Junior Cycle

Junior Cycle caters for students in the first three years of their post-primary education.

The Junior Cycle was introduced on a phased basis between September 2014 and September 2021. It features revised subjects and short courses, a focus on key skills, and new approaches to assessment and reporting.

Junior Cycle aims to achieve a balance between learning subject knowledge and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities.

Schools have more freedom to design Junior Cycle programmes that meet the learning needs of all students. For students, the Junior Cycle curriculum available in their schools is a mix of subjects and short courses as well as other learning experiences. In addition to classroom-based assessments, students complete state examinations at the end of their three year Junior Cycle and receive a Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement.

From 2022, all Junior Cycle subjects and short courses have been revised and the Junior Certificate has been phased out. All links to curriculum documents for the previous junior certificate programme can be found in the subject archives on www.ncca.ie.

Junior Cycle Summary Video

Information Documents

Junior Cycle New Terms

CBA

Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) take place during normal class time. These will provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and skills in a way which would not be possible in a formal examination.

Assessment Task

This is a written assessment that assesses what students have learned from their experience of having completed the second Classroom-Based Assessment. The Assessment Task will be completed during class time. Marked by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to be marked. It will account for up to 10%*

Short Course

Schools offer short courses as part of their junior cycle programme. A short course is designed for approximately 100 hours of student engagement across two or three years of the junior cycle. Short courses in CSPE, SPHE and PE will be completed by all students.

JCPA

At the end of the Junior Cycle, students are awarded a Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). the JCPA will contain:

Results of CBAs
Other areas of learning
Achievement in Wellbeing
State-certified examinations