Ministers Naughton and Moynihan welcome publication of assessment guidelines for Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes at Senior Cycle
- Published on: 23 March 2026
- Last updated on: 23 March 2026
Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan have welcomed the publication of guidelines to support the assessment of the Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes.
The guidelines, produced by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), in collaboration with the State Examinations Commission (SEC), provide teachers with information on assessment for certification of the Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes. The programmes were introduced in 2024, and the first cohort of students will now be assessed following their two-years of study.
The introduction of the programmes in 2024 marked a significant milestone for education in Ireland, providing a follow-on programme at Senior Cycle for students studying at Level 1 and Level 2 at Junior Cycle. The programmes are tailored to the individual needs of the students and prepare them for life beyond school.
Evidence of learning and achievement of these programmes will be gathered in a portfolio which will underpin the internal and external assessment and validation.
The State Examinations Commission has opened its Senior Cycle L1 and L2 Schools Portal, enabling schools with eligible students to register them. This is the first step in the process that will lead to their students' achievements being certified this summer.
Welcoming the publication of the guidelines, Minister Naughton said:
“I am delighted to welcome the publication of the assessment guidelines. These guidelines provide schools and teachers with all the information needed to ensure that their students, after two-years of commitment and determination, will receive a certificate.
“I know that schools across the country, both mainstream and special, will welcome this further clarity. Schools who were among the first to roll-out the programmes should be immensely proud of the work they have done to ensure their students have access to a programme that suits their own individual needs and empowers them to display their talents and abilities.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the NCCA, as well as the SEC, for their hard work in preparing these guidelines.”
Minister Moynihan said:
“I welcome the publication of guidelines to support the assessment of Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes at Senior Cycle. As Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, I know how important these guidelines are to school communities as they prepare their students in the final months of sixth year.
“It is vital that we mark the progress and achievements of these young people. I am delighted that this summer, students who undertook modules as part of these programmes will receive certification from the SEC, alongside their peers.”
Notes to Editor
The introduction of the Senior Cycle Level 1 and 2 Learning Programmes are part of Senior Cycle Redevelopment, an ambitious reform programme guided by the vision of a Senior Cycle that delivers ‘equity and excellence for all’.
The programme is informed by, and builds upon, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA) Advisory Report on the review of Senior Cycle, as well as the experience of Leaving Certificate students, a growing demand for change and international experience and perspectives.
The Senior Cycle Level 1 and 2 Learning Programmes are follow-on programmes for students who are progressing from a Level 1 or 2 Learning Programme at junior cycle. The goal of the senior cycle programmes is to prepare students for life beyond school, enabling them to be lifelong learners and to live more independently. The Level 1 and Level 2 programmes at senior cycle are personalised programmes that are tailored to the individual learning needs of the student.
Students study a varied programme and have access to curriculum areas of Numeracy, Communication and Literacy, and Personal Care at both levels and a suite of eleven elective modules – four at Level 1 and seven at Level 2. Further electives – four at Level 1 and six at Level 2 - are expected to become available for students from this September. The new electives include IT Skills, and Music.
Guidelines to support the assessment of Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes are available on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s website, curriculumonline.ie. Validation for certification of the programmes will be carried out by the State Examinations Commission. Students will receive their results and certificates alongside their peers following the Leaving Certificate Established, and the Leaving Certificate Applied programmes.
The State Examinations Commission has opened its Senior Cycle L 1 and L2 schools portal and schools can begin to register their students following the programmes. When the student evidence has been gathered and the internal validation meetings are completed in school in April, the portal will re-open for schools to record the student’s achievements in each module.
An SEC validator will visit the school on an agreed date to validate the internal validation in May. Participating students in the Senior Cycle L1 L2 learning programmes will receive their results in August, alongside all other senior cycle students.
The introduction of these new programmes are supported by Oide, the support service for teachers and school leaders.
For more information on the L1 and L2 Learning Programmes at Senior Cycle, please visit: curriculumonline.ie.
For more information on Senior Cycle Redevelopment more generally, please visit: gov.ie/seniorcycle.