Teaching & Learning
Junior Cycle
Coláiste Iascaigh offers Junior Cycle students a diverse curriculum that encourages students to reach their full potential in a wide variety of subjects. Our school continually evaluated the subject options offered to incoming students. In Coláiste Iascaigh students study 9 subjects plus 2 short courses for certification purposes The subjects offered to students this year include:
Wellbeing Subjects
- Physical Education
- Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE)
- Civic, Social & Political Education (CSPE)
Information & Communication Technology
Career Guidance
Junior Cycle NCCA Curriculum Online
Junior Cycle – An Overview
The old Junior Certificate is now replaced with the Junior Cycle. The new Junior Cycle will place the student at the centre of the learning process. It allows for new ways of learning and a broader range of skills to be properly assessed.
At the backbone of the new junior cycle are a set of principles, key skills and statements of learning. Through a broad curriculum students will experience a wide and varied junior cycle.
The reform of the junior cycle aims to make the transition from primary to post-primary easier, reduce the duration of state exams, increase student engagement with their learning and encourage students to learn new skills.
Assessment and Reporting
The new junior cycle features new approaches to assessment and reporting. Students now receive a new Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) at the end of their three year cycle.
Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) CBAs provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their learning and skills in ways not possible in a pen and paper examination, for example, their verbal communication and investigation skills. Under the new Junior Cycle framework, 2nd and 3rd year students will complete CBAs in each subjects. CBAs will be undertaken during a defined time period within normal class contact time and to a national timetable.
Students will complete one CBA in second year and one in third year, in each subject. On completion of the CBA in 3rd year students will complete a written Assessment Task. This task, set by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), is undertaken during normal class time and will be sent to the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for marking. This Assessment Task will be worth 10% of the overall mark in the case of most subjects. At the end of third year, students will sit the final SEC examination in June. CBAs will be reported on in the JCPA using the following descriptors
Descriptor
- Exceptional
- Above Expectations
- In Line with Expectations
- Yet to meet Expectations
- Not reported
Other Learning Experiences
Students will have the opportunity to engage with a range of other learning experiences as part of their Junior Cycle programme and these can be recorded on the JCPA. Other learning experiences play a critical role in ensuring that students are provided with a broad and balanced educational experience. These learning experiences could include student engagement in additional curricular work such as debates, science fairs, enterprise activities. They could also include extracurricular activities, such as: membership of the school student council or participation in school sporting activities.
Student Wellbeing
Your child’s wellbeing is of central importance to their educational success and overall happiness. As a result Wellbeing will become a core part of your child’s Junior Cycle experience here in Coláiste Iascaigh. This area of learning includes, amongst others, Physical Education, Civic, Social and Political Education, Social, Personal and Health Education (including Relationship and Sexuality Education) and Guidance.
