St Joseph's Secondary School First Year 2020/2021 - Core Subjects Option Subjects Wellbeing Junior Cycle Assessment
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St Joseph’s Secondary School
Newfoundell, Drogheda, Co. Louth
First Year 2020/2021
Core Subjects
Option Subjects
Wellbeing
Junior Cycle Assessment
What core subjects will I study in St Joseph’s?
All students study the following subjects in first year and continue then for 3 years as part of
their Junior Cycle;
Subject Maximum Number of
Students in Each Class
English 30
Irish 30
Maths 30
History 30
Geography 30
Religion 30
Science 24
What are option subjects?
In St Joseph’s, every student chooses three option subjects from the list below. They study
these for 3 years as part of their Junior Cycle. Typically students choose a continental
language (French, Spanish, German) and two other subjects from the list below.
Subject Maximum Number of
Students in Each Class
German 30
Spanish 30
French 30
Classics 30
Business Studies 30
Applied Technology 24
Wood Technology 24
Graphics 24
Visual Art 24
Music 24
Do I study ICT (Computers) in St Joseph’s?
Yes. All first years have 2 computer classes each week. They will learn how to use Microsoft
Office, as how to code using a BBC Microbit.Why do I have to choose a continental language as one of my 3 option subjects? College may be a long way away when you are entering secondary school for the first time. However, some colleges require you to have studied a continental language to gain entry to courses in that college/university. By studying a continental language from first year, you are giving yourself the option of studying in one of these colleges when you leave school. Can I put off studying a continental language until I choose my subjects for my Leaving Certificate in 5th year? No. If you choose to study a continental language for your Leaving Certificate, it is not at beginners level. It is a continuation on from three years of study at Junior Cycle. Therefore it is not possible to choose French, German or Spanish for the first time in fifth year. We recommend that each student studies a continental language for Junior Cycle and then makes up his mind whether to continue with it or not in fifth year. Parent: My son has an exemption from doing Irish because of SEN. Should he still do a continental language as one of his option subjects? No. If your son has educational needs and has an Irish exemption as a result, we don’t recommend that he chooses French, German or Spanish as one of his options. If your son has SEN, please contact the school to arrange a meeting with our SENCO, Mr Crummey. Mr Crummey will advise you on what subjects best suit your son’s needs. What is the subject sampling day? The subject sampling day is when incoming first years are invited in to the school to experience each of the 10 option subjects available. This year it is on Friday February 14th. When you arrive in the school, you will be divided into groups and each group will be given a coloured sticker. Each group will move between the subjects on the day, guided by a member of staff. During the day, you will be able to see the rooms where the subjects are taught, meet the teachers and ask any questions that you have. Our current first years and their parents have found the subject sampling day very helpful when it comes to choosing the option subjects. After the sampling day is over, you must speak to your parents about how you got on and talk through which subjects that you liked the most. This will help you fill in your options form. How do I choose my option subjects? You will be given a form to fill in to choose your option subjects. The 10 subjects will be on the form and you must place a number from 1 to 6 beside the 6 subjects that you like the most. Number 1 will be your favourite subject and so on down to number 6.
Why do I have to choose 6 subjects when I will be doing 3? When you enter 6 subject choices, the school uses software to generate 3 option lines. The software works out the option lines so that the majority of students get their top 3 choices. A small number of students may not get one of their top 3 choices. This means that instead, he will be offered one of his 4-6 choice subjects. What are the subject option lines? The software generates 3 lines of roughly 5 to 6 subjects based on the demand from the students. Every student does one subject from each of the 3 lines. The option lines are based entirely on student demand and are not altered after the software generates the best solution so that the majority get their top 3 choices. Once the option lines are generated, they are final. The following table is the 2019 option lines. This is for illustrative purposes only. The 2020 option lines will be different. Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 Business Studies Business Studies French Applied Technology Music Business Studies Graphics Applied Technology Applied Technology German Spanish Visual Art Classics Graphics Spanish Wood Technology Wood Technology German Wood Technology Can there be more than one class of a certain subject? Yes, as you can see in the table above there can be more than one class of a certain subject. This is based entirely on student demand. When you choose your options we will look at the numbers that want to do each subject. That will then determine how many classes of each subject we will run. This changes from year to year based on the demand at the time. Is it possible to change an option subject in September if I don’t like it? Yes it is possible to switch a subject if you don’t like it. Every student must give the subject a go and we don’t allow students to move without consulting with the teacher first to see what the issue is. All students and parents should be aware that it may not be possible to switch subject in the new school year. If you look back at the table of subjects, you will see that there is a maximum number of students allowed in each class. In the new school year, many of these subjects will be full and it will not be possible to move. The option lines will be formed at this stage and it may not be possible to move to a subject that you like on the same line. It is highly recommended that students consider this when choosing their subjects to avoid disappointment.
Wellbeing
What is Wellbeing?
As part of the new Junior Cycle, every student must receive 400 hours of Wellbeing across
the 3 years of Junior Cycle. The school’s Wellbeing policy is available on the school website
www.droghedacbs.ie and clicking on the ‘Reports & Policies’ tab. We advise that all parents
read this policy as it contains a lot of information on the various care structures that exist in
the school. Wellbeing is comprised of the following subjects;
Subject Number of Classes a
Week
PE A double class
SPHE 1 class a week
CSPE 1 class a week
Wellbeing A double class
First Year Wellbeing 2020/2021
PE 1 double class a week
45 hours
SPHE 1 class a week
23 hours
CSPE 1 class a week
23 hours
Induction to Secondary School This 3 double class programme introduces students to
4 hours St Joseph’s. Students are given tours of the school and
(3 double classes) shown the offices of their year head, principal and
deputy principals, as well as the guidance counsellor.
They are shown how to use their locker and lock. They
will be taught how to use their student journal
effectively. The teacher will go through the school rules
in the code of behaviour and draw their attention to the
school’s rules on no physical fighting, anti-bullying
procedures and the mobile phone policy.
Get Up Stand Up This is a personal development /social skills programme
8 hours for young people, developed by NEPS. It explores the
(5 double classes) skills they need to understand themselves and to
respond well to others. It covers topics like
getting to know myself, friendship, dealing with
emotions, resilience and coping skills, teasing, bullyingand intimidation and decision making skills. The
programme includes discussion and stories, class room
activities, Group work and targets the students can set
themselves to assist them in different situations.
Swimming & Life Saving Students enjoy an additional hour a week of fun,
8 hours physical activity which develops their confidence,
(5 double classes) friendship groups and feeling of connectivity to the
school community, There is a developing group and
advanced group within the session. Pupils learn
anything from the basic front crawl strokes right up to
butterfly. They also have the time to play at the end
enjoy a little water polo in the pool. Students learn
basic life saving techniques, such as information about
cold water shock, floating when in danger and pulling
somebody in using a pole. The swimming module costs
€40 per student for the 5-week course.
First Aid & CPR This course introduces students to First Aid. They will
8 hours learn the basics of First Aid, as well as how to check a
(5 double classes) pulse rate, how to treat somebody with a nose bleed,
how to put on a sling and how to put somebody in the
recovery position. Students will be introduced to the
CPR4schools programme which is run by the Irish Heart
Foundation. CPR 4 Schools is a programme for post
primary schools supported by Bank of Ireland. CPR 4
Schools gives students the confidence to perform
hands-only CPR, use an AED and know what to do when
someone is choking.
Nutrition & Healthy Eating This course allows students to understand the
8 hours importance of food and diet in making healthy lifestyle
(5 double classes) choices. They will learn about the food pyramid, the
sugar content of foods, food allergies and coeliac
disease.
Choir This course introduces students to singing as part of a
8 hours choir where they emphasis will be on having fun and
(5 double classes) participation. It will be led by one of the school’s music
teachers and aims to allow students to participate
regardless of musical ability. Singing as part of a group
enhances teamwork and collaboration.The Junior Cycle Programme
The new Junior Cycle spreads assessment throughout the three years of Junior Cycle giving
students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning away from the exam hall.
Classroom Based Assessments explained
What is a C.B.A?
Classroom-Based Assessments will provide students with opportunities to demonstrate
their understanding and skills in a way which would not be possible in a formal examination.
The tasks will cover a broad range of activities including oral presentations, written work of
different genres, practical or designing and making activities, artistic performances,
scientific experiments, projects or other suitable tasks. A particular purpose of the
Classroom-Based Assessments will be to facilitate developmental feedback to students in a
timely manner to reinforce their learning and aid them in reflecting on their progress.
Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) are best described as the occasions when the teacher
assesses the students using the specific tasks set out in the curriculum specification for each
subject. They are completed within the teaching time allocated for each subject. All subjects
with the exception of Gaeilge will have their first CBA in second year and their second one
before Christmas in third year. Gaeilge will have both CBAs in third year.
In deciding the level of achievement for the Classroom-Based Assessments, there are four
level descriptors of achievement for each CBA. Teachers use the Features of Quality set out
in The Assessment Guidelines for each subject to decide the level of achievement in each
CBA. The Features of Quality are the criteria used to assess the student work as best fitting
one of the following descriptors:
EXCEPTIONAL; describes a piece of work that reflects the Features of Quality for the
Classroom-Based Assessment to a very high standard. While not necessarily perfect, the
strengths of the work far outstrip its flaws, which are minor. Suggestions for improvement
are easily addressable by the student.
ABOVE EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that reflects all of the Features of Quality
for the Classroom-Based Assessment very well. The student shows a clear understanding of
how to complete each area of activity of the investigation, and the work is praised for its
rigour. Feedback from the teacher might point to the necessity to address some aspect of
the work in need of further attention or polishing, but on the whole, the work is of a high
standard.IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that reflects most of the Features
of Quality for the Classroom-Based Assessment well. It shows a good understanding of the
task in hand and is free from significant error. Feedback might point to areas needing
further attention or correction, but the work is generally competent and accurate.
YET TO MEET EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that falls someway short of the
demands of the Classroom-Based Assessment and its associated Features of Quality.
Perhaps the student has made a good attempt, but the task has not been grasped clearly or
is marred by significant lapses. Feedback will draw attention to fundamental errors that
need to be addressed.
NOT REPORTED; describes when a student has not submitted any piece of work for
assessment
It is important to acknowledge and affirm that it is not only the grade that matters but also
what the students have actually learned about themselves throughout the CBA experience.
In particular students should reflect about how their project work, experiments or
presentations have helped them engage with their subjects and how the feedback they have
received will enable them to progress further in the future.
Does the CBA count towards the SEC grade at the end of third year?
CBAs do not form part of the SEC component. The Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement will
document achievement in CBAs and for the SEC component separately. The SEC component
includes student achievement in the Assessment Task and the final assessment towards the
end of third year. It should be noted that ‘The Assessment Task’ is directly related to the
nature and focus of the second Classroom-Based Assessment, which will vary in each
subject.
Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA)
The JCPA reports on the broad spectrum of student learning and experience over the
three years of the Programme. Although there are plans by in place by the State
Examinations Commission to expediate this, it is currently awarded in January of TY/5 th
year.
CBAs: Classroom-Based Assessments.
SEC: State Examination awarded grades (90% from the terminal exam & 10% from the
Assessment Task).
WELLBEING; has become a core part of the Junior Cycle programme. This area of learning
includes, amongst others, Physical Education, Civic, Social and Political Education, Social,
Personal and Health Education and Guidance as well as a vibrant Wellbeing programmewhich is established here in St. Joseph’s. OAL: Other Areas of Learning
New Grading system explained
With the rollout of the Junior Cycle a new language of learning has been introduced which
takes the emphasis off grades-based achievement for students. As well as formative
assessment and feedback language being a core aspect of the classroom experience, the
final award is described in a different manner. Please see the table below which breaks this
down for you.
The core subjects (English, Irish and Maths) are assessed at Higher and Ordinary Level and
all other subjects are now assessed at common level for all students.
The L1LP (Level 1 Learning Programme) and L2LP (Level 2 Learning Programme)
programmes are also available to some students.
State Examinations Classroom Based Assessment
• Distinction (90 -100%) • Exceptional
• Higher Merit (75 – 89%) • Above expectations
• Merit (55 – 74%) • In line with expectations
• Achieved (40 – 54%) • Yet to meet expectations
• Partially Achieved (20 – 39%)
• Not reported
• Not Graded (0 – 19%)
For further information, please see:
www.curriculumonline.ie
www.jct.ie
www.ncca.ie
www.stjosephscbs.ieGeneral Questions What time does school start and finish at? School starts at 8:45 each day. There is a 15 minute morning break from 10:45 to 11 each day. Lunch is 40 minutes long from 1pm to 1:40. School finishes at 3:40 on Monday and Tuesday and at 3pm on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. The day to day timetable is in your information pack. Does the school have a canteen? Yes, the school has an excellent canteen and is extremely popular with the students in the school. Frank, our chef provides hot food at morning break, as well as a choice of 2 dinners every lunch time. All students can buy a full dinner for €3.50. How long should students spend on homework each night? Students should spend 1 hour on homework each night. This includes homework that is given by teachers on a day to day basis, as well as studying for tests and assessments. Every student has a homework journal to write his homework in and to help him keep organised. The school runs a supervised homework club from Monday to Thursday each week for first years who need support doing their homework. The school also runs supervised after school study each evening for 2 hours Monday to Friday, as well as Saturday study from 10 to 1. Do students have lockers? Yes, students are assigned a locker in an area with their own year group. The lockers are for storing books and coats. Each student has a school combination lock for his locker with a 4 digit code that only he knows. Students are not permitted to have any other type of lock on his locker. Lockers have a €20 per year rental. This is currently under review. Students are permitted to use their locker before school, at morning break and at lunch time. They should carry the books for the 2/3 classes that they have in between these times in their school bag.
What are the Drumcondra Tests? All incoming first years sit the Drumcondra tests on February 3rd in the school. These used to be known as entrance exams. They are not entrance exams and have no implication whatsoever on your son getting a place in St Joseph’s. The Drumcondra tests assess student’s literacy and numeracy and give us a picture of what learning supports may be needed to put in place for students when the start in September. Are classes in the school streamed? No, first year classes in St Joseph’s are not streamed. All classes are mixed ability and there is no top, middle or bottom class. Students are assigned a class which will be one of 1F/1N/1R/1S/1T/1U. There is no distinction between any of the classes. Students will be streamed in maths and Irish in second year. All other classes are mixed ability. How will he be assigned to one of the classes named above? The Drumcondra tests allow us to see what a student’s broad ability is like once he completed the test. We form the classes so that there is an equal mix of students based on the Drumcondra tests in each of the first year base classes. Therefore, we obtain each of the base classes as being equal in terms of ability and learning needs.
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