Samples of the ERC Drumcondra tests are not available to parents/guardians in the way that they are available for the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations, for example. This is because we need to protect the content of the test. Schools may purchase a sample ERC Drumcondra test through the ERC Test Department.
“Past papers” do not exist because the content of the test stays the same for a number of years, and previous versions may not correspond to the current curriculum or social context.
Pupils should not “practise the test” and teachers should not teach the actual content of an ERC Drumcondra test or make the students familiar with their format. Test scores from ERC Drumcondra tests are based on a nationally representative sample of pupils who took the test with no special preparation for the test. Because of this, pupils’ results are no longer valid or useful if pupils have “practised the test” or if teachers have “taught to the test”.
However, it is possible to try a demo test on the ERC DOTS platform. The purpose of this demo test is to show you how the student moves through a test on ERC DOTS. It also shows you some (but not all) of the features available when taking a test, such as a timer and a review screen. The questions in this demo test are easy sample questions and not actual test content.
