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School Curriculum

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2014

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

Questions (112, 113)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

112. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of any costing or feasibility studies undertaken for the new junior certificate programmes. [10893/14]

View answer

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

113. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of supports and supervision that will be available to teachers on introduction of the new junior certificate reforms. [10894/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. The new Junior Cycle is based on the advice provided by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment which, in turn, was based on a range of research carried out for it. The NCCA documentation on junior cycle development was in part based, among other sources, on the commissioned research reports from the ESRI's longitudinal study of the experience of students in post-primary schooling and beyond, in particular the volumes Moving Up: The experiences of First Year Students in Post-Primary School Pathways through the Junior Cycle Gearing Up for the Exam; The Experience of Junior Certificate Students No Way Back?; The Dynamics of Early School Leaving Choices and Challenges: Moving from Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle; Education Behind the Scenes? A Study of Parental Involvement in Post-Primary Education. A commissioned research study on 'Wellbeing and Post-Primary Schooling: A review of the literature and research' by Dr. Maeve O'Brien and the Human Development Team of St. Patrick's College, Dublin. A commissioned research study on international experiences of Standardised Testing in Lower Secondary Education by the Educational Research Centre, Dublin. A commissioned research report from on Curriculum Structures and Stages in Education: Audit of Policy Across Jurisdictions by the National Foundation for Educational Research (UK). In addition, the background work on NCCA documentation involved investigation of international developments in lower secondary education in the OECD countries and specifically in countries/jurisdictions such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Finland, Canada and Australia. It is true than I have gone further than the NCCA advice in relation to assessment. I made this decision having considered international best practice. As the Deputy is aware, my officials are currently engaged in intensive discussions with the education stakeholders on the resources and the detailed modalities in relation to workload and implementation issues for schools and teachers; quality assurance and teacher assessment and for CPD to support implementation. I do not wish to pre-empt the results of these discussions. I expect to receive a detailed report on these issues from the National Working Group in May. However, the deputy should note that CPD is currently being rolled out to English teachers and school leaders. €4.8 m was provided for the reform of Junior Cycle in Budget 2014.

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