The Junior Certificate has been in existence since 1989. In 2014, the new Junior Cycle was introduced into Irish schools. Over the coming years students will experience newly developed subjects and short courses and will find that their learning has a significant focus on key skills and wellbeing. The new curriculums and associated assessment specifications for subjects (formerly referred to as syllabuses) are being introduced on a phased basis as outlined in the chart below.
Subjects | Other Areas | Introducted to 1st Year Students in: | First recorded on JCPA in: |
Phase 1: English | September 2014 | Autumn 2017 | |
Phase 2: Science and Business Studies | September 2016 | Autumn 2019 | |
Phase 3: Irish, Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian) and Art, Craft & Design | Wellbeing | September 2017 | Autumn 2020 |
Phase 4: Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music and Geography | September 2018 | Autumn 2021 | |
Phase 5: Technology Subjects (Materials Technology/Wood, Technical Graphics, Metalwork, Technology), Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Classics | September 2019 | Autumn 2022 |
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