ACCS/Info Bulletin 08/25
The Secretary,
Board of Management,
each Community and Comprehensive School.
Members of the Executive of ACCS.
Dear Secretary,
ACCS/Info Bulletin 08/25. Re:
1. Senior Cycle Redevelopment – NCCA Expression of Interest Form/Foirm Léirithe Spéise CNCM
2. Senior Cycle Redevelopment - Information Note to Schools
3. SEC Circular S11/25 - Oral Examinations 2025
4. Advice in relation to scheduling of classroom-based assessments in Junior Cycle
1. Senior Cycle Redevelopment – NCCA Expression of Interest Form/Foirm Léirithe Spéise CNCM
The NCCA is currently seeking expressions of interest from schools that are willing to engage with the curriculum development process of senior cycle subjects in tranche 4 and 5.
Further details on these subject can be found here.
Tranche 4 and 5 Expression of Interest Form
The NCCA is also commencing an exciting initiative with schools to develop proposals on flexible pathways in senior cycle. If you are interested in getting involved, please complete, and submit the application form issued to your school earlier this month to pathways@ncca.ie
Both expressions of interest will remain open until Friday 4th April, 2025 and the database of schools who express an interest to be involved in this work will remain live until 25 June 2027.
2. Senior Cycle Redevelopment - Information Note to Schools issued to schools - March 2025 Issue 10 includes:
a. NCCA Consultations open for Tranche 2 subjects (English, Engineering, Construction Studies, Geography, Accounting, PE, LCVP).
b. Details of Oide supports for use of AI in schools.
c. Details of Oide Professional Learning Day 2 – Senior Cycle Sciences.
d. Details of Oide Professional Learning Webinars – Senior Cycle Tranche 1 subjects following the publication of the SEC Sample Papers – 28th April – 9th May.
e. Details of Oide in-person events to support school leaders in leading senior cycle development in their schools - 18th March and 5th May 2025.
f. Details of Oide Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes – Professional Learning Webinars and Recordings.
g. National Consultation on Post-Primary Guidance now open until 9th April.
3. SEC Circular S11/25 - Oral Examinations 2025
a. The Leaving Cert Oral Exams are scheduled from Saturday 12 April to Thursday 17 April inclusive. The use of Contingency Days: Tues. 6 & Wed. 7 May - must be approved by the SEC and are only available in exceptional circumstances.
b. The same arrangements will remain in place for Oral examinations 2026 & 2027.
c. Please note some changes re the Administration Examinations Aide for the Orals:
i. 8 Examinations Aide days = schools with 120 Leaving Certificate candidates or fewer.
ii. 10 days = schools with, in excess of 120 Leaving Certificate candidates.
The provision of these days is intended to act as a support to school leaders in the administration of these tests and their delivery over the Easter holidays.
d. Please also note for 2025 there is an increase in the Pastoral Support Examinations Aide days from five days to six days. The number of days that schools can claim will be dependent on the number of days on which there are Oral examinations in each school. The resource is provided so that each school authority can appoint a member of staff for the specific purpose of providing pastoral support to candidates and to ensure their attendance at the time of the delivery of the Oral examinations over the Easter holiday period.
e. NB: It is a requirement that the person appointed to this role is not involved in the operational and administrative duties associated with the Oral examinations.
4. Advice in relation to scheduling of classroom-based assessments in Junior Cycle
This note contains key messages already included in the Framework for Junior Cycle (2015), Circular 0028/2023 and Information Note TC 0006/2024. The restatement of these messages is intended to support schools in
· implementing the dual approach to assessment that is a key feature of the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015.
· reducing the cumulative burden of assessment events on students and teachers in accordance with Circular 0028/2023.
School leaders are reminded of the need to adhere to Department of Education Circular 0028/2023, which requires schools to “consider the cumulative burden on students and teachers of multiple assessments across the full range of subjects.”
Circular 0028/2023 states that “CBAs will substitute for other formal summative assessment event(s) currently undertaken in schools such as mid-term or end-of-term examinations.”
Where schools schedule two or three formal summative assessment events during a school year, they are required to replace one of these events with a CBA. For example, where a school has scheduled a CBA for a particular subject in the first term, this is required to replace a formal summative event for that subject in that term.
Schools are requested to plan for the distribution of CBAs across the school year, to avoid the cumulative effect of large numbers of CBAs at the same time, especially late in the school year, when the opportunities to use CBAs for formative purposes may be limited.
Schools are reminded that they must not conduct trial or ‘mock’ CBAs. It is incumbent on schools to follow the specification and assessment guidelines for each subject in relation to the procedures for CBAs.
Is mise,
le mór mheas,
Áine O'Sullivan,
General Secretary