The new junior certificate science course is now underway in schools. This differs somewhat from the previous course in that the clear boundaries between Biology, Chemistry and Physics are gone. The new course focuses more on enquiry and investigation rather than rote learning of facts and set experiments. The concerns however include that this new JC course moves further away from LC science subjects and doesn’t prepare students as well for LC as having it split into three defined disciplines.
The majority of students generally excel at one or two disciplines of Science rarely all three as Biology is knowledge based and very broad where as Physics is very maths and engineering related with theorems and laws. Chemistry straddles both with an element of theory and maths through the learning of formulas and laws. ‘Earth and Space’ have been added to the new course giving it an additional dimension and which some students will find interesting.
The reason for this change was due partly due to the fact that it was a very heavy content subject with a lot of revision required across three disciplines; Biology, Chemistry & Physics. The main objective of JC Science course is to ‘stimulate an interest in science’ regardless of whether they continue it for leaving certificate level.
However, what parents and students don’t know or many don’t find out until their mock results is that most schools require a ‘C grade’ at higher science for students to take a science subject at higher level for their leaving certificate. This causes panic and stress for students and parents after the mock results are announced.
Every year at the grinds academy our Junior Certificate Science course in term 1 has lots of places available. However by term 2 (January) weekly and intensive courses are full with waiting lists only.
Not every student will be great at each discipline which is why the ‘appreciation’ of science is more the focus in the new course rather than defined Biology, Physics and Chemistry. Students are generally advised to select one Science subject for LC as it opens up for more opportunities for the CAO and careers.
Junior Certificate Science is on Monday at 6pm – 7.15pm in Drogheda Grinds Academy & Saturday 10.45 – 12 noon in Swords Grinds Academy and Tuesday at 6pm – 7.15pm in Dundalk Grinds Academy.
JC Science Course Review and critique can be found here
http://www.juniorcycle.ie/NCCA_JuniorCycle/media/NCCA/Curriculum/Science/Proofed_JC_Science_Specification_Review.pdf
Drogheda Grinds Academy