Department of Education hosts first Senior Cycle Redevelopment Conference for school principals and deputy principals

The Department of Education is today (Tuesday) hosting the first Senior Cycle Redevelopment Conference for school principals and deputy principals in Croke Park, Dublin.

Four hundred school principals and deputy principals from all counties in Ireland will converge for the inaugural conference which has been organised to share information with them about the Senior Cycle reform and to gather feedback from them.

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD will provide an update to these school leaders about the introduction of revised specifications for seven existing Senior Cycle subjects - Business, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Ancient Greek, Latin, and Arabic – next year.

She will speak about the rollout of two new Senior Cycle subjects – Climate Action and Sustainable Development, and Drama, Film and Theatre Studies – next year.

Minister Foley will also brief principals and deputy principals about her intention to develop measures to enhance the experience of Transition Year, including additional TY supports for schools and the ‘TY Tasters’ for students to introduce them to apprenticeship and other FET courses. There will be information for school leaders about the development of a new Senior Cycle learning programme for students with special educational needs, who currently only have a learning programme up to Junior Cycle.

Minister Foley said: “Today is a great opportunity to discuss our plans for Senior Cycle reform with our school leaders in the year marking the 100th anniversary of the Leaving Certificate. We need to continue to evolve our curriculum so that it equips our students with the skills for life for the long term.”

All of the revised and new Senior Cycle subjects will have an additional assessed component which will account for at least 40 per cent of the marks. Students studying the new Drama, Film and Theatre Studies subject will be able to create their own short theatre play or film and show it to a live audience.

Students studying Climate Action and Sustainable Development will undertake ‘Creativity in Practice’ projects which can include organising a public debate on climate action or a project which allows people to connect with local nature.

Minister Foley said: “Since becoming Minister, a consistent message coming through is that our Senior Cycle students want broader choice and reduced pressure. That is why we are developing new specifications for Senior Cycle subjects with additional assessed components, so that a student’s overall result will not be determined by their performance on one day in June.”

Minister Foley has established a Programme Delivery Board and a Partners’ Forum to drive the Senior Cycle Reform. School leaders in attendance at today’s conference in Croke Park will also have the opportunity to hear from officials and others involved in work on the redevelopment programme.

Minister Foley said: “I want to thank our school leaders and staff for their positive and passionate engagement with the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with them and our education partners to deliver for the benefit of all our students.”