Information for Schools on Delivering Revised and New Specifications

In September 2023, the Minister for Education announced that revised specifications for seven existing Leaving Certificate Established subjects will be introduced in schools from the 2025/26 school year.

These subjects are Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Arabic, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Business.

Part of these transformative developments include the introduction of the two new Senior Cycle subjects of Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, and Climate Action and Sustainable Development. These two new subjects will be introduced on a phased basis, initially across a small network of schools (Phase One schools), at the beginning of the school year 2025/26.

Taking this approach allows schools to be supported in the introduction of the new subject and for reflection on the effectiveness of those supports as more schools subsequently offer the subject. The call for applications closed on the 19 April 2024. The list of 100 selected Phase One schools is available online here

Last year, the Minister announced a new Science Implementation Support Grant worth €12 million to support schools with the rollout of revised Senior Cycle science subjects. Further details on these grants and how to avail of the grants are available here

The second set of revised subjects, to be introduced to schools at the beginning of the 2026/27 school year are; Construction Studies, Engineering, , Geography, LCVP Link Modules, and Physical Education. English and Accounting, which were due to be introduced here in Tranche 2, have been delayed by at least a year. This is due to the need to further examine, in consultation with schools, planning, implementation and enactment aspects of both subjects.

Further sets of revised subjects will be introduced annually thereafter. Schools are encouraged to engage with the consultation processes led by the NCCA as new draft specifications are published.

The Department of Education and Youth issue frequent Senior Cycle Redevelopment Information notes to schools. These notes provide updates to school communities on the roll-out of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme. The Information notes are available below and schools are welcome to provide links from their websites and other digital presences to it.

Each of the new and revised subjects will incorporate additional assessment components (AACs) that are not a traditional written examination. These components will be worth at least 40% of the available marks and will be externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

The AACs aim to reduce the pressure on students that comes from final assessments based primarily on written examinations conducted at the end of sixth year. These AACs are designed to assess students’ skills and key competencies , developed through the study of their chosen subject, in a way that a terminal written examination can not.

Additional Assessment Component (AAC) Guidelines are available on examinations.ie here.. A sample brief for the AAC for tranche one subjects will issue to schools in September. Coursework Rules and Procedures will also issue. A live brief for AACs for 8 subjects will be issued in January 2026.

Four sample examination papers - two Higher Level and two Ordinary Level - for each subject in Tranche 1 are available on examinations.ie here.

Written consent should be sought from the parents/guardians of students participating in either Senior Cycle Level 1 Learning Programme or Senior Cycle Level 2 Learning Programme, to record their participation in the learning programme via the Post-Primary Online Database. The following consent form should be completed and returned to the student’s school.

This form should be retained by the school for the duration of the student’s enrolment and made available for inspection by an officer of the Department or the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, if required.

The introduction of the new specifications is supported by a comprehensive four-year teacher professional learning (TPL) programme for the subjects provided by Oide.

The four year TPL programme is designed to provide the necessary professional learning and supports to teachers both ahead of the introduction of the subjects and on an ongoing basis as students and teachers experience the new specifications and assessment arrangements first-hand in classroom.

Oide’s website provides information on Teacher Professional Learning for the new and revised subjects and announcements on training dates etc, available here