1. Information for Parents
10/04/2017
Click Title
Junior Cycle
Information for Parents
Introduce presenters and welcome parents – particularly those of children in primary school…
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Layout of room: Lecture style with Data-projector, screen and sound. Copies of Quick Reference Guide – one for each parent
24 Posters – one each of each Statement of Learning, pre-placed around room… blu-tac
Presenters: note that an image of Jack and Emma regularly appear – link their names to the topic in question – what will change/what is better for them…

2. 10/04/2017
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world…
Mandela, after 27 years of imprisonment on Robin Island highlights for us the deep sense of care and passion that education rightly evokes in students, parents, educators and society. It is with this deep belief in the importance of education for the life chances of people and for the nature of the society in which they live that we are presenting this to you this evening.

3. The Principles of Junior Cycle Education Learning to Learn Wellbeing
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Learning
to Learn
Wellbeing
Choice and
Flexibility
The Principles
of Junior Cycle
Education
Quality
Inclusive
Education
Continuity and
Development
This new Framework is value-driven, based on 8 principles that ensure:
we have the best quality education for our students while supporting their wellbeing
we stimulate creativity and innovation necessary for the future with a deep capacity of learning how to learn
we ensure all students are included in the learning, regardless of background or ability, including giving them the maximum flexibility and choice that any school can accommodate
students link more effectively with primary and senior cycle education while truly engaging students in their learning and participating actively in all forms of school life
The principles inform the planning, development and implementation of the Junior Cycle programme in your child's school.
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There is no need to further explain these Principles – They can also be found in the Quick Reference Guide.
Background reading:
The Framework descriptors:
Quality All students experience a high quality education, characterised by high expectations of learners and the pursuit of excellence.
Wellbeing The student experience contributes directly to their physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing and resilience. Learning takes place in a climate focused on collective well being of school, community and society.
Continuity and development Curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning enables students to build on their learning to date, recognises their progress in learning and supports their future learning
Creativity and innovation Curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning provide opportunities for students to be creative and innovative.
Inclusive education The educational experience is inclusive of all students and contributes to equality of opportunity, participation and outcomes for all.
Learning to learn High quality curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning support students in developing greater independence in learning and in meeting the challenges of life beyond school, of further education, and of working life.
Engagement and participation The experience of curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning encourages participation, generates engagement and enthusiasm, and connects with life outside the school.
Choice and flexibility The school’s junior cycle programme is broad enough to offer a wide range of learning experiences to all, and flexible enough to offer choice to meet the needs of students.
Creativity and
Innovation
Engagement and
Participation

4. Overview Our students Structure of the Junior Cycle
10/04/2017
Overview
Our students
Structure of the Junior Cycle
Subjects, Short Courses and Other Learning Experiences
Assessment and Reporting
Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement
This is the order of evening
Aware that there is lots of new vocabulary
You will be given a quick reference guide
Relate this slide to Jack and Emma

5. Our Students Literacy and numeracy for learning and life
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Our Students
Literacy and numeracy for learning and life
Connecting primary and secondary
Settling in and making progress in first year
Ongoing assessment to support learning
A purposeful second year
National comparisons in Literacy and Numeracy over the past 20 years show a decline in standards. While accepting that these issues are not the sole responsibility of the school, they cannot be ignored by the school **See Supporting notes below**
By connecting primary and secondary the Junior Cycle aims to achieve an effective transition by bringing the experience of students at both levels closer together and establishing stronger lines of communication and consistency between schools in the interest of students.
A lack of progress in 1st year by many students
A disengagement in 2nd year
While 3rd year is all about the exam at the end of the year, on assessing the product of learning, not the process of learning
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Background thought:
Hislop (JMB September ‘14): “But the obvious problem is that conventional tests  and examinations cannot measure the achievement of many of the deeper skills or indeed the deeper knowledge that we say we value. One consequent and serious risk is often spoken about– that assessment or examinations come to distort good teaching rather than support it. ”
The information on this slide derives from the findings of Irish research.
This must be stressed by the presenter – robust research conduced in Ireland, into your children, into Jack and Emma, by the ESRI / Professor Emer Smyth, particularly Moving Up, Pathways through Junior Cycle and Gearing Up for the Exam.
Supporting Notes on Literacy and Numeracy
One in ten children In Irish schools has serious difficulty with reading or writing; in some disadvantaged schools this is as high as almost one in three students _ The literacy skills of students in Irish primary schools, measured by the National Assessments of English Reading, have not improved in over thirty years, despite considerable investments in reducing pupil-teacher ratios, the introduction of learning support (formerly remedial) and resource teachers, the provision of better teaching materials and considerable curricular reform Second-level teachers and principals have identified poor literacy levels as a barrier to accessing the post-primary curriculum and making a smooth transition into post-primary school _ Employers and third-level institutions have been consistently critical of the standards of literacy of students leaving post-primary education _ There has been a decline in the performance of post-primary students In Ireland in international literacy tests. In 2006, Irish fifteen-year-old students performed at the “above average” level in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) but in the 2009 round of the assessment, Irish students performed at the “average” level, ranking 17th out of 34 OECD countries _ The PISA 2009 tests showed that 17 per cent of all Irish fifteen year olds and almost one in four teenage boys lack the literacy skills to function effectively in today’s society
LITERACY AND NUMERACY FOR LEARNING AND LIFE The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy
among Children and Young People

6. What is the purpose of education in Junior Cycle?
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What is the purpose of education in Junior Cycle?
Help students become better learners and develop a love of learning
Provide a solid foundation for further study
To develop skills for learning and life
To support learning through improved reporting to both students and parents
What is the purpose of education in Junior Cycle?
There are many answers to this question, but these answers were found in the consultation by the NCCA in 2010, with all the educational partners including teachers and parents.
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Background references here

7. Some 48 Network Schools took part in different aspects of the Framework for Junior Cycle over the past three years.
This 2 minute video gives us an insight to some student’s and teacher’s experiences of the Key Skills in the Junior Cycle classroom.

8. Structure of the Junior Cycle
Assessment and Reporting
Level 2 Learning Programmes
Subjects
Wellbeing
Short Courses
Other Learning
Experiences C U R I L M
8 Key Skills
The Junior Cycle Framework is based on 8 Principles mentioned in the introduction
The 24 Statements of Learning are the new curriculum– in your quick reference guide AROUND THE ROOM on the WALLS – They show the breadth of education during the Junior Cycle Years…
8 Key Skills have been identified.
Being Literate
Being Numerate
Managing Myself
Staying Well
Communicating
Being Creative
Working with Others
Managing Information and Thinking
These Key Skills are to be embedded in subjects, short courses, Other Areas of Learning and the Level 2 Learning Programmes. The Level 2 Learning Programmes are relevant to many students in Special Schools and a very small number of students in mainstream schools
For students the 24 Statements of Learning and 8 Key Skills will be embedded in Subjects, Short Courses and Other Areas of Learning.
For Level 2 Programme students they will be embedded in the 5 Priority Learning Units and the 2 level 2 short courses.
Assessment and Reporting are an integral part of the structure of the junior cycle process particularly over Second and Third years
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{{Speaker Please note: Level 2 Learning Programmes are mentioned here – they are not the purpose of tonight's presentation – If asked: they are relevant to many students in Special Schools and a very small number of students in mainstream schools - designed for students with particular special educational needs who currently can't access the Junior Certificate - general learning disabilities in the higher functioning moderate and low functioning mild categories}}
24 Statements of Learning
8 Principles

9. Your child in First-year
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Your child in First-year
Sept 2015
Sept 2016
Sept 2017
English
Short Courses
English
Science
Business Studies
Short Courses
English
Science
Business Studies
Irish
Art, Craft & Design
Modern Languages
Short Courses
Speaker – be aware that Gaeilge may be moved to 2017 and included with the Modern Languages

10. 10/04/2017
What stays the same?
Students experience a broad and balanced curriculum
Standards and expectations remain high
Subjects continue to play an important role in the Junior Cycle
The Department of Education and Skills will monitor quality across all schools
The State Examinations Commission will continue to be involved in assessment for certification
Students experience a broad and balanced curriculum
Look again at the 24 Statements of Learning around the room
Standards and expectations remain high
In fact, the standards and expectations for student learning will be clearer than ever because each subject specification will be set out in learning outcomes describing what the student will be able to do and examples of assessment tasks and student work marked by teachers will show how students can go about achieving a high standard in their work.
Subjects continue to play an important role in the Junior Cycle
21 Subjects all will have updated and relevant specifications
The Department of Education and Skills will monitor quality across all schools
Emphasis on Quality – particularly on the quality and nature of the learning itself - on the process of learning
The State Examinations Commission will continue to be involved in assessment for certification
State examinations will be held in June of Third year every year.

11. 10/04/2017
What is improving?
A better and a more engaging learning experience for your child
Updated subject specifications
Quality reporting back to parents and students
Assessment to support learning
An emphasis on Key Skills and preparation for life
A sound preparation for learning at Senior Cycle and beyond
A better and a more engaging learning experience for your child
The subject specifications are written with this in mind as are the Short Courses….
A solid preparation for Senior Cycle and beyond
The broadening of the focus on learning will help all students to engage with Senior Cycle which is changing also
Updated subject specifications
Following consultation with Subject Matter Experts and experienced teachers
Quality reporting back to parents and students
This will be central to the Junior Cycle.
School-based components will be assessed by the students’ teachers, and reported to students and parents by the school.
Schools will document and report to students and their parents on the students’ progress and achievement including the outcomes achieved on the school-based components.
A standard template for this school report will be provided.
Assessment to support learning
The purpose of assessment at this stage of education is to support learning
An emphasis on Key Skills and preparation for life
To next slide on Key Skills

12. 10/04/2017
Key Skills help learners develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to face the many challenges in today’s world
They support lifelong learning and indeed preparation for learning at senior cycle
Key Skills are happening in every Junior Cycle classroom.
Junior Cycle will involve a more planned and thoughtful approach to embedding the Key Skills in the classroom.
Each subject specification will indicate to the teacher how he/she can activate them in their classroom.

13. Materials Technology Wood
Mathematics
Science
Home Economics
Business Studies
24 Statements
of Learning
Key Skills
Subjects
History
Geography
Jewish Studies
Music
Art, Craft and Design
Classics
Religious Education
These are the 21 subjects of the Junior Cycle.
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Speaker: Just go through the subjects or let parents read quietly from screen
English
German
Irish
Spanish
French
Italian
Technical Graphics
Materials Technology Wood
Technology
Metalwork

14. Short Courses 24 Statements of Learning Key Skills Coding
Artistic Performance
Physical Education
24 Statements
of Learning
Key Skills
Short Courses
Chinese Language and Culture
Digital Media Literacy
Social, Personal and Health Education
Civic, Social and Political Education
There are 9 NCCA developed short courses.
Speaker: The 7 in green and the two 2 in purple are currently available from the NCCA for teachers and schools to use with their students.
The two in purple are set at level 2
The one in gold is a level 3 short course currently in development by the NCCA.
A school can also develop a short course with the support of the NCCA.
Additional Commentary
Short courses are a new addition to the curriculum. As the title suggests, they are courses which are shorter in duration than subjects. So while 240 hours will be spent on each of English, Irish and Maths over the three years of junior cycle and 200 hours on each other subject, short courses are designed to involve 100 hours of learning. The advantage of short courses are many: they can open up new areas of learning; they can strengthen or deepen existing areas of learning and they can assist in developing important skills for students. To begin with, NCCA have developed the nine short courses on this slide. Most are for certification at Level 3. The short courses in purple have been specifically developed for use in Level 2 Learning Programmes. Schools will also have the option of developing their own short courses following guidelines and a template provided by NCCA. Finally, some short courses will be designed by other organisations and bodies and will be available for schools to use if they wish. Overall, short courses offer potential for a more flexible and diverse junior cycle programme in schools.
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Further Supporting information if needed
Short Courses will
Develop Key Skills
Be taught over 100 hours
Assessment will be ongoing with up to two school based assessment components
Short courses don’t have to be taught for certification and can come under the heading other learning experience
Through short courses school will now have an opportunity to connect with their communities in a wide variety of ways: Refer back to Emma and Jack in this slide – a school could pick a strength from a local area and develop a short course around it, particularity if it helped meet some Statements of Learning.
Areas of student learning can now be strengthened for example CSPE, SPHE, IT and PE.
Short courses allow students a very different learning experience from that of a traditional subject, as schools can tailor the short course to the needs and interests of their students, skills and interests of the teaching staff and resources available within school and the wider community e.g. LEARNING CHINESE (Speaker please note that over 50 schools in the Cork area currently teach Chinese).
Note carefully – some schools may not have the capacity to develop Short Courses. If they do develop them, there may only be one class group due to school resources required. Schools are not obliged to provide them, though there is a great interest in them.
A Personal Project: Caring for Animals
Exploring Forensic Science
Philosophy

15. Wellbeing 300 - 400 hours over 3 years Physical Education
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Wellbeing
hours over 3 years
Physical Education
Social, Personal and Health Education (including Relationship and Sexuality Education)
Civic, Social and Political Education
Other areas such as guidance
This slide refers to wellbeing and we are all aware that a positive school climate and culture is fundamental to staff and student wellbeing.
Wellbeing must include PE, SPHE and CSPE and can include other areas a school sees as contributing to wellbeing.
Wellbeing is central to all aspects of Junior Cycle reform
It is both one of the 8 principles and one of the 8 key skills.
Wellbeing features in many of the statements of learning, particularly number 11 “Takes action to safeguard and promote her/his wellbeing and that of others”

16. Other Learning Experiences
Spirituality
Ethics
24 Statements
of Learning
Key Skills
Other Learning Experiences
Guidance and Counselling
Co-curricular activities
Pastoral Care
Visiting Speakers
Debating
Other Areas of Learning
Speaker read the experiences on the slide
These are a combination of learning experiences that a school will offer (e.g. Pastoral Care/ Tutor class ) and might offer (School garden). The list is NOT exhaustive….
ASK PARENTS FOR SUGGESTIONS:
Is there anything else happening in your school that you know of?
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Speaker: Please note
The learning experiences on the slide were purposefully chosen because they are available to the vast majority of students.
Citizenship
Student Council
Sports

17. Assessment
Reporting
This slide is about assessment and reporting during and at the end of Jack and Emma's time in Junior Cycle education. As the slide says “The purpose of assessment at this stage of education is to support learning”.
The new approach to assessment and reporting will:
Place a new emphasis on the assessment that happens in classrooms and the way this is reported to parents by schools
Use a wide variety of methods, tasks and strategies so that high-quality feedback can be reported to students across the three years of Junior Cycle. Such feedback will be based on sources of evidence such as questioning, tests, project work, presentations, experiments and other kinds of classroom based activities.
Ongoing assessment and reporting will allow students to review their own progress and discuss their progress with their teachers and other students with a view to identifying next steps to be taken. This will help to build students’ capacity to manage their own learning and their motivation to stick with a complex task or problem. It will also form the basis of more informed conversations between parents and schools on the learning of their students
Ongoing assessment and reporting will help students to demonstrate their learning achievements over time and in a range of learning contexts which the current examination regime cannot capture.
‘The purpose of assessment at this stage of education is to support learning’.
It is the teacher who decides the balance and timing of formative and summative assessment
Putting Assessment for Learning into Practice – Spendlove, 2009

18. A changing assessment culture
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A changing assessment culture
Assessment in support of learning
Assessment focused on offering effective feedback
Greater variety of assessment activity - “fit for purpose” and relevant to students
Teachers talking to teachers about assessment
Building capacity, knowledge and confidence in assessment, in schools
Via original NCCA notes:
In  recognising  and  catering  for  this  stronger  emphasis  on  assessment  as  a  vital  part  of  the  teaching  and  learning  process, a  changing  assessment  culture  is  encouraged. 
There will be a more varied approach to assessment in ensuring that the assessment method undertaken is fit for purpose, timely and relevant to the students.
Teachers are encouraged to talk about assessment with their colleagues and in this way build capacity, knowledge and confidence in  assessment practice in schools.

19. Your child will be involved in
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Your child will be involved in
Reviewing feedback and identifying what they have done well
Identifying what to do next
Setting and achieving personal goals
Redrafting and correcting their own work
Giving feedback to others
Considering examples of good work and identifying how they can improve on their own work
Via original NCCA notes:
Assessment  that  strongly  supports  learning  might  look  different  for  students.  They  might  be  correcting  their  own  work  before  handing  it  up  using  a  marking  plan  set  by  the  teacher. 
They  might  also  be  giving  feedback  to  other  students  about their  work  and  offering  suggestions  as  to  how  that  work  might  be  improved,  again  following  clear  criteria. 
They  will  be  able  to  look  at  examples  of  other students’  work  to  identify  differing  standards,  and  use  this  to  assist  them  in  reaching  a  higher  standard  in  their  own  work. 
Through  this  they  will  be  identifying what  they  need  to  learn,  what  they  need  to  do  and  what  to  change  in  order  to  improve  their  own  learning.