Junior Cycle

Junior cycle (lower secondary education) lies within the compulsory period of education and is usually taken by students between the ages of 12 and 15. The aims and intended outcomes of junior cycle emphasise the importance of students experiencing a broad, balanced and coherent programme of study across a wide range of curriculum areas in order to prepare them for transition to senior cycle education. This is achieved by ensuring that students encounter an educational programme that covers a number of areas of experience. Read more here about the aims of junior cycle.

Junior Certificate

The programme of study followed in junior cycle varies. Almost all students take courses leading to the Junior Certificate, the State examination taken at the end of the third year of junior cycle when students are 15 years of age. In order to enable them to reach and undertake the Junior Certificate examination, students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and those viewed as at risk of leaving school early may follow the Junior Certificate School Programme.

Ideas for a new Junior Cycle

What might a junior cycle of the future look like?

Have a read of the ideas set out in the paper Innovation and Identity: Ideas for a new Junior Cycle (PDF, 4.4MB). The paper discusses ideas about how the junior cycle curriculum, learning and teaching, methods of generating evidence of learning and qualifications might change.

The paper also talks about how we might all go about developing a junior cycle of the future. Interested? Follow this link to the junior cycle developments page to find out more!

Junior cycle review

The NCCA undertakes a review of the junior cycle on a continuous basis. Currently there are several aspects to this review, including initiatives related to Assessment for Learning, research into students' experiences of junior cycle (ESRI research), and rebalancing subjects (reducing curriculum overload/overlap). In addition, a number of general areas of work within the NCCA have relevance for junior cycle review. These include developments in the areas of Information and Communications Technology, Special Educational Needs, Intercultural Education and Children in Detention/Care.

Junior cycle fact sheets

Do you know someone soon to start first year in post-primary school? If so, they might find the set of 25 fact sheets which the NCCA has put together useful. The factsheets give easy-to-read information about the different subjects available in junior cycle (available in both English and Irish). While the fact sheets have been designed with sixth class pupils and first year students in mind, they will also be useful for parents.

Standardised testing in junior cycle

We've recently commissioned research into the international practice of standardised testing in lower secondary education. This research will gather data on international practice on testing for the 12-15 age group and will assist us in advising the Minister for Education and Science on the implications of the introduction of standardised testing at one further point in compulsory education.

Standardised testing is already happening in Irish primary schools in English and mathematics. Students are assessed twice during their primary school years - at the end of first class or beginning of second class and at the end of fourth class or beginning of fifth class.

The findings of this research are due early next year (2010). Keep an eye on this junior cycle section of the NCCA website for further updates.

Are you, or your school, doing junior cycle differently?

We would be really interested in talking to any teachers or schools who are approaching teaching and learning in junior cycle in a novel way - maybe you teach your subject a little differently and you think that others might find the approach useful. Or perhaps your school has an interesting approach to timetabling junior cycle classes? If you have an interesting tale to share with us, drop us a line at juniorcycle@ncca.ie. We'd love to hear from you!

Documentation

The booklet: A Brief Description of the Irish Education System published by the Department of Education and Science contains a useful overview of junior cycle education and the education system in general.