Ms Arlene Forster:

I will add to what Ms Feeney and Ms Sheridan have mentioned about computer science. The other important thing we need to remember is that it is a brand-new subject in the STEM area. We have already gathered some data through what we call early enactment reviews. This is where the NCCA will check in with a curriculum, whether it is a new curriculum or an updated one, once teachers and the initial cohort of students have had full experience of working with it. We carried out an early enactment review in this school year. Some really positive feedback has come through from students, teachers and school leaders. To try to capture the essence of what we have been hearing from schools, it is fair to say that this is a real success story in terms of innovation in post-primary education at senior cycle.

Building on what Ms Sheridan and Ms Feeney have said about assessment and the curriculum in general, students are really positive. They talk about how motivated they are and how connected the learning in computer science is to the real world. They talk a lot about the opportunities they have to work together in a hands-on manner and to collaborate with each other. One of the teachers used a lovely phrase referring to lots of high-fives in the classroom. There will always be challenges, particularly in the early stage of implementation. There are things to which teachers and students have drawn our attention, but overall they are very positive about this new subject. Students and teachers refer to the extent to which this really promotes problem-solving. It really promotes creative and higher order thinking. From the perspective of assessment, teaching and learning, it is also a good example of where teaching, learning and assessment are very aligned. By that I mean that the assessment is really capturing the spirit and essence of what was intended as teaching and learning in the classroom. It is definitely a real success story. There is a lot for us to learn from it as we go into the rest of the redevelopment of the senior cycle.