The Junior Certificate Program will promote a focus on active and collaborative learning. In particular,
learners will be enabled to use and analyse information in new and creative ways, to investigate issues,
to explore, to think for themselves, to be creative in solving problems and to apply their learning to
new challenges and situations. Given the changing nature of knowledge, the ease with which students
have access to information, and the pace of change in the workplace and the world generally, these
competences and skills are critical to the preparation of young people for learning and living.
Wellbeing is at the forefront of our Junior Cycle syllabus through SPHE, PE, CSPE, Religion and other co-curricular experiences throughout the year. Childhood can be seen as a process of ‘wellbecoming’, where young people are gaining knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will sustain them throughout their lives. This is a lifelong journey, but one where schools play an important part. The goal for wellbeing is human flourishing and flourishing rests on five pillars: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment.
When children and young people are ‘flourishing’, they are not only curious and eager to learn, they are:
• creative and imaginative
• connected and empathetic
• good team players
• confident about who they are
• resilient and persistent
• positive about themselves and see themselves growing into better people.
Schools have a central role to play in supporting and promoting students’ learning about wellbeing
and for wellbeing. They learn about wellbeing through specific areas of the curriculum and
various wellbeing events and initiatives that are organised to develop awareness, knowledge and
skills about wellbeing. They learn for wellbeing when their whole experience of school life
including all the day-to-day interactions, both within and beyond the classroom, are respectful
and caring. Thinking about learning for wellbeing requires that we consider not only what students
learn but also how they learn it. Learning for wellbeing can be nurtured in all subjects and by
all teachers.
Here is a list of the subjects available for Junior Cert
- Irish
- Maths
- French/German
- Science
- History
- Geography
- Business Studies
- Art
- Woodwork
In addition to this, students are given the chance to study
- Coding/Robotics
- Aquaponics
- Horticulture