Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The 2015 junior cycle framework incorporates a modernised curriculum across all subjects and a balanced range of assessment modes that more appropriately addresses the needs of students in the 21st century. It provides students with learning opportunities that strike a balance between learning knowledge and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities. Due to the cancellation of junior cycle examinations in 2020 and 2021 in response to the Covid pandemic, 2022 was the first year in which all subjects were examined under the junior cycle framework. Hence, while the junior cycle mathematics specification was implemented in 2018, it was examined for the first time in 2022.

While the junior cycle framework is in the relatively early stages of its implementation, the reception and impact of the new courses being studied, and their assessment, is under review and evaluation. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, will conduct an early insights review of each newly introduced subject specification. These will gather feedback from school management, teacher-educators and interested parties in relation to the experience of the subject in question and associated assessment arrangements. For junior cycle mathematics, it is anticipated that this review will be initiated in the fourth quarter of this year.

In addition, a team of independent researchers from the school of education at the University of Limerick has been commissioned by the NCCA to explore the implementation and impact of the framework for junior cycle. This is a mixed methods, multidimensional longitudinal research study, exploring the experiences of schools over a period of four years. The first report of this study was published by the NCCA in October last year. Findings from this research will inform the NCCA's ongoing work to support schools' implementation of the framework for junior cycle.

Neither the State Examinations Commission, SEC, nor the Department refer to students passing or failing exam subjects. The grade achieved represents a student's achievement in the particular subject and should reflect the student's best efforts in that subject.

The language of pass or fail may not best reflect a student's achievement.

In relation to foundation level, the Deputy may be aware that under the junior cycle framework, engagement with course specifications is at a common level in most instances in the level 3 programme, which is the level taken by most junior cycle students.

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