At Loreto Abbey Secondary School, we are supporting significant reform of the Senior Cycle curriculum (Leaving Certificate), which is guided by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s Advisory Report on the Review of Senior Cycle and informed by the lived experiences of Leaving Certificate students.
These reforms aim to better prepare students for 21st-century demands, enhance their educational experience, promote wellbeing, and ease stress levels. In September 2025, as part of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme, the Minister for Education and Youth announced a revised Transition Year Programme statement.
Over the coming years, all Senior Cycle subjects will be updated through a phased ‘tranche’ approach. During 2025/2026, the first tranche introduced revised specifications in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Business. September 2026 will bring Geography, Life, Community & Work (formerly LCVP) and Physical Education. Five further tranches will roll out through to 2029. See the implementation Timeline below for details.
Each revised subject specification now includes Additional Assessment Components (AACs), which represent a minimum of 40% of total marks per subject. The State Examinations Commission administers and oversees these AACs, which students complete independently according to SEC guidelines.
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