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€12m funding for Leaving Cert Science
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/12/2024.
Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, has announced details of a new Science Implementation Support Grant worth €12 million to support schools with the rollout of revised Senior Cycle science subjects.
Three science subjects – Biology, Chemistry and Physics – have been revised as part of stage one of the redevelopment of Senior Cycle subjects. The revised specifications include a traditional written assessment worth 60% and a new additional assessment component, worth 40%.
The additional assessment component will be called Biology, Chemistry or Physics “in Practice” and will broaden the types of assessment used in Senior Cycle. Every student’s additional assessment component will be externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission.
Minister Foley announced today that €12 million in funding is being provided for a new Science Implementation Support Grant, and it will be paid to schools shortly.
All schools in the free scheme will receive additional funding with a minimum base payment of €13,000 up to a maximum of €22,000. There will be no application process, and the payment will be made on an automatic basis.
The revised specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will be implemented in schools nationwide for fifth year students from the next school year (2025/26), commencing in August/September 2025.
The additional assessment component in each subject will require students to use the knowledge and skills they are learning throughout the course to carry out an investigation. It will:
Students will carry out their work on the investigation in Biology, Physics or Chemistry throughout the course. They will fill out an investigative log along the way which they can use to help compile their final report for the State Examinations Commission.
They will begin by carrying out scientific research on an issue related to the brief. They will gather, process and evaluate information from secondary sources. The knowledge gained from this phase of the investigation may help to inform their experimental work.
They will then then generate a hypothesis, plan, and design their experiment. They will carry out their experiment and gather primary data. Once they have gathered their primary data, they will analyse the data and form conclusions.
In year two, they will submit evidence to the State Examinations Commission for marking, showing their ability to conduct scientific research on the brief and to use appropriate primary data to investigate aspects of the brief.
Funding for the Science Implementation Support Grant will be allocated based on four bands of enrolment, ensuring that funding is fair and proportionate. The enrolment bands range in size from schools up to 300 students in the lowest band, to schools with over 900 pupils in the highest band.
There will be a further 10% uplift in the Science Implementation Support Grant for DEIS schools. This means a DEIS school will receive an additional 10% on top of the minimum funding for their enrolment band. This is in line with previous applications of a DEIS uplift in Departmental funding models, including the grant for ICT infrastructure.
Schools will have the autonomy to use this additional funding in a way that best suits their school and apply it to their locally identified Science needs. It is expected that schools will prioritise the purchase of consumables and related equipment needs. The funding may be used to support the implementation of the new senior cycle sciences or more generally to support the broader science programme which may include, for example, Agricultural Science, Transition Year Science or Junior Cycle Science.
This announcement also aligns with the Department’s STEM Education Policy Statement
2017-2026, which recognises the importance of initiatives that raise awareness and interest in STEM, and the need to improve STEM education. The funding is also in addition to existing support provided to schools who offer Physics, Chemistry and the combined subject Physics & Chemistry.
Teacher training is well underway - over 11,000 post primary teachers have had training since the beginning of the school year, including over 1,000 science teachers. Training will continue to ensure teachers are ready for these changes.
The €12 million funding is additional to the €30 million allocated in Budget 2025 for curriculum reforms including senior cycle redevelopment.
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SchoolDays
(04/12/2024 16:06)
ISSU Statement: Students Welcome €12 Million Funding Allocation for Science Laboratories in Second-Level Schools
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union welcomes the announcement of a €12 million funding package for science laboratories in advance of the launch of Tranche 1 of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment program. Tranche 1 includes 9 subjects launching in September 2025, comprising 7 reformed subjects and 2 new ones.
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are all laboratory-based subjects being reformed under Tranche 1. The €12 million in funding can be allocated to refurbishing and expanding laboratories and resources to support science-related activities in schools. Schools will receive between €13,000 and €20,000. The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union also welcomes the fact that DEIS schools will receive an additional 10 percent funding.
Speaking on the announcement, ISSU Uachtarán Jack McGinn notes:
“I warmly welcome the announcement of €12 million for science laboratories in schools today by the Department of Education, a significant level of funding. The ISSU has continued to work closely with officials from the Department of Education to ensure all necessary supports are in place for our members ahead of the launch of new subjects under Senior Cycle Redevelopment. Investment in infrastructure, to support the redevelopment works, was a specific ask of the ISSU.. Furthermore, the ISSU strongly welcomes the additional funding available to DEIS schools, as we strive for an equitable Senior Cycle that supports all students.”
The ISSU looks forward to continuing their work with the Department of Education as new and reformed subjects are launched in September 2025 for fifth year students.