The new Junior Cycle will feature newly developed subjects and short courses, new approaches to assessment and will have a sharper focus on the development of literacy and numeracy.
Part of the new Junior Cycle is a certain element of school based assessment. Since 2013 St. Anne’s has chosen to include a school based assessment grade in Junior Certificate Irish, German and French. This assessment is an oral examination. The marks are forwarded to the State Examinations Commission and combined with the mark each student receives in their written exam to determine the final grade. The oral exams are recorded and are externally moderated. This ensures consistency between schools.
English, Irish and Maths will continue to play a central role in the new Junior Cycle.
The Junior Cycle curriculum will therefore have:
Core Subjects
- Irish
- English
- Maths
Options
- 7 additional subjects (giving a total of 10 subjects for certification) or
- 6 subjects plus 2 short courses *(giving a total of 9 subjects plus 2 short courses for certification or
- 5 subjects plus 4 short courses *(giving a total of 8 subjects plus 4 short courses for certification)
* Short Courses are assessed by the school and are allocated 50% of the time allocated to subjects. Therefore, one subject = 2 short courses.