Junior Certificate

Junior Certificate Subjects

The Art, Craft, Design syllabus provides opportunity for students to make fine art, craft and graphic design artefacts, and to experience and learn to appreciate visual culture. Art, craft and design education supports the development of important personal qualities— including initiative, perseverance, sensibility, and self-reliance. The benefits of an education in art, craft and design extends far beyond a competence in the subject itself, because the experience gained and the skills developed can be enjoyed and applied throughout life, enabling the student to shape his/ her world with discernment, and to understand and appreciate the creativity of others.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/Art_factsheet.pdf

Business Studies enables student to make informed decisions in the everyday business of living. This contributes to the student’s understanding of the world of business, encourages a positive attitude to enterprise and develops appropriate skills in that field. The syllabus is balanced between the business education necessary for the individual/household area and business education in the purely commercial context.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/BSt_factsheet.pdf

Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) is a Junior Certificate course in active citizenship based on human rights and social responsibilities. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are the two key documents which underpin this course.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/CSPE_factsheet.pdf

English in junior cycle aims to develop students’ knowledge of language and literature, to consolidate and deepen their literacy skills and make them more self-aware as learners. More specifically it encourages all students to be creative through language and to gain enjoyment and continuing personal growth from English in all its forms

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/English_factsheet.pdf

French is very popular among students here at St Johns College. The Subject allows students to improve their communication skills and increase cultural awareness while learning the language. Students will focus on listening, reading, writing and speaking skills during each class as specified in the current JC syllabus. Classes cater for all ranges of ability levels and are designed to be fun, engaging and varied in their methodologies.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/ModLang_factsheet.pdf

Geography is the study of people and their relationships with their environment. It is concerned with helping to develop an understanding of the physical, social and economic processes which shape the environment.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/Geog_factsheet.pdf

History is the study of the experience of human life in the past. The Content studied is based on available evidence which the historian interprets so that students may develop their understanding of those who have gone before them and, thereby, gain a greater understanding of themselves and the times in which they live.

Home Economics is very popular among students here at St Johns College. We strive to enable our students to pursue personal fulfilment in a nurturing and caring environment. Home Economics has a direct relevance to the present and future life of every young person. Its purpose is to equip young people in certain important skills for living as individuals and of establishing and developing a stable environment for their families.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/HomeEc_factsheet.pdf

Junior Certificate Gaeilge builds upon the language developed during primary education. The learner’s vocabulary is both reinforced and enriched at this stage and the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are further developed. In addition the learner’s linguistic and cultural awareness are expanded. The study of appropriate literary works in order to promote language development is also encouraged. This year, students took part in the GAELBHRATACH initiative. This involved promoting Gaeilge outside of the classroom.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/Irish_factsheet.pdf

Junior Certificate Materials Technology (Wood) provides students in the junior cycle of post-primary education with an opportunity to explore their role in making and shaping their environment. It involves the use of a design process, which is a central feature of the subject, through which students undertake tasks that require the use of practical problem-solving skills and the application of scientific and technological knowledge.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/MTW_factsheet.pdf

Junior Certificate Mathematics aims to develop the mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding needed for continuing education, for life and for work. It also aims to develop the skills of dealing with mathematical concepts in context and applications, as well as solving problems. Here at St Johns we also support the development of numeracy skills within the classroom.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/Maths_factsheet.pdf

Junior Cert Science caters for a full range of student ability, aptitude and achievement. The syllabus has three major components, biology, chemistry and physics, and is concerned with the development of scientific knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes essential for the responsibilities of citizenship in today’s world. The course is activity-based in its design and emphasises the practical experience of science for each individual student. The importance of the processes of science as well as knowledge and understanding is reflected in the course structure.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/Science_factsheet.pdf

With more than 400 million speakers worldwide, Spanish is an extremely useful and practical subject to learn. It is a popular subject choice among students here at St Johns College. The four key skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking are learned using a variety of different methodologies. The Junior Cert curriculum caters for mixed ability and allows every student opportunities for successful communication. Classes are designed to be fun, engaging and productive, allowing students to explore the cultural aspects of Spain in addition to improving their social/communicative skills. Students are also offered a “Tapas Experience” here in St Johns College where they are allowed to sample a selection of Spanish foods during class.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/ModLang_factsheet.pdf

Social, personal and health education (SPHE) provides particular opportunities to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child, to help him/her to create and maintain supportive relationships and become an active and responsible citizen in society. Through an SPHE programme that is planned and consistent throughout the school, children can develop a framework of values, attitudes, understanding and skills that will inform their decisions and actions both now and in the future.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/SPHE_factsheet.pdf

The aims of junior cycle physical education is to provide the opportunity for students to develop personally, socially, and physically through participation in physical activities in a safe, challenging and enjoyable environment. PE will be offered to all incoming first years in St Johns College.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/PE_factsheet.pdf

Junior Certificate Technical Graphics involves students participating in the development of a range of skills associated with the management of spatial problems and the graphical communication of spatial ideas and solutions. In Technical Graphics, students in the junior cycle of post-primary education construct, and study the properties of, plane geometrical figures; they also develop skills in graphical communication using current standards and conventions, including drawing and sketching and the use of computer graphics.

http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/Factsheets/TechGr_factsheet.pdf