What’s New in Irish Education? Key Updates for Junior & Leaving Cert Students
Nov 18, 2025
Why This Matters to You
The Irish education system is undergoing significant change. If you or your child is sitting the Junior Cycle or Leaving Certificate exams in the next few years, understanding these reforms is crucial. At Maths Club, we stay ahead of these developments to ensure our grinds always focus on the exact skills and assessment methods required for success.
Senior Cycle Reform: A Major Shift in Assessment
The most anticipated changes are happening at the Leaving Certificate level. The aim of the reform is to reduce reliance on the single final exam and recognize a wider range of students' skills through continuous assessment.
The Big Change: Continuous Assessment
The key takeaway for students starting 5th Year (or Transition Year) is a major move toward continuous assessment.
Phased Introduction: New and revised Senior Cycle subjects are being introduced on a phased basis, starting from September 2025.
How it Affects Grades: The final grade in many subjects will now incorporate an element of Continuous Assessment (CA). This means in-class projects, practical tasks, or other pieces of work will be externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and count towards the final mark.
Initial Subjects Changing: Students starting 5th Year in September 2025 will encounter revised curricula in subjects like Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Business.
The Maths Club Advantage: The need for consistent, high-quality coursework performance means grinds are no longer just about cramming for the final paper. We focus on developing the foundational understanding, organization, and sustained effort required to excel in these Continuous Assessment tasks.
Leaving Cert Grades: The Gradual Return to Normal
Since the pandemic, the Department of Education has implemented a "post-marking adjustment" to keep grades high. This is now changing and is vital for students to be aware of.
A. The Phased Reduction in Grade Inflation
What’s Happening: The Minister for Education has confirmed a gradual reduction in the level of grade adjustments applied. This is a slow, measured return to pre-pandemic grading levels.
Impact on Students: For students sitting the Leaving Cert in 2026 and beyond, while grades will still be supported, the overall uplift will slowly decrease year-on-year. This means competition for CAO places remains high, and strong, consistent results are more vital than ever to secure points.
B. Examination Supports Still in Place
Crucially, some pandemic-era supports remain:
Increased Choice Continues: Students will still benefit from increased choice in their written exam papers for the Leaving Cert Established programme, offering a small tactical advantage.
Junior Cycle Assessment Supports Continue
The Junior Cycle reform is largely complete, with the JCPA replacing the old Junior Cert. However, temporary assessment adjustments are still being maintained to ease the workload.
CBA Simplification: Students are often only required to complete one Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) per subject, instead of the original two.
Assessment Task Removed: The associated Assessment Task will often not be examined for the relevant subjects.
The Takeaway: These adjustments simplify the assessment process, allowing you and your tutor to place a greater focus on core subject mastery in the classroom and in your grinds sessions, rather than high-volume assessment paperwork.
The constant evolution of the curriculum and assessment methods highlights the importance of expert tuition. At Maths Club, we don't just teach the Maths—we teach the Maths required by the new curriculum and its changing assessment structure.
Ensure your child is prepared for the changing educational landscape. Contact us today to discuss a personalised plan for Junior or Leaving Cert Maths grinds.