New Junior Cycle Information for Parents Leo Hogan

Contents of this Presentation Why change is needed in Junior Cycle What will be different? Key Skills and Statements of Learning Curriculum and Assessment Wellbeing

Why Change? ESRI research Many students are turned off learning in Junior Cert The JC exam is dominating teaching and learning in many Irish classrooms There is too much emphasis on covering content The world has changed There is a narrow range of assessment activity - lots of tests!

What will be different for your child? Smoother transition from primary to post-primary More actively involved in their learning Investigative approaches rather than being told Greater emphasis on literacy, numeracy and the key skills Assessment – nearer in time and place to the learning Improved feedback and reporting to parents/guardians

New Junior Cycle (NJC) 8 Key Skills to be taught by all teachers in all subjects and Short Courses Should be included in all subject planning documents – already explicit in new Subject & Short Course Specifications If you are teaching an old syllabus, you are still required to teach Key Skills

24 Statements of Learning (SoL) A subject will only be able to cover some of these Statements Subjects with a new Specification show which statements are covered but if you are using an old syllabus……. Note: There are 12 other SoLs. These are the 24 Learning Outcomes that your curriculum must be able to provide for all students

The New Curriculum English, Irish & Maths Min 240 Hours Other Subjects 02/12/2018 The New Curriculum English, Irish & Maths Min 240 Hours Other Subjects Min 200 Hrs Level 2 PLUs Min 250 Hrs Short Courses Approx 100 Hrs Wellbeing 300 hours, rising to 400 hours

Maths, English & Irish will have HL and OL Maths, English & Irish will have HL and OL. All other subjects and Short Courses examined at Common Level While there is no limit on the number of subjects a student may study, he/she can be assessed in a maximum of: 10 subjects 9 Subjects and 2 Short Courses 8 Subjects and 4 Short Courses Certification

Changes in Student Assessment Each subject will have two CBAs, one at the end of 2nd Year and the other before Christmas in 3rd Year. SC have 1 CBA only. Each CBA will be followed by a Subject Learning And Review (SLAR) meeting The results of the CBAs will be communicated to students and parents and kept on record in the school. The results that are communicated to the students will be formative, giving a clear outline of how improvements can be made The CBA in 3rd Year will be followed by an Assessment Task (AT), which will be forwarded to the State Exams Commission (SEC) in June The students will receive the results of the terminal exam (which includes the AT) in mid-September from the SEC

Student Assessment contd. In Sept/Oct/Nov, the school will upload the data it holds on each of the students through the Post-Primary Online Database (P-POD) Each CBA Short Courses, if any Priority Learning Units, if any Other Areas of Learning This data will be added to the SEC results and a final cert – Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) will issue to the student by Christmas

Grades CBA Junior Cycle Distinction 90-100% Higher Merit 75 – 89% Achieved 40 – 54% Partially Achieved 20 – 39% Not Graded Less than 20% Exceptional Above expectations In line with expectations Yet to meet expectations Grades in CBAs are awarded based on Features of Quality and following a SLAR meeting. There are no corresponding marks.

JCPA

Classroom Based Assessment (CBA) & Subject Learning And Review (SLAR) Requirements 2017/18 2nd Year 3rd Year English April/May CBA (Teacher assessed) Nov/Dec CBA (Teacher)+ AT (SEC) Science N/A Business Assesment Task + Final exam = grade on JCPA. Results of CBAs reported to parents during during NJC and in JCPA. Should replace summer and Christmas tests in these subjects. CBAs at common level.

Phased Introduction of Subjects/Courses Year Subject/Course JCPA 2014 English 2017 2016 Science & Business Studies 2019 Gaeilge, MFL, Art, Wellbeing 2020 2018 Maths, Home Ec, Music, History, Geography 2021 2019 Technology Subjects, RE, Classics, Jewish Studies 2022

Wellbeing – Key Points Every teacher has a role 300 hours, rising to 400 hours Every school required to publish a Wellbeing Programme this year, based on inputs from students, staff and parents Includes PE, SPHE, CSPE and an element of Guidance May include aspects of other subjects but, if so, a rationale must be produced (using Appendix I from the Guidelines)