Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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1212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made in reforming the senior cycle curriculum; the subjects being prioritised for modernisation; how student, parent-guardian and teacher voices are being incorporated into the reform process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43384/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to the continued implementation of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme. The Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme encompasses Leaving Certificate Established (LCE), the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), the Transition Year (TY) Programme, and the introduction of Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes.

The benefits of changes delivered under the redevelopment programme are already being experienced by many students. Since September 2022, Leaving Certificate Applied students may access LCE Mathematics and an LCE Modern Foreign Language (MFL), and in such cases, students receive an integrated statement of results from the SEC. From September 2022, the subject groupings that previously applied to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) were removed and this has seen very significant growth in the number of students accessing the LCVP Link modules.

Through Senior Cycle Redevelopment, the specifications for all current Leaving Certificate curricular subjects are scheduled to be redeveloped by 2029 in annual groupings. The first tranche of new and revised subjects will be introduced this academic year, meaning fifth years entering classrooms in the coming weeks will study the new and updated specifications for those 9 subjects, replacing previous curricula in seven subjects.

Tranche 2 subjects are currently scheduled for introduction in schools in the 2026/27 school year. The final redeveloped specifications in those subjects have been submitted to me for consideration.

I am committed to ensuring successful implementation of the programme and ensuring schools and their communities are supported in doing so. The recently published Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Supports document outlines the measures i and my officials have committed to in this respect.

For example, I have committed to not only effectively doubling the current Physics and Chemistry subject grant but also expanding it to cover Biology and Agricultural Science as well. This will equate to almost €3 million in annual grants to schools.

Oide, the teacher professional support service, has been providing Senior Cycle redevelopment focused professional learning since very early in the current school year. Already, approximately 29,000 have received their whole-school day focused on Senior Cycle Redevelopment. Oide has already commenced its initial planning for a further day of CPD for Tranche 1 subject teachers in the Autumn, which would include a focus on the AAC brief as well as sample examination papers. Oide is also providing professional learning relevant to SCR on Transition Year and the introduction of the Level 1 and 2 Learning Programmes. Teachers have access to sample examination papers for each Tranche 1 subject – two at each level.

A sample brief for the Additional Assessment Components (AACs) in each of the Tranche 1 subjects where relevant will be available to schools in September 2025, and a live brief for the AACs in all relevant Tranche 1 subjects will be issued in January 2026.

The approach to Senior Cycle Redevelopment has, from its outset, been a collaborative one that engages actively with stakeholders and partners in education, including teachers, parents and students.

Under a commitment in the support package, my department has established the Post-Primary Implementation Group, comprised of the Department and the TUI, which has met on three occasions to date, most recently on 24 July. The group focuses on matters impacting teachers, including school leaders, relating to curriculum and assessment enactment at Senior Cycle.

My officials have also met with representatives of the school's management bodies and school leaders in recent weeks and will do so again in the coming weeks.

My officials regularly engage with student and young people representatives and have participated in events hosted by the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU), Comhairle na nÓg. Officials and the Children’s Rights Alliance. Officials have actively engaged with parent representatives also, including appearing on the National Parents Council (NPC) podcast series to discuss Senior Cycle Redevelopment.

The Senior Cycle Redevelopment Partners’ Forum, a representative stakeholder engagement group which underpins the collaboration necessary to support the reforms, has met regularly since 2023. It is next scheduled to meet on the 17 September. Membership includes representatives of students, parents, teacher representatives, management bodies, and other relevant organisations.

My Department and I understand the importance of strong engagement to ensure curricular change is successful, and that students, their parents, their teachers and school leaders feel supported. This engagement builds on the consultative approach to the development of new and revised specifications, through the NCCA, in which stakeholders are centrally involved.

Fundamentally, the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme has been motivated by the best interests of our students and young people. My Department and I look forward to working in close collaboration with all our partners, as the redevelopment programme continues to roll-out.