Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
572. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to invest money to create a space in which non-mainstream qualifications for special skills can be developed for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37965/22]
View answerThere are a number of options open to students across Senior Cycle that provide students with the opportunity to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme between Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. It is designed to act as a bridge between the two by facilitating the smooth transition from the more dependent learning of the Junior Cycle to the more independent self-directed learning required for the Senior Cycle. All Second-Level schools have the option of offering the Transition Year programme to their students and most do offer it.
The established Leaving Certificate programme is a two-year programme that covers a wide range of subjects. Subjects are normally studied at either Ordinary or Higher Level. Two subjects, Irish and Mathematics, can be studied at Foundation Level. Foundation Level is geared to the needs of students who might have difficulty with those subjects at Ordinary or Higher Level.
The Leaving Certificate Applied is a distinct, self-contained two-year Leaving Certificate programme aimed at preparing students for adult and working life. The programme sets out to recognise the talents of all students and to provide opportunities for developing personal responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge. The programme focuses on the talents of each student and helps students apply what they learn to the real world. The two-year programme consists of four half-year blocks called sessions. Achievements are credited in each session.
The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) is a Leaving Certificate with a strong vocational aspect. The programme consists of Leaving Certificate subjects, together with three compulsory link modules on enterprise education, preparation for work and work experience. Students must take at least 5 Leaving Certificate subjects, one of which must be Irish and a continental language or vocational language module.
On 29 March I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience. The three tenets of Senior Cycle redevelopment are to:
- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century
- Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system
- Embed well-being and reduce student stress levels
The approach to Senior Cycle redevelopment is informed by and builds upon the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA’s) Advisory Report on the review of Senior Cycle. The redeveloped Senior Cycle will involve the creation and development of more flexible learning pathways within school.
In a redeveloped Senior Cycle, real opportunities to progress, consolidate and transfer learning should be available for students of Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes, for those who can currently access these programmes at Junior Cycle. In my announcement I stated that a new qualification will be introduced at level one and two on the National Qualification framework to provide an appropriate level of assessment to some students with special educational needs, building on the equivalent programme at Junior Cycle level.
I intend to make these opportunities available as soon as possible. I have requested the NCCA to begin work immediately with schools to work towards developing a Level 1/Level 2 Learning Programme for those currently in first year. To commence this process, the NCCA has initiated a review of the L1/L2 Learning Programmes at Junior Cycle and is seeking to learn more from schools about their curriculum provision for students in Senior Cycle who followed L1/L2 Learning Programmes at Junior Cycle. To support this work, the NCCA recently invited schools to express their interest in participating in the school-based component of the review. Following a selection process, nine schools will participate in the review with school visits taking place when schools reopen in September.
Work has also commenced on the development of a background paper and brief for developing the follow-on programmes. The outcomes from the review will feed into the background paper and help to inform the brief both of which will be discussed by the NCCA Council in Q4 this year. Following Council approval, the paper will be published for public consultation. In preparation for work on the follow-on programmes, NCCA is currently establishing a development group.
The redeveloped Senior Cycle will involve the creation and development of more flexible learning pathways within school. For students commencing fifth year in the coming school year (September 2022), students in schools providing the LCVP will be able to access the Link Modules without the requirement to meet vocational subject grouping criteria set out in Circular Letter 0040/2013. These groupings will no longer apply for students opting in to the LCVP programme commencing fifth year in the coming school year.
In addition, students will no longer have to meet the modern European language requirements to access the LCVP programme. However, all other requirements for participation in the LCVP as set out in circular 0040/2013 continue to apply, including the Irish language requirement.
Further guidance for schools and students on the plans for Senior Cycle redevelopment is available at www.gov.ie/SeniorCycle.
