CAO helpline: rechecking exam papers

Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett answer questions asked on our live blog

Where and when do we get the form for rechecks?

Your school will have personalised appeal application forms. They should have them available now (August 18th) so if you contact your school they should be able to supply you with yours. Remember the completed form is due back in your school before Tuesday September 1st as the school has to send the forms to the Exams Commission before Wednesday September 2nd.

Isn’t today (August 18th) the deadline for return of requests to view scripts to your school, and not September 1st?

August 18th is the deadline for students who wish to view their scripts and September 1st is the deadline for students to get their forms back to schools to appeal their results.

If you don't get a script viewing, can you get a paper remarked anyway by the State Examinations Commission?

Yes. You will have to fill out an appeal application form. Contact your school for this.

Are we permitted to bring a calculator into the viewing of the scripts? I realise the process is strict but I think it would be helpful.

I am sure there would be no problem with this, after all, you are looking for possible mistakes and omissions and the calculator would be essential for this.

My course [first choice we assume] went up in points this year so I am rechecking a few subjects, can I take my second option but if I get my points for my first option can I still be offered it and accept it?

Yes. If you get extra points in your appeals then these extra points are backdated to round-one offers day and whatever course you would have been entitled to then you must be offered in October and it is your choice whether to acccept the new offer (your first choice) or not. If they cannot create a place in October they must offer you a deferred place the following year.

I’m five points off primary teaching at St Pat’s and I am so afraid that even if I get upgraded after a recheck that they won’t be able to offer me a place until next year. What do you recommend for students who have to wait until 2016?

There are a variety of options students in this position have taken up including working for the year to earn money for college, completing a PLC course in an area of interest or an area that may be of benefit them when job hunting eg, upskilling in IT, doing voluntary work here or abroad, travelling and so on. So there is no shortage of things to do. It can almost be a gap year where you could do a combination of these options throughout the year. Many who have been forced to do this have said they really enjoyed the year and felt very ready heading into their new course.

Can I appeal without viewing the paper? Thank you.

Yes you can but to make a more informed decision about whether to appeal or not, and which subjects to appeal, you are strongly advised to view your scripts before appealing subjects. Remember it is possible to drop grades as well as increase them.