Junior Cycle Programme

The new junior cycle features newly developed subjects and short courses, a focus on key skills, and new approaches to assessment and reporting.

Junior Cycle

Students studying their Junior Cycle examinations will study the following core subjects:

• CSPE (Civic Social and Political Education)
• English
• Geography
• History
• Irish
• Mathematics
• Physical Education
• Science
• SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education)
• Religion (non-examination subject)

​Students will then choose 3 options from the subjects listed below:

• Art
• Business Studies
• Engineering
• French
• Home Economics
• Metalwork
• Music
• Graphics
• Wood Technology

Key Documents

Please click on the links below for additional information:

Progression After Junior Cycle

On completion of the Junior Certificate students will have the option of continuing on to Transition Year, Leaving Cert Applied or the Established Leaving Cert. Towards the end of the 3rd year, parents/guardians will be invited to an information evening detailing these options.

To find out what these subjects entail please see our Teaching & Learning page to view an information flyer on each subject.

Junior Cycle Reform

Beginning on a phased introduction from September 2014, The new junior cycle features newly developed subjects and short courses, a focus on key skills, and new approaches to assessment and reporting.

• Phase 1 – The new English course will be first introduced to 1st year students in September 2014.
• Phase 2 – Both Science and Business studies will have their revised courses introduced to 1st year students in September 2016.
• Phase 3 – Irish, Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian) and Art, Craft & Design as well as the area of wellbeing will be introduced in September 2017.
• Phase 4 – Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music and Geography will be introduced in September 2018.
• Phase 5 – Technology Subjects (Materials Technology/Wood, Technical Graphics, Metalwork, Technology), Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Classics will be introduced in 2019 to 1st year students.

Under this reform students sitting the subjects that have gone through the change will see grades different to the traditional A-D appear on their Junior Cert Certificate.

An outline of these grades can be viewed below:

JCSP (Junior Certificate School Programme)

What is JCSP?

The Junior Certificate School Programme operates within the Junior Certificate Curriculum. It follows the curriculum framework set out for the Junior Certificate which is re-focused to cater for JCSP students. It is an intervention into the Junior Certificate and not an alternative to it. It helps to make the curriculum accessible and relevant to young people who would benefit from a different approach to the Junior Certificate.

You can download a JCSP Parental Information Brochure here.