasks (alts) which are done in groups which makes this subject unique. These are not marked but your teacher has to sign on to say they are done. This would prevent you taking it as a external student.

Your brother could either move school (not ideal) or see if another local school would allow him to attend just for CS but it would be tricky enough to get timetables to align even if the school agreed.

Could the external student find a few other externals to do group work? Like meet up once a week at a coder dojo for example.

I would suggest contacting CESI - as they are the official subject association. They can advise. WWW.CESI.IE

This year is obviously different with COVID and groupwork - so what is happening this year is going to be different from a normal year.

Not sure if teachers will actually have to sign off in the future but it is mentioned in the subject specification so you don’t know.
https://ncca.ie/media/3369/computer-science-final-specification.pdf
P16

Regardless of an ‘official sign’ off or not the school would still need to have room in the computer lab (mentioned above by another poster) - the exam is in May in the school computer lab so there would need to be room for the external student as well as the class (one sit of exam).

Not saying it’s impossible but will be tricky.

SeamusW wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if it would be possible to do the Computer Science subject outside of school, since my brother's school doesn't teach it.

The principal said it would be okay except for the fact it has a project aspect worth 30%, and they wouldn't be able to sign off on it since it's not being supervised.. something like that?

I know other subjects can be done outside of school but I'm not sure if they have a project in them.

Thanks!

Hi Seamus,

From September 2021, we'll be offering facilities for students in non-LCCS schools to take the subject at leaving cert level. We have an expression of interest form on our website which you can add your details to if interested!

I can't add the link as I'm a new user to boards, but if you visit The Academy of Code website, go to 'courses' in the menu dropdown, you'll see LCCS 2021-2023 listed there.

Shout if you have any questions about it

Stephen

I know this is an old post just bumping to see if any had any progress with this. I am interested in the same for my son in 2024. The school is not offering the course. He has been learning to code outside of school years, looking at the option for him to do computer science (leaving cert) outside of school in 2024.

Probably quickest to ring around to schools in your area to see if there are any schools offering it and see if you can come to an arrangement with a teacher there. My school is in the third phase of the pilot scheme and the fourth phase is just beginning so there should be close on 100 schools offering it at this stage if not more.

Not 100% if this is helpful and it's only one data point but I'm aware of a case from last year where the project was not accepted by the SEC as no teacher could sign off it was the students work. They did make arrangements for the student to sit the exam but needed help from someone in another school, you'd need some experience of programming to even set stuff up for the exam or be quite techie.

Can't see the ALTs being an issue, they aren't examined. They are great though, nice way to encourage real teamwork with defined outcomes but lots of freedom too.

@LOLLD did you come up with any solution? My son and two friends, currently in 5th year looking for the same. Academy of Code aren't running it any more because SEC has issues with project work and teachers not "knowing" students. Have a place in Limerick with online classes but must attend in person for one week every mid term which isn't ideal given we're in Dublin (and have jobs and other kids). Tried all (6) schools in the wider area with comp sci to see if we could get a teacher to come do an hour or two a week but no luck so far. Again, all kids coding for years, very passionate about IT, but school not offering it.

So we ended up going with the Limerick solution, but it was only a one day course during the mid term and I assume the same for the rest of the hols and next year. Son's school will facilitate the exam, fully supportive, and the Limerick place has a teacher and principal top sign off on the practical work.

On a separate note - you're a computer science teacher? Is it a good course? After all the messing about trying to find somewhere to do the course, I'm considering a PME myself to teach comp sci (and maybe maths), have (pretty old) degree in maths and IT. Would you advise for or against? Am in my mid forties so might be mad considering it at this stage 🤪

Thanks for the reply. Request for transcripts has been submitted so just have to wait now. It was so long ago that I don't even remember what modules I did in either subject😂

Thanks. I'd gone back and forth over the years about it, but would have only had maths and wasn't 100% on being a maths only teacher. But with Comp Sci now as a subject.... I've 14 years experience as a software engineer. I've also always had an interest in education - spent a year teaching english at third level in France, worked as an SNA (currently in JI, definitely helped me choose post primary😁), I'm a cub scout leader. I really enjoy working with (older) kids and in schools, love the buzz about them. It was the vp in my son's school joked about me going back to college and solving the issue with the school having no comp sci teacher, and it just got stuck in my head. I'm also ready and in need of a new challenge.

Hi there, we are in the same situation and would love to know more about the Limerick school that is faciltiating. My son is still a few years off but we are in the middle of deciding on a secondary school for him but our local (and preferred) school does not offer LCCS. So we are looking for an out of the box solution, He is currently with academy of code and i just found out today that they no longer offer LCCS courses :( Many thanks

How can they sign off on project work? It has to be done over 10 weeks in school in front of the teacher?

Was just about to post the same thing. Also the 'teacher only gets H1s'. The subject has only been in existence for 3 years, all of which have involved predicted/adjusted grades. Doubt he gets 'all H1s'.

I don't know how they are doing it all but they have apparently cleared it with the dept of Ed. I suspect the 20 in person hours from the revision courses each year is counting as the work in front of the teacher. The H1s thing was more tongue in cheek.

Agree about it not being the school not wanting to offer the subject but the lack of teachers. A large amount of the upskilling teachers would be from STEM subjects where there is already a shortage so they may not have the time to teach Comp Sci too.

And that's one of the reasons I'm currently in talks with the Teaching Council to see if they'll allow me to pursue a PME qualification with my pre-ECTS degree. Not sure I'm getting anywhere unfortunately.