Students cannot fail JCSP. The Programme is about success. Achievable statements are carefully chosen. Students get an opportunity to complete a series of statements and build their own success profile – a profile listing all the things they can do. It is up to the teacher and the school to decide what way they want to organise the students in their classes. Students are told that they are doing the Junior Certificate Course. Instead of waiting to do an exam to get a certificate after three years, they can begin to work towards their exams immediately. Teachers will take a chunk of their subject, called a statement, which ‘states’ that they can do something. This statement will be put on their certificates soon as they have achieved the required number of learning targets.
Students get an opportunity to become more involved in their own learning, discussing statements and meeting targets. Through engagement with this learning process, students begin to succeed and go on to build on this success. Students participate in JCSP Initiatives which are an opportunity to explore and develop new ways of learning. These initiatives can be extremely valuable to the weaker students as they learn by doing. Examples of some initiatives carried out in our school include; Visit to a History Museum, Celebrity Chef, Visit by a French Theatre group, Artist in Residence, Drop everything and read as Gaeilge, French food tasting, Exploring Science—exotic animals, Design and make Wood and Metal pieces etc.
Throughout their time on the Programme the JCSP team seeks out opportunities to reward and praise students and to give them useful feedback on their performance. In addition, the JCSP team tries to make positive contact with the students’ families. When the students sit their Junior Certificate exam they also get a certificate from the Department of Education and Science and a profile listing all they have achieved while on the Programme. Parental involvement is encouraged and welcomed in JCSP. Schools increase the frequency of contact with parents with emphasis on passing on ‘good news’. Many schools hold parent days to exhibit work done, award certificates of achievement and generally celebrate with parents their children’s successes. Parents are invited to become actively involved in their children’s education by working with the school in encouraging good attendance, punctuality and homework and by praising progress made.