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Junior Certificate School Programme - JCSP
In September 2009, St. Tiernan’s College was accepted into the Junior Certificate Schools Programme. As a result, we have been able to take part in a number of initiatives that are aimed at improving the educational experience of our first year group. To this end, our first years are taking part in a number of new initiatives.
All of which is been provided free of charge to our students.
The Junior Certificate School Programme is based on the concept that all young people are capable of real success in school and that they can have a positive experience of school if the conditions are favourable. The Programme is a national Department of Education and Science Programme within the Junior Certificate. The Junior Certificate School Programme in St. Tiernan’s College has been designed to ensure that our Junior Certificate students can benefit from their time in school and that they experience success and improvement in all of their school activities.
What is the JCSP?
The Junior Certificate School Programme is a national programme sponsored by the Department of Education and Science and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. It originated in the early school leavers’ programmes initiated byCurriculum Development Unit. Currently the programme is operating in over 240 schools throughout the country. It attempts to help young people experience success and develop a positive self-image by providing a curriculum and assessment framework suitable to their needs. On completion of the programme students receive a profile which is an official record of their achievementsthe Department of Education and Science.
Is this an alternative to the Junior Certificate?
No, the Junior Certificate School Programme is not an alternative to the Junior Certificate. It is a framework that is designed to help schools and teachers develop an imaginative approach to the Junior Certificate course. All the students in the Programme must be entered for the Junior Certificate examination.
What is the difference between the JCSP and the Junior Certificate?The Junior Certificate School Programme is a way of working within the Junior Certificate. It is designed especially to help young people who may have difficulty in literacy or in Mathematics. Through a system of profiling a student’s work in Junior Cycle classes, students are provided with opportunities to engage with the curriculum and to achieve success at school. They get an official certificate of their achievements, validated by the Department of Education and Science, in addition to their Junior Certificate Examination Certificate.
Do students sit the Junior Certificate examination? Absolutely! The whole point of participating in the Junior Certificate School Programme is to stay at school, experience success in school and become more confident about sitting the Junior Certificate Exam. In St. Tiernan’s College we are very proud of our academic records and these academic achievements can only be bettered by a student’s participation within this Programme.
Do many students fail JCSP?Students cannot fail JCSP. The Programme is about success. Achievable statements are carefully chosen. Students get an opportunity to complete a series of statements and build their own success profile – a profile listing all the things they can do.
What are the core subjects?There are no core subjects as such. However, all students must be entered in the Junior Certificate Exam in English and Mathematics and they must follow a suitable course in Irish.
Do parents have a role in JCSP?Parental involvement is encouraged and welcomed in JCSP. Parents are encouraged to get more involved with the work that their children are doing in class. In St. Tiernan’s College we will hold parent days to exhibit work done, award certificates of achievement and generally celebrate with parents their children’s successes. Parents are invited to become actively involved in their children’s education by working with the school in encouraging good attendance, punctuality and homework and by praising progress made. In 2010 all our first year students are taking part in the reading challenge. They are challenged to read 6 books in 6 weeks. We would like their parents to help in this challenge through paired reading.
Future plans for JCSP in St. Tiernan’s College
In the coming months, first year students of St. Tiernan’s College are going to take part in:
Next year we will be applying for many new initiatives that will benefit our current first year group as they enter 2nd year as well as applying for initiatives to help our new intake of first years in September 2010.