Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, last year 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.

My announcement built on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)’s Senior Cycle Review: Advisory Reportbut also sought to build on:

• The experience of Leaving Certificate students over the period of the pandemic;
• Growing consensus (and demand for change) – reflecting a more active student voice in the debate; and
• International experience and perspectives.

Both I and my officials have engaged extensively with education stakeholders since my announcement. Officials in my Department have met with a wide range of stakeholders to brief them on my vision for Senior Cycle including officials from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). Both Departments continue to meet on a regular basis to discuss relevant issues in this area, in particular pathways and transitions from post-primary education to further and higher education, apprenticeships and the world of work.

In April this year I established the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Partners’ Forum, a representative stakeholder engagement group which underpins the collaboration necessary to support implementation and, where appropriate, further developments under the programme. The Partners’ Forum facilitates information exchange on progress, implementation challenges and work streams in relation to the implementation of Senior Cycle Renewal; and provides informed insights into the implementation of the Senior Cycle Renewal programme.?

The Forum’s membership includes representatives of a wide range of stakeholders including national representative organisations for students, parents, teachers, and school management, as well as DFHERIS and other relevant organisations.

In addition to the Partner’s Forum, a broad and inclusive level of engagement has been undertaken with student representatives, teacher representatives, school leaders and management bodies, parents’ representatives, and children’s rights advocates.

The Partners’ Forum complements the work of other bodies that have been established to further Senior Cycle Renewal. This includes the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme Delivery Board (PDB), established in February, which is charged with monitoring the redevelopment work and reporting regularly to me on progress.

The PDB has invited national representative organisations of school management bodies, teachers’ unions, and student unions to attend certain recent meetings in order to hear their views, with parent representatives due to attend the next meeting, and this engagement has informed the work of the PDB.

The Deputy may also be aware that today I provided an update on the progress made regarding the redevelopment of Senior Cycle including the acceleration of the roll-out of the 9 new and revised subjects comprising tranche 1 of the subject revision programme. This means that the 2 new and 7 revised subjects in this tranche will be available in 2025 two years ahead of the originally planned implementation in 2027.

It may interest the Deputy to know that further information on Senior Cycle Renewal, including on the most recent developments, is available at gov.ie - Senior Cycle Redevelopment (www.gov.ie)