Leaving Cert students to complete science ‘research investigations’ worth 40% under new reforms

Leaving Cert students will be required to complete “research investigations” worth 40 per cent of marks from fifth year onwards in subjects such as physics, biology and chemistry under major changes to the senior cycle.

The draft changes, aimed at reducing pressure facing students in the written exams at the end of sixth year and broadening how they are assessed, will be introduced to schools from September 2025.

The Irish Times understands that draft subject specifications for the new subjects were approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) recently and will be out for public consultation until February next year.

In the case of physics, biology and chemistry, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will set out an initial brief when students are in fifth year aimed at getting them started on researching and exploring an area they are interested in.

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Students will be expected to begin gathering scientific research and developing a research question from the point.

Once they reach sixth year, the SEC will send out a more detailed brief for students on their projects.

Leaving Cert candidates will be expected to spend 20 hours of class time on these investigations over an eight-week period, supervised by teachers who can monitor students’ progress and guide them.

Students will have the option of carrying out their experiments, or putting together their final research, in class.

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Informed sources say the intention is students will be able to demonstrate that they gathered and analysed data in order to form a conclusion. “It’s about the process, not the perfect answer,” said one source familiar with the changes.

Students will then submit evidence-based arguments on their outcomes to the SEC, which will mark the projects externally.

In an effort to combat cheating, the SEC will check with individual teachers to see if the projects genuinely reflect the work and ability of the student that they saw during the 20 hours of class time.

These investigations will be updated for each Leaving Cert cycle in an effort to keep them linked to contemporary events and to reduce the risk of duplication of previous research investigations.

The draft changes have drawn some initial criticism from some education sources, who say the reforms will put a disproportionate weighting of marks towards “short experiments” that can be done during 20 hours out of approximately 180 hours of teaching time over the course of senior cycle.

One critic, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The original plan was to give these research projects a weighting of 20 per cent when the subject specifications were first drafted before Covid. Since then, the policy has changed to make these second components worth 40 per cent. So, the same project has suddenly doubled in marks, just because they’re in a rush to deliver senior cycle reform.”

However, those behind the changes say the research investigations are expected to be the result of a two-year process by students.

In addition, sources say teachers, students, parents and stakeholders will have an opportunity to voice any concerns in relation to the draft changes when the public consultation process gets under way shortly.

Separately, Minster for Education Norma Foley is expected to announce soon that the Department of Education is seeking schools to take part in the early roll-out of two new Leaving Cert subjects: drama, film and theatre studies; and climate action and sustainable development.

These subjects – which are being developed by policymakers – will likely be trialled across a number of pilot schools from September 2025 onwards.

In the meantime, proposed changes for Leaving Cert business – which will also include a project worth 40% – are due to be published soon and will come into force in September 2025.

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