The Junior Cycle Schools Programme (JCSP) is a national programme designed to support students who may benefit from a more structured and supportive approach during their Junior Cycle. It operates within the framework of the national Junior Cycle curriculum, offering students the same subjects and leading to the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). The Donahies Community School has been part of the JCSP since 2001.
The JCSP focuses on:
- Early Identification and Support: Identifying students who may need additional support to engage with and succeed in the Junior Cycle.
- Action Planning: Developing individual and group action plans to address specific learning needs and set achievable goals.
- Targeted Interventions: Implementing a range of strategies and activities to enhance literacy, numeracy, and other key skills.
- Recognition of Achievement: Formally acknowledging students' progress and achievements through JCSP Statements, which complement the JCPA.
The JCSP aims to build students' confidence, motivation, and engagement with learning, ensuring they have a positive and successful experience throughout their Junior Cycle. It provides a valuable framework for tailoring teaching and learning to meet the diverse needs of our students.
Previously, JCSP students at our school have taken part in the following initiatives:
- Reading challenges;
- Writer in the classroom initiatives;
- Animal Magic;
- Readalong in the classroom;
- Field trips;
- Maths lab initiative challenge;
- Bodhran playing;
- Christmas trips; and,
- Preparation and serving of St. Patrick’s Day meal in school for their parents
- Bake sale (muffins) to raise money for a Romanian orphanage project.