Underpinning the new Junior Cycle are a set of eight principles, twenty-four statements of learning and eight key skills. These ensure that students receive a rich educational experience that has both breadth and depth.

1)    Eight Principles

Students have access to a varied curriculum of knowledge, understanding, skills and values. Eight principles underpin the framework for Junior Cycle. These inform the planning for, as well as the development and implementation of, Junior Cycle programmes in all schools.

The eight principles are:

·       Learning to learn

·       Choice and Flexibility

·       Quality

·       Creativity and Innovation

·       Engagement and Participation

·       Continuity and Development

·       Inclusive Education

·       Wellbeing

  2) Twenty-Four Statements of Learning

As well as the Eight Principles, the Junior Cycle Framework has twenty-four Statements of Learning. These are statements of what students are expected to achieve by the end of the Junior Cycle.

3) Eight Key Skills

Transferrable skills are skills or abilities which are not specifically related to any particular job, discipline or task, but are used in a wide variety of work and life situations.

In Junior Cycle, the transferrable skills are called ‘Key Skills’. These are skills which all young people must develop to fully engage with the Senior Cycle and life beyond school.

A description of the eight key skills developed through Junior Cycle can be found at this link:

https://www.jct.ie/perch/resources/leadership/key-skills-poster.pdf