Junior Cycle
Pobalscoil Iosolde endeavours to place students in the Junior Certificate programme best suited to them. First year pupils are advised to follow either the traditional Junior Certificate Programme or the Junior Certificate Schools Programme on the basis of their assessment test.
Junior Certificate Programme
Pupils following this programme are placed in mixed ability classes with a core curriculum of Irish, English, Mathematics, History, Geography, French/German, Religious Education, CSPE (Civic, Social and Political Education), SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education), Physical Education and Religious Instruction.
All pupils take three optional subjects from Art, Business Studies, Home Economics, Materials Technology (Woodwork), Metalwork, Music, Science, Technical Graphics. Student preference, ability and vacancies are taken into account when allocating such subjects.
Third year students continue with their subjects from second year. Where possible, Irish, English, Mathematics and French are set to enable pupils specialise in Higher, Ordinary or if necessary Foundation programmes. Pupils are encouraged to take each subject at the highest level consistent with ability.
Pupils are placed in an appropriate level consisent with their ability by their subject teacher and are encouraged to take each subject at that level. It is school policy that any change of level would only take place after consultation with parents. Parental support, in this regard, is crucial in ensuring that students achieve their potential. At the end of third year pupils take Junior Certificate examinations.
Junior Certificate School Programme
The Junior Certificate School Programme is a national programme sponsored by the Department of Education & Science and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. It is an intervention for potential early school leavers. It is based on the concept that all young people are capable of achieving real success in school, and that they can have a positive experience of education, if the conditions are favourable.
The programme is a way of working within the Junior Certificate which is specially designed to help young people who have had a difficult experience of school. It will provide students with an opportunity for success in school and reward that success with an official record of their achievement, validated by the Department of Education & Science.