‘It is a fabulous idea to get schools involved in reshaping the Senior Cycle’

Deputy principal Sharon Coffey and her school, Athy College, have hit the ground running in their efforts to help reshape the Leaving Cert to meet the needs of students in the 21st century.

The 450-pupil Kildare school is one of 41 selected to elicit the views of students, teachers and parents on what it is about the current system they value and would want to keep, and what sort of changes they would suggest.

Coffey thinks getting schools involved in the reform process in this way is a “fabulous idea” and “a fantastic opportunity for us”. As Athy College opened for the new academic year last week, one of the priorities was to hold a two-hour staff meeting to kick off discussions with its 46 teachers about the NCCA project.

Much of their discussion so far has been on “the large gap, and a lack of linkages, between the new Junior Cycle and the traditional Senior Cycle”.

Coffey describes the new Junior Cycle as “so innovative; the students are so engaged and they love the classroom-based assessments, then they come to Senior Cycle and it’s back to rote learning”.

She says the teachers had a “very good discussion” based around the materials and questions supplied by the NCCA.

“We were looking at the key skills students are developing in Junior Cycle and staff feel we need to develop these in Senior Cycle. We want to foster more independent learning among students and support them in not being afraid to make a mistake.”

Next week, discussions start with the Athy College student group and the following week, they will sit down with parents to get their views.