Written answers

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Department of Education and Skills

School Curriculum

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the roll-out of the junior cycle reform process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2995/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The curriculum and assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle are as set out in the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 and in the related subject specifications and syllabuses developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

Implementation of the Framework is proceeding and the new subject specifications for Business Studies and Science, along with English, have now been introduced to schools. The teachers involved are benefiting from extensive continuing professional development and are availing of professional time to support implementation. In June 2017, English will be the first subject to be taken by students as part of the reformed Junior Cycle assessment arrangements. Business Studies and Science will be examined under the new arrangements in June 2019.

Phase 3 of the Framework will begin implementation in September 2017, with the introduction of new subject specifications in Irish, Visual Arts and Modern Languages, covering French, German, Spanish and Italian. The new curriculum area of Wellbeing will also be introduced at that time.

Phase 4 will begin implementation in September 2018 with the introduction of Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music and Geography, with the final phase 5 being implemented from September 2019. Phase 5 subjects will include Technology subjects, Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Classics.

Teachers of English who are members of ASTI have been directed by their union that, while they are to teach the new Junior Cycle subject specification, they are not to undertake Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) with their students. CBAs form a key element of the new Junior Cycle. Therefore, students who are taught by a teacher who is a member of the ASTI will not receive a grade for their CBAs and also since the written Assessment Task which is to be completed by students is linked to the second CBA, which is worth 10% of the marks for the final examination, these students cannot complete the Assessment Task, or gain marks for this examination component. Candidates for Junior Cycle English in 2017 who do not complete the assessment task can only be marked and graded based on a maximum of 90% of the available marks.

My Department requested the ASTI to provide an immediate derogation from their directive regarding the CBAs for current teachers of English in order that some current third year English students are no longer unfairly and unjustifiably disadvantaged.

Following talks with the teacher unions in late 2016, facilitated by the Chair of the Teachers Conciliation Council, it has been provided that, on a once-off basis, the NCCA and SEC will communicate arrangements in respect of a second calendar window in the 2016/17 school year to allow for the completion and submission of the Junior Cycle English Assessment Task by students who are prevented from meeting the current deadline. This was notified to schools in the week beginning 19th December 2016.

This was agreed as a result of an acknowledgement by the parties that a significant number of students were not in a position to meet the timing requirement of completion between 5th and 9th December 2016, as a result of industrial action taken by the ASTI.

The Department welcomes the decision of the ASTI to give its members a say on the overall offer now available following the recently concluded talks under the Chair of the Teachers Conciliation Council. While the ASTI’s Central Executive Committee has recommended rejection, a decision on whether to accept or reject will now be taken by the wider membership at ballot. The ASTI has indicated that it will conduct its ballot of members this month.

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