Assessment and reporting

Assessment in education involves gathering, interpreting and using information about the processes 

and outcomes of learning. It takes different forms and can be used in a variety of ways, such as to 

record and report achievement, to determine appropriate routes for learners to take through a 

differentiated curriculum, or to identify specific areas of difficulty or strength for a given learner. While 

different techniques may be employed for formative, diagnostic and summative purposes, the focus 

of the assessment and reporting is on the improvement of student learning. To do this it must fully 

reflect the aim of the curriculum. 

The junior cycle places a strong emphasis on assessment as part of the learning process. This requires 

a more varied approach to assessment in ensuring that the assessment method or methods chosen 

are fit for purpose, timely and relevant to the students. Assessment in Junior Cycle History will 

optimise the opportunity for students to become reflective and active participants in their learning 

and for teachers to support this. This rests upon the provision for learners of opportunities to 

negotiate success criteria against which the quality of their work can be judged by peer, self, and 

teacher assessment; and upon the quality of the focused feedback they get in support of their learning. 

Providing focused feedback to students on their learning is a critical component of high-quality 

assessment and a key factor in building students’ capacity to manage their own learning and their 

motivation to stick with a complex task or problem. Assessment is most effective when it moves 

beyond marks and grades, and reporting focuses not just on how the student has done in the past but 

on the next steps for further learning. This approach will ensure that assessment takes place as close 

as possible to the point of learning. Final assessment still has a role to play, but is only one element of 

a broader approach to assessment. 

Essentially, the purpose of assessment and reporting at this stage of education is to support learning. 

Parents/guardians should be given a comprehensive picture of student learning. Linking classroom 

assessment and other assessment with a new system of reporting that culminates in the awarding of 

the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) will offer parents/guardians a clear and broad picture 

of their child’s learning journey over the three years of junior cycle.  

To support this, teachers and schools have access to an Assessment Toolkit. Along with the guide to 

the Subject Learning and Assessment Review (SLAR) process, the toolkit includes learning, teaching 

and assessment support material, including: 

The contents of the toolkit include the range of assessment supports, advice and guidelines that 

enable schools and teachers to engage with the new assessment system and reporting arrangements 

in an informed way, with confidence and clarity.