Step Up Project

A School Excellence Fund Project

Aim of the project

The overarching aim of the Step Up Project was to support schools who had self-assessed as being already at an effective level of implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) to move to a highly effective level. The nine schools involved in the project were given the time to reflect on teaching, learning, assessment and reporting in three subject areas and to identify how the quality of provision and implementation, both for those specific subjects and for the overall Framework for Junior Cycle, could be raised to the highest level.

School Self-Evaluation approach

Schools participating in the project were required to take a school self-evaluation approach in reviewing their current implementation of the Framework in one or more of three subject areas: English, Business Studies and Science. Schools were encouraged to identify areas for improvement and were supported in developing and implementing actions leading to improvement in their chosen areas.

Participating Schools

Overview of the Project

Assistant Chief Inspector Declan Cahalane gives a short overview of the project.

Podcast

‘They saw the big picture’

“Teachers really began to see the whole point of Junior Cycle reform by collaborating across subjects. They saw JC reform as more than a change in teaching methods, a change in approach to assessment, as being about skills etc. They saw how it all tied together and saw how SSE ties with JC reform which ties with literacy and numeracy initiatives. They saw the big picture.”

— JCT Advisor

Identifying a focus

Teachers and school leaders discuss how they identified a focus for their Step Up project.

Impact of the project

Teachers and School Leaders discuss the impact of the project on teaching and learning in their context.

Students discuss and share their thoughts on the project and how it positively affected their learning.

Step Up Project Report & Individual School Reports