Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

23. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it has been brought to her attention that students from the Republic are missing out on college places in the UK, including Northern Ireland, because of the junior cycle marking scheme. [44968/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Framework for Junior Cycle was introduced on a phased basis between September 2014 and September 2021. The Junior Cycle consists of curriculum and assessment arrangements that provide students with learning opportunities that achieve a balance between learning subject knowledge and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities. Subject specifications and assessment arrangements reflect this new balance between subject knowledge and skills. The inclusion of short courses and other learning experiences in Junior Cycle programmes also provides a valuable opportunity to broaden students’ learning and skill set.

Decisions about entry requirements for higher education institutions, whether in Ireland or abroad, are outside of my remit as Minister. However, Junior Cycle is not designed or intended to be a high-stakes assessment period. This is highlighted by the dual approach to assessment that supports student learning through regular classroom-based assessment conducted by teachers and through a State-certified examination at the end of the three-year cycle. This is designed to reduce the focus on one terminal examination and increase the prominence given to classroom-based assessment, enabling teachers to provide truly meaningful feedback aimed at helping students to understand how their learning can be improved.

This focus on the holistic assessment of a student’s learning and achievement during their Junior Cycle programme is evident in the reporting arrangement. The Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement, or JCPA, draws upon and reports on achievement across all elements of assessment including ongoing assessment, Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs), Junior Cycle examination results as well as achievements in other areas of learning and wellbeing.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations. The SEC has confirmed that the preparation of the Junior Cycle examination papers follows a rigorous process to ensure that they are developed within the SEC’s guidelines and protocols, and that they are fully in line with the specification.