A significant minority of Junior Cert students are disenchanted with school life and exasperated by the slow pace at which they are asked to learn.
According to a forthcoming report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) , the sense of frustration is particularly acute among students in lower streams.
The report, based on a survey of 900 pupils in 12 representative schools, represents the most comprehensive overview to date of life in Junior Cert year.
Lower-stream classes suffer, it says, from labelling, a lack of challenge, the slow pace of teaching, student disengagement with work and poor behaviour.
Broadly, few Junior Cert students are satisfied with the pace of instruction in classes, described as either too slow or too quick. This is particularly true in lower streams, where more students view the pace of lessons as too slow.
In lower-stream classes, most students take foundation and ordinary level and on average one honours paper per student.
The report says pupils in mixed ability and higher-stream classes work much harder in Junior Cert year than those in lower-stream classes.
Other main findings include:
There is a strong correlation between reading and mathematical ability at the start of first year and a student's choice of higher or ordinary level in the Junior Cert exam three years later.
Students in middle-class areas are much more likely to take higher level at Junior Cert.
Many of those in less prosperous areas are not encouraged to taken higher level - even when they have the potential to do so.
Maths is an issue of particular concern to students, many of whom find it very difficult. Many opt to take grinds, particularly in maths and also in languages. Overall, the ESRI says about half of all students take grinds in their Leaving Cert year.
The gender gap (ie the underperformance of males vis a vis females in exams) increases in Junior Cert year with poor grades particularly among boys from working-class backgrounds.
Transition year is taken by a disproportionately high number of female, middle-class students with positive attitudes to school.
The Leaving Certificate Applied draws disproportionately on working-class backgrounds.
The report makes a case for new strategies to engage disenchanted pupils and encourage them to remain in school after the Junior Cert.
It also says career guidance should be provided much earlier in the second-level cycle to give students greater focus and a sense of engagement .
The report was prepared by Emer Smyth, Allison Dunne, Selina McCoy and Merike Darmody. It will be published next year.
Broadly, they find that many students are taken aback by the volume of class and homework in Junior Cert year. Students have mixed views on the assistance provided by teachers, viewing much of it as common sense.
The mock examinations are found to be useful in that they reduce nervousness, provide a focus for study and a dry run for the examination.
