Progression from Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle

All of the knowledge and skills that students are learning to build on during the Junior Cycle link strongly with the syllabus for art at senior cycle. The depth and breadth of learning that is possible in Junior Cycle Visual Art will allow students to improve their skills in not just art, craft and design but also their understanding of and approach to historical and contemporary works of art, craft and design. Gaining a critical understanding of works of art, craft and design, including the context of the works and being able to express this through using critical and visual language are useful skills for students as they move into senior cycle.

The skills of Junior Cycle Visual Art such as collaboration, creativity, innovation and communication are reflected in the students’ learning in the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). In the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) Visual Art module, students are enabled to respond personally to issues that are meaningful to them. As with junior cycle Visual Art, LCA students undertake a study of their local built and natural environments where they apply their skills to respond in a personally meaningful way. In each of these modules, students use skills they will develop through junior cycle, namely researching, developing ideas, making contextual references, and reflection and evaluation.

Note: A new specification for Senior Cycle Art, Craft, Design will be taken by fifth year students from September 2020.