Junior Cycle
Last updated: 6th June, 2023
Circular 28/2023 sets out the arrangements for the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle with particular reference to the school year 2023/2024. It supersedes Information Note 11/2022 and Circular 59/2021 and can be accessed at this link
Students are statutorily obliged to complete three years of post-primary education. Most often, students complete this junior cycle (lower secondary education) between the ages of 12 and 15. The Framework for Junior Cycle (2015), A Framework for the Junior Cycle (ncca.ie) and Junior Cycle (Department of Education) outline the key educational changes that the Department of Education and Skills (DES) has put in place for young people in the first three years of their post-primary education.
It incorporates a shared understanding of how teaching, learning and assessment practices should evolve to support the delivery of a quality, inclusive and relevant education that will meet the needs of junior cycle students, both now and in the future. The new junior cycle curriculum features newly developed subject specifications and short courses, a focus on key skills, and new approaches to assessment and reporting.
Introduction to Junior Cycle
Junior cycle education places students at the centre of the educational experience, enabling them to actively participate in their communities and in society and to be resourceful and confident learners in all aspects and stages of their lives. Junior cycle is inclusive of all students and contributes to equality of opportunity, participation and outcome for all. The junior cycle allows students to make a greater connection with learning by focusing on the quality of learning that takes place and by offering experiences that are engaging and enjoyable for them, and relevant to their lives.
The rationale for change
‘The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.” Socrates
The ESRI’s Longitudinal Study, Leaving School in Ireland (ESRI 2014) is the culmination of a decade of research into the experience of second level students in Irish schools. The study documents the many strengths and the weakness of our second level system and highlights the need for change and reform of the student’s experience of school in Ireland. The introduction of the new Junior Cycle Framework in 2012 offered a way forward for Junior Cycle reform which:
“incorporates a shared understanding of how teaching, learning and assessment practices should evolve to support the delivery of a quality, inclusive and relevant education that will meet the needs of junior cycle students, both now and in the future. This shared understanding is informed by engagement with stakeholders and by national and international research.” (Framework, 2015. P.6)
The Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 which was phased in between 2017 and 2022, embeds the place of consultation in curriculum design affording all stakeholders the opportunity to engage with the changes outlined in the Framework.
What is new in the Junior Cycle?
Each school should use the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015, to plan a programme for each of the three years of the Junior Cycle that meets the requirements set out in the Framework and this circular. When planning its Junior Cycle programme, each school is required to take account of the school’s local context and the backgrounds, interests, and abilities of its students and reflects the characteristic spirit of the school.
Subject specifications, short courses and Priority Learning Units (PLUs) developed by the NCCA have been designed to be as universal and inclusive as feasible, providing meaningful and valuable learning opportunities for students from all cultural and social backgrounds, and from a wide variety of individual circumstances.
Schools should be conscious of this when planning their Junior Cycle programmes in order to ensure that, as far as possible, the particular range of subjects, short courses and PLUs available is appropriate to the needs and aptitudes of every student including those with special educational needs. Notwithstanding the above, there will inevitably remain learning outcomes within subjects and short course specifications that cannot be achieved by some students by virtue of their particular special educational needs.
The programme planned for Junior Cycle should be available to students and parents/guardians as soon as is feasible for students commencing first year. The individual student and his/her parents/guardians should be made aware of the feasibility and appropriateness of the curricular options available in light of the student’s ability.
Schools will ensure that the 24 statements of learning feature in the programmes offered to their Junior Cycle students. Each Junior Cycle specification includes links to the 8 key skills of Junior Cycle. These skills are also embedded in the learning outcomes, which are clearly set out in subject, short course specifications and PLUs.
The Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 provides that students in recognised schools will study
A range of subjects
OR
A combination of subjects and short courses
OR
In the case of some individual students with special education needs, a combination of PLUs, and/or short courses and/or subjects, suited to their individual needs
AND
A programme in the area of Wellbeing.
Students will study a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 subjects (the maximum of 10 subjects includes subjects studied outside of a recognised school setting) for final examination and reporting through the JCPA, the exact number being dependent on whether the student is also taking short courses. A maximum of four short courses may be studied in the Junior Cycle programme, except in cases where a student is studying Wellbeing short courses in SPHE, CSPE or PE. It is not the aim or intention that short courses would replace existing subjects.
Exceptions to the minimum number of 8 subjects should only be made in the cases of students with special educational needs who may take a lower number of subjects, combined in some cases with Level 2 or Level 1 learning programmes.
Each student must include Irish, English, Mathematics and History among the subjects that he/she studies1 , along with a number of other subjects and/or short courses in their Junior Cycle programme. Circular Letter 16/2020 provides further details regarding special core status within the Framework for Junior Cycle assigned to History. Some exemptions to the study of History will apply in the case of students with special educational needs.
Wellbeing crosses the three years of Junior Cycle and builds on substantial work already taking place in schools in support of students’ wellbeing. The updated NCCA Junior Cycle Wellbeing Guidelines (2021) aim to support schools in planning and developing a coherent Wellbeing programme that builds on the understandings, practices and curricula for Wellbeing already existing in schools.
In addition to programmes of study in PE, SPHE and CSPE schools may also choose to include other areas in their provision for Wellbeing. Examples are set out in the NCCA guidelines for Wellbeing in Junior Cycle and include areas such as guidance, school-provided courses/units that address aspects of wellbeing, elements of other subjects that are clearly linked to wellbeing, school initiatives and relevant courses and units developed by outside agencies and organisations.
Level 2 Learning Programmes (L2LPs) are designed for certain categories of students with general learning difficulties/needs in the low mild to high moderate range of ability, where the difficulties/needs of those students prevent them from taking some or all of the subjects or short courses on offer at Level 3, as a result of being identified as requiring additional learning supports.
Some of these students may also be capable of undertaking a Level 3 state examination and a CBA, or only the CBA in that subject, or a Level 3 short course. L2LPs are not suitable for students who are learning English as an additional language and should not be undertaken by these students. L2LPs consist of five PLUs and two Level 2 short courses.
Level 1 Learning Programmes (L1LPs) are designed for students with learning difficulties/needs in the low moderate and severe and profound range of ability and as such are prevented from accessing all or some of the L2LPs.
Students have the opportunity to engage with a range of Other Learning Experiences in the junior cycle programme. These include activities relating to guidance, pastoral care, participation in a musical performance, participation in a debating competition, leadership training, school attendance initiatives and participation in a homework club and many other activities.
The new Junior Cycle links with learning at primary school level while developing knowledge and skills for senior cycle.
The changes to learning and assessment envisaged in the new Junior Cycle will support continuity and progression in students’ learning experiences as they move from primary to post primary school. In doing so, they will complement existing transition initiatives such as the Education Passport. The flexibility that schools have to design their junior cycle programmes, particularly in the first year of the programme, will support students in experiencing a successful transition.
(Framework for Junior Cycle, 2015, P.9)
Students who have elected to be home schooled will have access to the final examination at Junior Cycle. A JCPA will not be provided to such students, as the JCPA is designed as a school-based award. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) can provide these students with a statement of the results of their final examinations.
Schools that currently offer the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) may continue to do so. A review of JCSP is progressing, but it has not been possible to conclude this work due to other pressures including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on curriculum and assessment planning. No new applications are currently being accepted from schools for entry to the JCSP.
In-service and CPD designed to support schools in their implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle.
Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) is a dedicated continuing professional development (CPD) support service of the Department of Education. Its aim is to support schools in their implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) through the provision of appropriate high quality CPD for school leaders and teachers, and the provision of effective teaching and learning resources. www.jct.ie See Note below re new integrated support service. Oide | Supporting the Professional Learning of School Leaders and Teachers
The Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 introduced a dual approach to assessment that supports student learning over the three years of Junior Cycle. This dual approach reduces the focus on one externally assessed examination as a means of assessing students and increases the prominence given to classroom-based assessment and formative assessment.
Subject Learning and Assessment Review meetings (SLARs)
See Circular 76/2020, Circular 59/2021(Section 3.7) and Junior Cycle Information note TC 0011/2022
This change of emphasis arises from an acknowledgement that students learn best when teachers provide feedback that helps students to understand how their learning can be improved.
The State Examinations Commission is responsible for the development, assessment, accreditation and certification of the junior cycle examinations.
Changes to timetabling in schools
“The teaching and learning activities that will take place in the revised junior cycle programmes will encompass a wider range of activities, a new balance between the development of skills and competences and the development of students’ knowledge".
To facilitate this learning and the implementation of good formative assessment practices, a minimum class period of 40 minutes will be required. As at present, certain subjects will require double class periods (2 x 40 minutes) during the school week. With effect from September 2017 schools must ensure that class periods of less than 40 minutes are no longer timetabled. Some schools may find the use of longer class periods of up to 60 minutes (rather than 40 minutes), more suited to the learning needs of their students and the subjects they study or a combination of class periods of 40 minutes and longer class periods of up to 60 minutes.”
While this change may be disruptive for schools the rationale for the change is clear (highlighted in bold above) showing the need for a more expanded teaching and learning time for students and teachers. A timetabling curriculum planning tool is available online for school leaders at www.jct.ie/leadership/resources and this can be used when designing the total number of junior cycle programme hours each year.