Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that in March 2022, 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. In my announcement, I set out a clear vision for Senior Cycle.

Significant progress has been made to date in implementing the vision I set out last March, and this work continues.

My announcement highlighted the need for strong implementation structures to be put in place to support Senior Cycle redevelopment. Indeed, on 28 February I announced the appointment of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme Delivery Board which will oversee the reform work and report regularly to me on progress. I was pleased to attend the inaugural meeting of the Board recently on 8 March 2023, and further meetings of the Board have been scheduled.

Introducing significant change at Senior Cycle needs to be thought through carefully and it is essential to ensure that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), State Examinations Commission (SEC), my Department and schools can work through the changes with all stakeholders over a sustained period of time.

In recognition of this, on 28 February I also announced my intention to establish the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Partners’ Forum, a representative stakeholder engagement group which will underpin the collaboration necessary to support implementation and, where appropriate, further developments under the programme.

Work on Senior Cycle redevelopment is ongoing, and much has been achieved since the March 2022 announcement, including:

- Oral examinations were held at Easter in 2022 and will be held at Easter again this year, outside of school time;

- Access to the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) has been broadened through the removal of subject specific requirements. These are the first steps which will ultimately lead to a more integrated Leaving Certificate available to all students.

- Subject background papers for the two new subjects (i) Drama, Film and Theatre Studies and (ii) Climate Action and Sustainable Development) and also for Business have been prepared with public consultations on same completed;

- Subject Development Groups for the two new subjects and for Business have been convened, with Groups holding regular meetings since then;

- Statement Development Group for the revised Transition Year Programme Statement convened, with several meetings held to date;

- The NCCA has recently opened the public consultation on the Background Paper and Brief for the development of the follow-on modules for Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes (L1/L2LPs). The closing date for submissions is Friday, 28th April 2023.

- Detailed consideration of the operation of the Network School approach for the introduction of new and revised subjects from September 2024.

Our focus now is on advancing the planning in relation to the approach to Network Schools, with further engagement with the NCCA and other key partners underway ahead of the launch of an Expression of Interest process to schools seeking their participation.

In addition, the NCCA will publish in September 2023 a schedule of subject specification revisions which will provide the roadmap through which all subject specifications, beyond those being introduced in September 2024, will be given effect.