Minister Bruton announces first schools to study PE as Leaving Certificate subject

The Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Richard Bruton TD, today announced that schools across the country will be partaking in the first phase of the implementation of the new Physical Education for Senior Cycle programmes. 80 schools will implement either the examinable Physical Education Leaving Certificate subject or the new Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework which is not for examination, or both.

This announcement is part of the overall emphasis this government is putting on encouraging healthy lifestyles and is a key commitment in the Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland’s education and training system the best in Europe by 2026.

Students taking the new Leaving Certificate subject from September 2018 will sit the first Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) exam in 2020. The subject can be taken at both higher and ordinary levels. The new Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework, will provide a new modern curriculum for teachers to teach P.E. to all students at senior cycle.

A total of 369 schools applied to participate in the phase 1 roll-out, showing an outstanding demand across the country for Physical Education at Senior Cycle. The Minister said he was delighted that his department had been able to offer places to so many schools for this first phase, and that the department intends to roll out the new specification and Framework to all schools from 2020.

Speaking at one of the participating schools, Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Beaumont, Dublin 9, Minister Bruton said:

“Physical activity is so important for our overall wellbeing, not just our physical fitness but for our mental health too. Participation in sports is also fantastic for developing a person’s confidence and team work skills. That’s why I am delighted to announce the schools who are participating in Phase 1 of Physical Education for the Leaving Certificate – both as an examinable subject and the non-examinable Framework. This was an important commitment in the Action Plan for Education and is in line with this government’s overall emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles.”

The Minister thanked the NCCA for its work on developing the subject specification and the Framework and the PDST for developing the training programme for teachers. The Minister also acknowledged the important role that students, teachers, parents and stakeholders played in the consultation and in-depth research necessary to develop the specification and Framework.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

Leaving Certificate Physical Education Specification

The specification for Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) will provide learners with an opportunity to study physical education for the Leaving Certificate examination, providing an additional optional Leaving Certificate subject.

The specification is presented in two strands.

Strand 1 Topics:

learning and improving skills and techniques
physical and psychological demands of performance
structures, strategies, roles and conventions
planning for optimum performance

Strand 2 Topics:

promoting physical activity
ethics and fair play
physical activity and inclusion
technology, media and sport

There are three assessment components in LCPE:

physical activity project – 20%
performance assessment – 30%
written examination – 50%

Framework for Senior Cycle Physical Education

The Framework for Senior Cycle Physical Education provides a structure for PE teachers to plan a broad and worthwhile programme in PE for students. The aim of the Framework is to encourage learners’ confident, enjoyable and informed participation in physical activity while in senior cycle and in their future lives. It will enable students to engage in meaningful learning through their engagement with the various curriculum models and hopefully create a pathway for lifelong involvement in physical activity.

The Framework contains six curriculum models:

health-related physical activity
sport education
contemporary issues in physical activity
adventure education
personal and social responsibility
teaching games for understanding

List of Schools

1	Abbey Community College	Boyle	Co. Roscommon
2	Abbey Vocational School	The Glebe	Donegal Town	Co. Donegal
3	Ashbourne Community School	Deerpark	Ashbourne	Co. Meath
4	Beara Community School	Castletownbere	Beara	Co. Cork
5	Beaufort College	Trim Rd	Navan	Co. Meath
6	Belvedere College S.J	6 Great Denmark Street	Dublin 1
7	Borris Vocational School	Borris	Co Carlow
8	Borrisokane Community College	Borrisokane	Co Tipperary
9	Carndonagh Community School	Carndonagh	Lifford	Co. Donegal
10	Castleknock Community College	Carpenterstown Road	Castleknock	Dublin 15
11	Castletroy College	Newtown	Castletroy	Co. Limerick
12	Christian Brothers College	Sidney Hill	Wellington Road	Cork
13	Coláiste Abbain	Adamstown	Enniscorthy	Co. Wexford
14	Coláiste An Chroí Naofa	Carraig na bhFear	Co. Chorcaí
15	Coláiste Bride	Enniscorthy	Co. Wexford
16	Coláiste Choilm	Ballincollig	Co. Cork
17	Coláiste Cholmcille	College St	Ballyshannon	Co. Donegal
18	Colaiste Chraobh Abhann	Creowen	Kilcoole	Co. Wicklow
19	Coláiste Cois Life	Gleann an Ghrífín	Leamhcán	Co. Átha Cliath
20	Coláiste íde agus iosaef	Abbeyfeale	Co. Limerick
21	Colaiste Mhuire	Askeaton	Co. Limerick
22	Coláiste Naomh Mhuire	Convent Of Mercy	Sallins Rd.	Naas, Co. Kildare
23	Creagh College	Carnew Road	Gorey	Co. Wexford
24	Deansrath Community College	New Nangor Road	Clondalkin	Dublin 22
25	Deele College	Raphoe	Lifford	Co. Donegal
26	Dominican College	Griffith Ave	Drumcondra	Dublin 9
27	Dominican College	Taylors Hill	Galway
28	Gaelcholáiste luimnigh	Meal sior anraí	Luimneach
29	Gairm Scoil Chú Uladh	Béal an Átha Móir	An Clochan	Leifear, Co. Dhun na nGall
30	Glanmire Community College	Glanmire	Co. Cork
31	Gort Community School	Gort	Co. Galway
32	Holy family school for the deaf	Navan road,	Cabra	Dublin 7
33	John The Baptist Community School	Hospital	Co. Limerick
34	Kinsale Community School	Kinsale	Co. Cork
35	Le Cheile Secondary School	Hollystown Road	Tyrellstown	Dublin 15
36	Loreto College	Mullingar	Co. Westmeath
37	Loreto Secondary School	Coleville Rd.	Clonmel	Co. Tipperary
38	Maria Immaculata Community College	Dunmanway	Co. Cork
39	Mercy Secondary School	Ballymahon	Co. Longford
40	Mount Anville Secondary School	Mount Anville Rd	Dublin 14
41	Moville Community College	Carrownaff	Moville	Co. Donegal
42	Newpark Comprehensive School	Newtown Park Avenue	Blackrock	Co. Dublin
43	Oatlands College	Mount Merrion	Co. Dublin
44	Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School	Rosbercon	New Ross	Co. Wexford
45	Our Lady Of Mercy College	Beaumont	Dublin 9
46	Portmarnock Community School	Carrickhill Road	Portmarnock	Co. Dublin
47	Presentation College	Warrenmount	Dublin 8
48	Presentation Secondary School	Grogan's Road	Wexford	Co. Wexford
49	Presentation Secondary School	Ballingarry	Thurles	Co. Tipperary
50	Presentation Secondary School	Thurles	Co. Tipperary
51	Ratoath College	Jamestown	Ratoath	Co. Meath
52	Rockwell College	Cashel	Co. Tipperary
53	Sacred Heart Secondary School	Sunnyside	Drogheda	Co. Louth
54	Scoil Chriost Ri	Presentation Secondary School	Borris Road	Portlaoise, Co. Laois
55	Scoil Mhuire Secondary School	St Oran's Road	Buncrana	Co. Donegal
56	Scoil Phobail Chuil Mhin	Cluain Saileach	Baile Atha Cliath 15
57	Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra	Rathmore	Co. Kerry
58	Scoil Pól	Kilfinane	Co. Limerick
59	Shannon Comprehensive School	Shannon	Co. Clare
60	St. Eunan's College	Letterkenny	Co. Donegal
61	St. Francis Capuchin College	Rochestown	Co. Cork
62	St. Kieran's College	Secondary School	College Rd	Kilkenny
63	St. Louis Secondary School	Dun Lughaidh	Dundalk	Co. Louth
64	St. Marys College	Rathmines	Dublin 6
65	St. Marys College	Nicholas Street	Dundalk	Co. Louth
66	St. Peter's Community School	Passage West	Co. Cork
67	St Aidan's CBS	Collins Avenue Ext	Whitehall	Dublin 9
68	St Brogan's College, Bandon	Kilbrogan	Bandon	Co. Cork
69	St. Joseph's Secondary School	Spanish Point	Milown Malbay	Co. Clare
70	St. Leo's College	Dublin Road	Carlow
71	St. Macartan's College	Monaghan	Co. Monaghan
72	St. Mary's Secondary School	Irishtown	New Ross	Co. Wexford
73	St. Mary's Secondary School	Convent of Mercy	Ballina	Co. Mayo
74	The Abbey School	Station Road	Co. Tipperary
75	Trinity Comprehensive School	Ballymun Road	Dublin 9
76	Tullow Community School	The Mullawn	Tullow	Co. Carlow
77	Villiers Secondary School	North Circular Road	Limerick
78	Virginia College	Virginia	Co. Cavan
79	Wesley College	Ballinteer	Dublin 16
80	Woodbrook College	Woodbrook	Bray	Co. Wicklow