1. First Year 2019 Subject Choice
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

2. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Compulsory Subjects
Higher and Ordinary Common level
English Irish Maths History Geography Religious Education
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

3. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Wellbeing Focus
CSPE (Civic Social and Personal Education) PE
SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education)
Guidance
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

4. New Junior Cycle -Parents
Junior Cert traditional State Exam for 3rd Year students
Junior Cycle – first introduced in 2014 features new subjects and short courses
Phased introduction
New approaches to assessment & reporting
Emphasis on Wellbeing
Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA)

5. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Ongoing Assessment
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

6. The Junior Cycle profile of achievement will inform on:
1.State Examination Commission (SEC) examinations of subjects 2. Classroom Based Assessments (CBA) including subjects and short courses 3. Other Areas of Learning (OAL’s) 4. Priority Learning Units (PLU’s) – Those Students doing a reduced curriculum

7. What does the new Junior Cycle involve for First Years
9 subjects for examination in 2020 – combination of Junior Cycle and Junior Cert
Wellbeing – 1 Tutorial class, 1 SPHE class, 1 CSPE class & 1 double PE class (300 Hours over 3 years)
Other Areas of Learning (OAL)
e.g. membership of school council
participation on school team
membership of school club

8. How are the new Junior Cycle exams different to the new Junior Cycle exams?
1 exam in June (approx 2 hours) – 90%
1 Classroom Based Assessment – March/April of 2nd year (CBA1)
1 Classroom Based Assessment – December of 3rd year (CBA2)
Following on from CBA2 -Assessment Task – reflective journal must be written up based on this task and this is worth 10% of overall result in June of 3rd Year

9. Grading Differences – Descriptors and Grades of Exams
Junior Cycle -Apart from Irish, English & Maths, other subjects common paper – Descriptors :
Distinction ( %)
Higher Merit (75 -89%)
Merit (55-74%)
Achieved (40-54%)
Partially Achieved (20- 39%)
Not graded (0-19%)
Junior Cert - Higher & Ordinary Levels – Grades:
A (85-100%)
B (70-84%)
C (55-69%)
D (40-54%)
E (25-39%)
F (10-24%)
NG (0-9%)

10. Descriptors of CBA
Features of quality – guidelines to follow when awarding descriptor :
Exceptional
Above Expectations
In line with Expectations
Yet to meet Expectations

11. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Modern Languages
French
German
Spanish
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

12. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Technology
Materials Technology Wood
Materials Technology Metal
Technical Graphics
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

13. Other Subjects on offer
Business
Science
Home Economics
Art
Music
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

14. The follow on from Science
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

15. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
The Field of Business
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

16. The Technical Subjects
Technical Graphics
Construction Studies
Design and Communication Graphics (DCG)
Engineering

17. Guidelines for Subject Choice
General Reasoning Assessment Test in Sept.
No boy/girl subjects
It is important that each student makes their own choices
Broad range keeps most Leaving Certificate subject options open
Contact the Guidance Counsellor to clarify any queries
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.

18. Guidance & Counselling Dept.
Useful Websites:
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Guidance & Counselling Dept.