I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.
The University of Limerick (UL) was commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to undertake a four-year study on the enactment of the Framework for Junior Cycle, called Exploring the Introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle: A longitudinal study. The fifth and last publication from this study on the implementation and impact of the Framework was published by UL on 14 April and is available on both UL and NCCA websites. It provides significant insights and learning from schools’ experiences of working with the Framework for Junior Cycle since its introduction in 2015.
The study is based on a nationally representative sample and it sought to capture the views and experiences of teachers, principals, students, parents and wider educational stakeholders on the enactment and experience of the Framework for Junior Cycle. It should be noted that the research did not aim to evaluate the work of teachers or schools. The study was carried out by an experienced research team in the University of Limerick on behalf of the NCCA, and drew on significant expertise, nationally and internationally, in longitudinal research.
The report points to a number of important aspects of the change brought about by the implementation of the Framework –increased professional collaboration among teachers, more active and student-centred learning, a positive change in student-teacher relationships and a nurturing of student voice. An important aspect of the junior Cycle reforms has been the introduction of Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes, which represents a significant and welcome development in recognising and promoting inclusion. All of these are welcome shifts in support of students' engagement and learning.
The report also points to aspects of the Framework that have yet to be fully realised including the flexibility and opportunities for creativity built into the Framework and the dual approach to assessment. It also found that while the focus on wellbeing is largely viewed as a positive dimension to the Framework, there is a need to further examine the utilisation of Wellbeing hours.
Over the period of the study, key changes have already been made. New specifications for SPHE and PE were introduced in 2023, and specifications for Modern Foreign Languages, Digital Media Literacy, Coding and Irish have all been updated as a result of Early Enactment Reviews. Changes were introduced last year to the grade bands at Junior Cycle, resulting in a higher proportion of Distinctions being awarded to better reflect the work of our students and their teachers. My Department has also initiated a project to make the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) more relevant and timely for students, enhancing its role in reporting a broader picture of student learning and achievement, and thereby supporting the dual approach to assessment that is core to the Framework for Junior Cycle.
Building on these changes to date, the NCCA will now take forward a programme of work to address these findings over the short and medium term, and my Department will continue to work closely with the NCCA as this progresses.and informed by this important research, I have written to the NCCA to outline the priority outcomes I wish to see from this work, including alignment with recent changes at Senior Cycle, taking advantage of the flexibilities inherent in the Framework, supporting clarity on a new normal in relation to Classroom-Based Assessment on the removal of post-COVID adjustments in future years, and in particular, maximising the impact of the Wellbeing area of learning in support of our students' wellbeing.
My Department and the NCCA will work closely together to achieve progress in these areas to ensure that students’ Junior Cycle experience supports them to achieve to their full potential.
