The Junior Certificate Schools Programme (JCSP) is not an alternative to the
Junior Certificate. It is the Junior Certificate. Rather the J.C.S.P. is a framework
that is designed to help schools to develop an imaginative approach to the Junior
Certificate. All the students in the programme must be registered for the normal Junior
Certificate Examination. It prepares pupils very well for Ordinary and Foundation
Level courses.

The J.C.S.P. makes the experience of school seem more relevant and accessible to
those young people who find it difficult to cope with the school system. It gives them
special support in working towards the aims of the Junior Certificate.

The J.C.S.P. strategy involves:

Cross-curricular work which reinforces learning across subject boundaries and
promotes teamwork among teachers.

Basic skills development relevant to many areas of the curriculum and which are
important inside and outside the school.

Personal and Social development which enhances self-esteem and the ability to
relate well to other people. All areas of the curriculum have the potential to
contribute here.

The Student Profile System:

It is an individualised record of the achievements, which a student has
demonstrated over a period of time.

It is designed to help teachers in identifying pupils' needs and planning programmes
accordingly.

It also provides a framework to monitor the pupils' progress, as the teachers meet
on a regular basis to assess how pupils are achieving their goals.

At the end of the three years it provides an official document, agreed by the
teachers for each individual pupil, which describes the knowledge, skill and
achievements which he has attained. This J.C.S.P. Cert also contains a reference
from the school and is awarded in addition to the Junior Cert.

Home Page