A SCHOOL in Cork is allowing its students to sit their pre-Leaving Cert and Junior Cert exams from home today as a result of the extreme weather conditions.
Hewitt College, a private school in Cork city, informed parents of students this morning that the school would be closed because of the hazardous footpaths and roads after a night of heavy snowfall and disruptions to transport services.
The school is one of many to remain closed today following Met Eireann’s status red weather warning.
A number of the school's students are in the midst of their pre-Junior Certificate and pre-Leaving Certificate examinations.
The exams are seen as an opportunity to set a standard for the Leaving and Junior Cert exams in June.
Despite the school being shut, students have been told they will have to sit their scheduled state exams at home.
A Facebook post from the school added that teachers will “email home the exams to be taken from home”, and that they are “reaching out to our parents and guardians to ensure supervision and examination style conditions.”
Speaking to The Journal.ie, the school's principal, Trish McGrath, said that she doesn’t expect students to take the opportunity to cheat.
“I don’t think so," she said when asked whether she thinks students may be tempted to cheat. "We’ve given full instructions to parents regarding exam conditions.
"It’s not important what mark they get here, but it’s important they have a trial run for the real thing. I don’t think there will be any cheating," she added.
