`Basically, I didn't feel that the Leaving Cert was for me. I was turned off by the points system. I guess I was worried I wouldn't get enough points."

For Marian O'Donnell, a past pupil of St Fanahan's, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, the Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) provided an exciting alternative. By the time she got to the terminal exams, she enjoyed them - it was a whole different approach.

The LCA also helped her in her career choice. "In the beginning I wanted to do hairdressing but I did a work placement and I didn't like it. I found out through the LCA that it wasn't a career I wanted. I think that was the best thing about the LCA.

"I then did a work placement in a playgroup in Mitchelstown. I loved that. I learned how the business was run, the pros and cons, how to deal with parents."

O'Donnell is now doing a childcare course in Cork College of Commerce. En route, she collected the Tomas O Connaill medal from Co Cork VEC for being the highest achiever in the LCA in the county.

Fellow classmate Brian Mullins recently started an apprenticeship as a fitter. He knew the traditional Leaving Cert wasn't for him and says the LCA's more practical approach suited him. He had to complete nine tasks for the LCA and says the various projects meant going out and meeting people and interviewing them.

As with O'Donnell, his work experience helped him make up his mind about his future career. Now, his project on securing accommodation and living away from home will come into play as he will have to attend college as part of his apprenticeship.

The work experience was also very valuable in developing communication skills, says Mullins. "Going into a workplace, meeting with and talking to strangers gives you a boost . . . you feel more confident talking to strangers."

If Mullins and O'Donnell are any guide, the LCA is extremely successful in developing communication skills. Mullins got a certificate of commendation from Co Cork VEC.

These experiences are typical of the class of 1998, says LCA co-ordinator Michael Coakley. That year 26 LCA students graduated from St Fanahan's - 40 per cent are on PLC courses; 40 per cent have started apprenticeships and the remaining 20 per cent have found employment.

The principal, Niall O Donnchadha says that, initially, a very willing and enthusiastic staff is needed to implement the LCA. "It's a departure with respect to teaching methods and the structure of the course. Our experience to date has been good . . . we are all aware of the necessity for a viable and realistic alternative to the straight Leaving Cert.

"I think the LCA is developing into that. It still needs to be tidied but it's moving in the right direction. We're concerned about the marketing by the Department of Education and Science to employers. There are still a lot of people out there who don't understand what it's about."

Despite this lack of awareness, more than 90 per cent of the 1998 LCA graduates have found work or gone on to further education, according to the results of a preliminary study carried out by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).

This follows the success of the first batch of students to complete the LCA in 1997. The survey of 941 graduates in 63 schools showed that 38 per cent went directly into employment, 22 per cent embarked on PLC courses, 19 per cent began apprenticeships, 12 per cent began other courses including CERT and Teagasc, and four per cent were seeking work. The destination of the remaining five per cent was unknown or they were not available for work.

The survey was undertaken in January and February this year, at least six months after the graduates left school. Roughly the same proportion of graduates entered the workplace in 1997 and 1998. However, the percentage beginning PLCs fell with a corresponding increase in the proportion beginning apprenticeships and CERT courses. The proportion of graduates seeking work has fallen by one per cent.

THE LCA is a different and distinct form of Leaving Cert. It's modularised and semesterised with ongoing assessments and is cross-curricular in its approach. The programme comprises preparation for work, practical courses and general education.

Students undertake a number of tasks which are examined over the two years. Credits are awarded for successful completion of the modules, for student tasks and for the final exams (the LCA is the only Leaving Cert which examines oral English skills). The terminal exam at the end of year two only counts for one-third of the overall marks.

The Minister for Education and Science, Micheal Martin, says that the high success rate of the LCA would contribute to its further growth and recognition in the years ahead. "The Leaving Certificate Applied is radically different in what is learned, how it's learned, and how students are assessed. It, therefore, presents a great challenge to teachers and schools to implement it successfully and I salute the dedication of the pioneering schools who made it happen."

The number of students completing the LCA increased from 750 in its first year to 1,700 last year. A spokesman for the Department says that more than 2,500 students are expected to sit the terminal exams of the LCA this year.

ASTI president Michael Corley says the LCA has a "vital role to play in encouraging second-level students to complete their education and in meeting the needs of students whose needs are not catered for with the traditional Leaving Cert options."

About 3,600 students leave school each year without completing the Junior Cert and a further 10,400 leave without completing the senior cycle, he adds. "Countless studies have shown a clear link between education and future prospects so initiatives such as the Leaving Cert Applied, which encourage students to stay in school for longer, deserve our fullest support."

The TUI's education officer Billy Fitzpatrick says that the Points Commission needs to "look positively at the development of the Leaving Cert Applied and learn particularly from its teamwork component."