Leaving Cert Construction Studies is examined in three ways including:
- a written paper;
- a practical test;
- a project.
In this guide, we will look at the project and the practical exam and what you need to focus on in both. Let's get into it!
Guide
How to get a H1 in the Leaving Cert Construction Studies Project and Practical
By Val ConnellIn this guide, construction studies teacher, Val Connell, has put together some useful information and tips to help you get all the marks possible in your construction studies project and practical.
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Introduction
Grading breakdown
As mentioned above, construction studies is examined in a number of ways. Each section is graded as follows:
The written exam is worth 50%
The project is worth 25%
The practical skills test is worth 25%
Here is a breakdown of the marks:
| Written exam | Project (coursework) | Practical skills test | Total |
| 300 | 150 | 150 | 600 |
The project
Let's have a look at some important questions about this project.
Picking your project
Your project must include a physical artefact that you have manufactured yourself along with a written portfolio, documenting your design thoughts, research and thoughts on manufacture. In addition to this, your portfolio must include three building experiments and there are three types of projects you can choose from:
A building detail incorporating a minimum of three craft practices.
This is a section of a building that includes three different crafts/trades. Examples include roofing, block laying and plastering. It is accompanied by a portfolio/report.
A building science project relating to craft practices.
This has to relate to a specific craft and be a proportioned size of that real-life craft (trade) like stairs or the first few blocks of a wall, for example. This is a furniture project with at least three different processes in it and is accompanied by a portfolio/report.
A written/drawn project relating to craft heritage/architectural heritage or the built environment.
Examples include thatched roofing (craft heritage) and vernacular architecture (architectural heritage). This could be a passive house or new building technologies (built environment) and it is to be accompanied by a scale model or model of the researched technology.
How is it graded?
Your project will be graded by your teacher. An examiner from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will visit your school in June and select marks that are accurate.
I would advise you to stick to specific guidelines and details given to you by your teacher and adhere to all advice and feedback given as they will be the ones marking it and they know what they are doing.
Your project is worth 150 marks and you will be marked under the following headings:
| Portfolio | Manufacture of artefact | Experiments | Total |
| 60 marks | 60 marks | 30 marks | 150 marks |
Portfolio Layout
Below is a suggested format (remember to stick to your teacher's advice):
| Cover page | This goes at the front of your project. |
| Table of contents | The list and page number of your headings in your portfolio. |
| Brief | You have to come up with your own brief, i.e. a reason to do your project. |
| Analysis of brief | Analyse, expand and evaluate the key problems you have identified in the previous section. |
| Research and investigation | Research and investigate existing solutions to your project. Avoid using the internet too much and take pictures. |
| Development of design ideas | Have bout three to four ideas. Use plenty of sketches to detail your thoughts and ideas and incorporate lots of thumbnail sketches. Discuss the pros and cons of each idea. |
| Final solution | This is a sketch of your final solution with dimensions. The examiner should visibly see how you arrived at this solution. Include your justification or reasons behind why you chose this design. |
| Materials | Analyse the materials out there and evaluate them. Explain why you are choosing certain materials for your project. |
| Joining methods | These are sketches of the joints you will use with reasons behind the adhesives and fittings as well as the joints you are using (explain why they are the most appropriate). |
| Working drawings and sketches | These could include elevations, end elevations, plans. You can use isometric and exploded isometric drawings. If you know how to use Solidworks, include this. |
| Cutting list | This is the size and quantity specifications for the pieces needed. |
| Time planner | This is a guide to your time plan. Make sure to update it as you go along. |
| Project manufacture | Include pictures and sketches. Take/draw them as you go along the project. Document problems encountered and how you overcame them. |
| Finish applied | How you applied it and why you chose that finish. Mention any possible health and safety issues. |
| Tools used | Pictures and health and safety issues. Include safe use of tools. |
| Evaluation | This is where you reflect on the process. What have you learned? What would you do differently and why? |
| Conclusion | From your evaluation what can you gather that has significant importance for future work? |
| Experiments | Three building experiments. |
The practical skills test
The practical skills test (as it is known officially) is also known as the 'day test', 'skills test' or simply, 'the practical'. Whatever you choose to call it, it's the exam for the Leaving Cert Construction Studies course.
It is a four-hour test that is held in the month of May. The exam assesses a student's skill and knowledge in working with wood in terms of reading and interpreting drawings, marking out material, processing material and assembly of components to make the artefact drawn on your working drawing sheet given to you by your superintendent. These are the steps you follow:
- 1
Read and interpret the working drawing.
- 2
Mark out and process material using only hand tools.
- 3
Assemble.
Common questions
When is the practical skills test?
The practical skills test will be held in your school in May. This will be shortly after the deadline for submission of project work has passed. The exam will be held in the woodwork rooms in your school. As each room can only hold 24 students max, most schools divide their students into groups and give each group a different day or time. Thus, you will have to find out from the school your group, date and time that you will be doing the exam.
Who grades it and how much is it worth?
Your artefact is graded by an examiner of the State Examinations Committee (SEC). Your work is sealed in a plastic bag and sent to the SEC headquarters. The practical skills test is examined at common level and is worth 150 marks. This is worth 25% of your overall grade at higher level.
Remember
Marks are awarded for marking out components, processing them and assembling them. If you marked a piece out and did not process it, you still receive marks. Essentially, everything you do is worth a mark.
What do I need to know?
The different marking out tools and how to and when to use them.
The different hand tools for processing material, i.e. when to use a coping saw or tenon saw.
The different joints available to use in woodwork and how to manufacture them.
How to read working drawings (elevations, end elevations, plans and pictorial views) and mark the information onto your work pieces. Also how to assemble pieces.
Remember
You should not use any machine tools for the exam. If you do, you lose 50% of the marks available on that component. You may be allowed to use a cordless drill (the instruction sheets on the day will specify).
How can I prepare?
The practical skills test from afar can seem impossible to prepare for as you need hand tools, a workplace and materials to practice for it. However, it is important to note it is very possible to study for. Below are some tips on how to prepare for it:
If you see fit, designing a project for your coursework element that will have a lot of joints in it can prove helpful.
Buy a few marking out hand tools, i.e. a try square, marking gauge, etc. and practice marking out pieces at home. You don't want to be wasting time making mistakes on marking out.
If possible, buy some hand tools and practice past years at home or arrange a time with your teacher to allow you to practice in the woodwork room. Many teachers hold mock exams before the test so make use of this. Remember to work safely.
Take into account that the practical skills test is held in May which is not long after you submit your project. You need to balance your study.
I recommend no more than one hour a week of preparation for the practical skills test during the project.
Exam tips
Tips for the Practical Skills Test
1
2
3
4
Manage your time efficiently
I recommend splitting your time as follows:
- spend 10 minutes reading the working drawing;
- spend 105 minutes on marking out;
- spend 110 minutes on processing.
1
Labeling
Label every component in every view and put your exam number on each one. No harm in colouring your exploded pictorial too.
2
Be organised, tidy and consistent
- Lay your components out on the desk similar to how they will be assembled before marking.
- Stick to your layout all the way through now.
- When you finish marking/processing a piece, leave it back in its original position. This will help you visualize where different joints go etc.
- Use a different labelling system for your joints like 1A and have it written on individual pieces.
General tips
| Marking out | Processing | Assembly |
| Work from right to left. | A good rule of thumb is to start with the piece with the most joints and the most difficult joint being the first. | No glue/adhesive can be used in the assembly. |
| Establish face side and face edge. | If you have dovetails, use the pins to mark the tails. |
If your joints are tight, don't force them. Pare required areas to fit snugly but with appropriate tightness. |
| Mark the overall length of the piece. | Try to keep your pieces as long as possible for as long as you can. Small lengths of wood are hard to process. | After you have neatly assembled your pieces then remove waste wood carefully. |
| Mark in joint position, i.e. how far in the mortise is. | If you have 10 minutes remaining and you won't get it finished, shape the components specified in the working drawings. There can be up to 20 marks for this which is a lot of marks for 10 minutes work. | |
| Mark in joint detail, i.e. the mortise. | ||
| Mark in waste. |
Some tips and tricks
for your Leaving Certificate Construction Studies Practical Exam.
Manage your time efficiently
I recommend splitting your time as follows:
- spend 10 minutes reading the working drawing;
- spend 105 minutes on marking out;
- spend 110 minutes on processing.
Labeling
Label every component in every view and put your exam number on each one. No harm in colouring your exploded pictorial too.
Be organised, tidy and consistent
- Lay your components out on the desk similar to how they will be assembled before marking.
- Stick to your layout all the way through now.
- When you finish marking/processing a piece, leave it back in its original position. This will help you visualize where different joints go etc.
- Use a different labelling system for your joints like 1A and have it written on individual pieces.
General tips
| Marking out | Processing | Assembly |
| Work from right to left. | A good rule of thumb is to start with the piece with the most joints and the most difficult joint being the first. | No glue/adhesive can be used in the assembly. |
| Establish face side and face edge. | If you have dovetails, use the pins to mark the tails. |
If your joints are tight, don't force them. Pare required areas to fit snugly but with appropriate tightness. |
| Mark the overall length of the piece. | Try to keep your pieces as long as possible for as long as you can. Small lengths of wood are hard to process. | After you have neatly assembled your pieces then remove waste wood carefully. |
| Mark in joint position, i.e. how far in the mortise is. | If you have 10 minutes remaining and you won't get it finished, shape the components specified in the working drawings. There can be up to 20 marks for this which is a lot of marks for 10 minutes work. | |
| Mark in joint detail, i.e. the mortise. | ||
| Mark in waste. |
Hope these help - you've got this!
By Val Connell
Val is a DCG and Junior Cycle Graphics teacher at Newpark Comprehensive School in Dublin for the last 8 years. He has also taught Leaving cert construction studies in the past.