The Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP), introduced in 1996, is particularly targeted at junior cycle (lower secondary) students who are identified as being at risk of early school leaving, perhaps without completing the Junior Certificate.

The programme is designed to offer schools and teachers a more flexible approach in mediating the Junior Cycle curriculum for students who have diverse learning needs. A wide range of teaching approaches and methodologies are advocated with particular emphasis on the differentiation of teaching and learning to reflect the ability range of the students on the programme.

Currently, the programme is available to schools participating in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) and is operating in 203 educational settings across the country.

Programme structure

At the core of the programme is a profiling system, which facilities teachers in monitoring and recording students’ progress and achievements. The profiling system comprises of a series of statements, each affirming what a student can do, knows or understands.

Statements may be subject-specific or cross-curricular in nature. Profiling statements are further broken down into learning targets. The learning targets provide realisable short-term manageable units of work, which encourage students to become more effectively involved in their own learning.

All the students in the programme must be entered for the Junior Certificate examination. Students follow the same courses as their peers in the examination subjects they have selected.On completion of the programme students receive an individual Student Profile which is a cumulative record of their achievements and is validated by the Department of Education and Science. This is in addition to any grades they achieve in the Junior Certificate examination. 

The NCCA is currently reviewing the JCSP as part of its general review of junior cycle.

Related links

JCSP Support Service
Curriculum Development Unit
Junior Certificate
Junior Cycle Review