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Junior Cycle
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Junior Cycle

Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement

The Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) is the new award for students taking the Junior Certificate.

The JCPA will replace the traditional Junior Certificate. The traditional Junior Certificate was issued by the Dept of Education and Skills and only showed the grades awarded in the state-certified final examinations taken in May(Art) and June of 3rd Year.

The new JCPA will be issued by the school and will show:

  • The grades awarded in the state-certified final examinations
  • Achievements in Classroom-based assessments (CBAs) (held in 2nd Yr and 3rd Yr)
  • Achievements in Other Areas of Learning (OALs)

First Year

In First Year, students study core, compulsory and some optional subjects for the Junior Cycle. The total number of subjects for the JCPA is 10 subjects.

Core Subjects for Junior Cycle:

  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths

Compulsory in SLHS for Junior Cycle:

  • History
  • Geography
  • Science
  • Religious Education
  • Wellbeing – PE; CPSE; SPHE

Optional Subjects (they select three from the following list)

  • Business
  • Art
  • Music
  • Home Economics
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish

As one can see from the above list, St Louis High School is in the happy position to offer a choice of three languages: French, German and Spanish.
Students may have an opportunity to experience taster modules in French, Spanish and German during the first half of the first term, if timetabling allows for this. However, if timetabling modules prove impossible it will result in students deciding on their chosen language in advance of entering St Louis High School. When selecting optional subjects, we ask all students to indicate their preferences including their chosen language.

What is meant by Other Areas of Learning?

As well as the results taken from the DES on the student’s final certificate examinations, the JCPA will record student participation, achievement and progress during the 3 years of their Junior Cycle Programme.

These OALs will include areas of learning outside the Junior Cycle Programme, such as:

  • Social
  • Cultural
  • Pastoral
  • Scientific
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Physical/Sporting
  • Musical
  • Performing arts eg speech & drama, dance, etc
  • Visual arts
  • Religious

Students will be asked to keep a record of all significant learning activities during their three-year Junior Certificate Programme.

In order to aid students in drawing up this list of Other Areas of Learning, we have listed possible areas within our school where students may have acquired valuable learning experiences.

List of Possible Experiences

This is only a suggested list – there may be other activities students may have undertaken not listed here that they may include:

  • Member of a school team – sports, debating
  • Member of the student council eg SRC rep
  • Member of the school choir, instrumental group, traditional music group
  • Participated in the School Musical
  • Participated in a competition (group or individual) eg Young Scientist, Texaco Art Competition, Doodle for Google etc.
  • Participated in a school committee eg Green Schools Committee
  • Participated in fund-raising activities – bake sale etc.
  • Participated in various themed weeks in school: Maths Week, Arts Festival, Cairdeas and Sláinte Week, Súil Eile week etc.
  • Represented their class or school in a competition
  • Seminars/retreats attended
  • Workshops- study skills, anti-bullying, nutrition etc

Students should try to identify the specific skill(s) acquired or learning outcome from the OALs they chose to list:

eg OAL: Represented school on a Debating Team Skills Acquired: research, writing and public speaking

Students are advised to list a minimum of three and a maximum of 5 OALs.