Academic Overview
St Paul’s offers the following 5 Department of Education and Skills courses
Junior Cycle – Junior Certificate
The Junior Cycle is a three year programme leading to the Junior Certificate, the State examination taken at the end of the third year. Subjects are normally studied at either Ordinary or Higher Level, although three subjects, Irish, English and Mathematics, can also be studied at Foundation Level. In St Paul’s non-examination subjects at Junior Cycle include Physical Education, Social, Personal and Health Education and Computer Studies. September 2014 sees the introduction of the new Junior Cycle with subjects being introduced on a phased basis beginning with English.
Junior Cycle – Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP)
The JCSP is essentially an add-on to the Junior Certificate. The content of each subject is broken down into subject statements. On completion of a section or chapter of a subject, students, under the guidance of their class teacher, record their own proficiency in that section or chapter. At the end of 3 years students have a record of learning that will give them confidence and assist them in the Junior Certificate exams. The programme offers schools and teachers a flexible and more student centered approach to teaching and learning.
Senior Cycle – Leaving Certificate
The Senior Cycle education in St Paul’s may be of two or of three year’s duration depending on whether students take an optional Transition Year in the first year of Senior Cycle. Subjects are normally studied at either Ordinary or Higher Level, although two subjects, Irish and Mathematics, can also be studied at Foundation Level. The majority of students at St Paul’s take 7 subjects to the Leaving Certificate (State examination).
Senior Cycle – Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)
At St Paul’s all students that satisfy the course requirements participate in this programme. The LCVP is a Senior Cycle Programme of the Department of Education and Skills, designed to give a strong vocational dimension to the Leaving Certificate. The programme combines the virtues of academic study with a new and dynamic focus on self-directed learning, enterprise, work and the community. Young people taking the LCVP have a unique opportunity to develop their interpersonal, vocational and technological skills. Students following the LCVP take two additional Link Modules: Preparation for the World of Work and Enterprise Education.
Senior Cycle – Transition Year (TY)
Transition Year is an optional one year programme that is taken the year after the Junior Certificate. The content of St Paul’s TY programme is dynamic, changing continually to suit the student’s needs. TY students get an opportunity to sample the subjects available at Senior Cycle along with many other innovative and challenging subjects and courses. St Paul’s students engage in personal development, work experience, volunteering, music and the arts amongst others.
