Junior Cycle
The Junior Cycle curriculum at The High School is delivered in Forms 1, 2, and 3. All pupils attend classes in the following subjects:
Core Subjects: English; Irish; Mathematics; History; Geography; General Science; Religious Education
Wellbeing Subjects: Physical Education; and Social, Personal, and Health Education (SPHE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) and Musicianship/Digital Literacy.
Two further subjects are chosen and studied until the end of Form 3, one from each of the following option groups:
Group A - Visual Art; Business Studies; Classical Studies; French; Spanish; Home Economics; Wood Technology; and Music.
Group B – Visual Art; Business Studies; French; Spanish; German; and Graphics.
The new Junior Cycle places the pupil at the centre of the learning process. It allows for new ways of learning and a broader range of skills to be properly assessed. One major change is the introduction of Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs). CBAs provide pupils with opportunities to demonstrate their learning and skills in ways not possible in a pen-and-paper examination, for example, their verbal communication and investigation skills. CBAs will be undertaken in all subjects and will be facilitated by the classroom teacher. They will be undertaken during a defined time within normal class contact time according to a national time frame. Pupils will generally complete one set of CBAs in Form 2 and one set in Form 3 (except for Gaeilge which features both CBAs in Form 3).
Pupils must submit their own individual work for their CBA. They may be permitted to work in groups, but the final work submitted must be their own which will be overseen by their teacher. Once the second CBA is completed in Form 3 pupils will complete a written Assessment Task (AT). The AT, set by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), is undertaken during normal class time and is marked by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). The Assessment Task is worth 10% of the overall mark in the case of most subjects. At the end of Form 3 pupils will sit the State Examinations in all subjects commencing in June of that academic year. The outcome of the CBA process will be reported in the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) which pupils receive in TY.
The document below outlines the windows for completion of the CBAs for the academic year 2022-2023 for Form 2 and Form 3.
Form 2 Classroom based assessment CBAs:
Form 3 Classroom based assessment CBAs:
Links to websites for further information:
https://ncca.ie/en/junior-cycle/framework-for-junior-cycle/
Ms V B Connolly
Deputy Principal