M12/02

To Management Authorities of Second Level Schools

Provision of Curriculum Support for Teachers

Postponement of Inservice

The Department of Education and Science agreed with the management authorities of post-primary schools that all general inservice planned to take place within the school day for the period following 4th March 2002 would be postponed as part of the contingency plan for substitution and supervision.

Curriculum Support for Teachers

A range of support materials and resources for teachers is being prepared by the various Support Services and the Department. Full details of these materials will be made available by 30th April, 2002.

A summary statement on the current stage of implementation of revised syllabuses is given below.

Junior Certificate Religious Education

Circular M19/99 advised schools of the Department's intention to phase in an option syllabus for Junior Certificate Religious Education. 195 schools (Phases 1 and 2) have introduced the new syllabus for which elements of the inservice programme have already been delivered. A number of schools introducing Junior Certificate Religious Education in September 2002. (Phase 3 schools) have also received initial inservice in the form of cluster meetings.
Junior Cycle Social, Personal and Health Education

As indicated in Circular M22/00, the syllabus for Junior Cycle SPHE is being introduced on a phased basis in all post-primary schools over a three year period which commenced in September 2000. The majority of schools have already received inservice support.

Leaving Certificate Chemistry and Physics

The revised syllabuses in Leaving Certificate Chemistry and Leaving Certificate Physics were introduced in September 2000 for first examination in 2002; Circular M2/00 refers. A significant amount of inservice for teachers organised by the Support Services for Physics and Chemistry has taken place.

Leaving Certificate Home Economics and Biology

As previously indicated in Circular M8/01, the revised syllabuses in Leaving Certificate Home Economics and Biology will be introduced from September 2002 for first examination in 2004. Please refer to Circular M11/02 which issued in March, 2002 for further details.

Contact details for the administrative centres of the Support Services for the subjects referred to above are as follows:-

Subject / Administrative Centre / Contact Number
Religious Education / Galway Education Centre, Cluain Mhuire, Monivea Road, Galway / 091 745610
Social, Personal & Health Education / Marino Institute of Education, Dublin 9 / 01 805 7718
Physics & Chemistry / Limerick Education Centre, Parkway Centre, Dublin Road, Limerick / 061 419918
Home Economics / Wexford Education Centre, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford / 054 39121
Biology / Tralee Education Centre, Dromtacker, Tralee, Co. Kerry / 066 7195050

Second Level Support Service

In addition to offering support for individual programmes and subjects, the Second Level Support Service has assisted schools in providing whole staff professional development programmes. In relation specifically to Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, a significant amount of inservice has taken place in respect of Link Modules which are being introduced in September, 2002.

Contact details for the administrative centres of the Support Services for other second level subjects and programmes are as follows:-

Programme/Subject / Administrative Centres / Contact Number
Junior Certificate School Programme / Curriculum Development Unit,
CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit,
Sundrive Road,
Dublin 12 / 01 453 5487
Civic, Social and Political Education / CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit
Sundrive Road, Dublin 12 / 01 453 5487
English / Laois Education Centre, Block Road,
Portlaoise, Co. Laois / 0502 72409
Transition Year / Blackrock Education Centre, Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin / 01 2301671
Leaving Certificate Applied / Curriculum Development Centre,
St. Patrick's Comprehensive School,
Shannon, Co. Clare
or
Curriculum Development Centre
CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit
Sundrive Road, Dublin 12 / 061 361993
01 453 5487
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme / Navan Education Centre, Athlumney,,
Navan, Co. Meath / 046 78382

You are requested to bring this circular to the notice of the teachers concerned.

Please provide a copy of the circular to the appropriate representatives of parents and teachers for transmission to individual parents and teachers.

John Dennehy

Secretary General

March, 2002