Diploma Dates 2012-13

The Irish Board Diploma sessions in 2012-13 will take place on Sunday 25 November 2012 and Sunday 9 June 2013 in the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Co Dublin.

The closing dates for the receipt of entry forms and fees for new and continuing candidates are 1 November 2012 and 1 May 2013 respectively. Late entries are not accepted.

June Diploma

Just a reminder that the closing date for the receipt of entry forms (and any fees due) for new and continuing candidates for the Irish Board Diploma exams due to take place on Sunday 10 June, is 1 May 2012. Please check the eligibility criteria (see the Downloads section) and please ensure that each form is signed by the candidate and his/her teacher.

Unfortunately it will not be possible to accept any candidates after the closing date.

Grade Examinations Poetry Suggestions

We very much believe in teachers and candidates discussing and agreeing the choice of poem to be performed for Irish Board of Speech & Drama examinations and we will never seek to constrain that choice. However, we do understand that some teachers would like some guidance and/or suggestions for poems that might be suitable for each grade. So we are happy to oblige. This list has been compiled by Deirdre Galassi FTCL and Finola Ryan FIBSD and we are very grateful to them for their work.

Grade Examination Poetry Suggestions 2011-12

DIPLOMA EXAMS: FINAL REMINDER of closing date

This is the FINAL REMINDER that the closing date for the receipt of entry forms for new and continuing candidates for the November Diploma exams is TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2011. Remember that new candidates for the Diplomas of Associate (Teaching) and Licentiate (Teaching), need to supply documentary evidence of their eligibility.

See Diploma Examinations Eligibility Criteria (PDF) for details.

 


Submission to NCCA/HEA

A few weeks ago, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) organised a conference called ‘Transition or Transaction?’ to open a debate about the CAO system and whether it still fitted the purpose for which it was set up.

We have long held the view that, as happens in Britain, certain out-of-school or in-school extra curricular activities that provide young people with useful skills and certification should be valued and recognised by the State in the context of college entry. In other words, that points or credits should be awarded through the CAO system or any future college selection process for, for example, senior speech and drama Grade exams.

We tweeted this view during the conference and we believe that the idea was well received. We have now followed up with a short written submission to the NCCA and the HEA, and have asked for a meeting to discuss our proposal in more detail. Please click on the link below to read our submission.

Text of Submission