Nerves are jangling, pressure is building and teeth are on edge – and that’s just the parents.
The Leaving Certificate doesn’t just test students; it can feel like the whole household is sitting the exams as kitchen counters are strewn with highlighters and dog-eared study notes.
So, how can you help your child prepare for the exams? What’s the best way to keep spirits from flagging? And how can you help ensure they pick the right study options after school?
Sign up to our Classroom to College newsletter for all the latest discussion, advice and encouragement, including:
Classroom to College newsletter: your essential Leaving Cert guide
‘The extra points really mean a lot’: Leaving Cert students prepare to sit maths paper one
Leaving Cert: ‘You just have to go with the child that’s in front of you’
Leaving Cert: ‘If I don’t do good, then it maybe sets a tone for the rest of my siblings’
- All the latest news and reaction from Education Correspondent Niamh Towey, as the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert exams progress
- The views of students, parents and teachers – how preparations are going, what surprises have come up, the mood among classmates
- Reviews of the exam papers every day, with students and teachers letting us know their views on the latest Leaving Cert paper
When August comes, we’ll provide expert advice on guidance on CAO offers, a live help desk staffed by our team of guidance counsellors to deal with readers’ queries, and detailed guidance on the smart options in further education and training.














