1st Year Weekly Grinds
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Our 1st Year Weekly Grinds are designed to help students achieve better results.
Throughout the 29 weeks, our expert teachers help to develop the subject knowledge and key examination skills students need to reach their full academic potential.
Students can choose to study through fully interactive online and/or onsite classes, at our three Dublin locations; Leeson Street, Killester and Westmanstown.
All students attending online classes will receive their exam-focused course notes in the post. Those attending onsite classes will receive their notes in the classroom.
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To learn more about what will be covered in each course, please select from the subject list below:
Irish (C)
This course will provide first year students with essential skills to develop their Irish language at the early stages of the Junior Cycle. The course will focus on all of the key language skills – reading, writing, listening and oral. This course will also cover literature which is a central aspect of the new Junior Cycle Irish course.
The course will also have a strong focus on grammar which is a key component in being able to produce written pieces. Grammar covered will include sentence structure, the primary tenses, questions, negatives, the saorbhriathar, the séimhiú and urú, numbers, the possessive adjective and prepositions. By the end of the course, students will feel more confident in writing their own sentences in Irish.
To complement the class notes, students will also have access to videos to reinforce course material.
Maths (C)
This course will cover all the main topics from the 1st Year Maths curriculum.
Topics Include:
- The Number System + BOMDAS – Natural Numbers, Integers, Real Numbers (Fractions, decimals, percentages)
- Introduction to Algebra
- Introduction to Basic Equations
- Sets
- Probability
- Ratio and Proportion
- Distance, Speed and Time
- Statistics
- Representing Data (graphs)
- Perimeter, Area and Volume
- Geometry – Points and Angles, Lines and Triangles
- Patterns and Transformation Geometry
Science (C)
This course is structured to give the students the knowledge to achieve their potential. This is the first of three years in the Junior Cycle and an important one in forming the foundations needed for success.
- Introduction to Science
- Nature of Science
- Laboratory Rules
- Equipment
- Types of Data
- CBA Guidelines
- Biology
- Nutrition + Health
- The Digestive System
- Microorganisms
- Respiration and the Breathing System
- Chemistry
- The Periodic Table
- Compounds and Mixtures
- Ionic and Covalent Bonding
- Chemical Reactions
- Physics
- Measurements
- Distance/Speed/TimeForces
- Earth and Space
- Interactions between Earth/Moon/Sun
- Recycling of Nutrients in Nature
English (C)
This course will aim to give first year students the essential skills to improve at the early stages of their Junior Cert cycle.
Topics Include:
- Writing Skills and Paragraphing
- Poetry Skills
- Personal Writing and Short Story Skills
- Media Studies
- Language skills (story writing, functional writing, and comprehension)
Below are the timetables for each of our weekly grinds locations for the Academic Year 2024/25.
NOTE: All classes are 60 minutes in duration.
*Students may join at any stage throughout the year, subject to availability.
Weekly schedule
| Week | Week Commencing | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2nd Sept 2024 | First Week |
| 2 | 9th Sept 2024 | |
| 3 | 16th Sept 2024 | |
| 4 | 23rd Sept 2024 | |
| 5 | 30th Sept 2024 | |
| 6 | 7th Oct 2024 | |
| 7 | 14th Oct 2024 | |
| 8 | 21st Oct 2024 | |
| No Classes | 30th Oct 2024 | Mid-Term |
| 9 | 4th Nov 2024 | |
| 10 | 11th Nov 2024 | |
| 11 | 18th Nov 2024 | |
| 12 | 25th Nov 2024 | |
| 13 | 2nd Dec 2024 | |
| 14 | 9th Dec 2024 | |
| No Classes | 16th Dec 2024 | Christmas |
| No Classes | 23rd Dec 2024 | Christmas |
| No Classes | 30th Dec 2024 | Christmas |
| 15 | 6th Jan 2025 | |
| 16 | 13th Jan 2025 | |
| 17 | 20th Jan 2025 | |
| 18 | 27th Jan 2025 | |
| 19 | 3rd Feb 2025 | St. Brigid's Bank Holiday, Classes as normal this week, including Bank Holiday Monday 3rd February 2025 |
| 20 | 10th Feb 2025 | |
| No Classes | 17th Feb 2025 | February Mid Term |
| 21 | 24th Feb 2025 | |
| 22 | 3rd March 2025 | |
| 23 | 10th March 2025 | |
| No Classes | 17th March 2025 | St Patrick's Week |
| 24 | 24th March 2025 | |
| 25 | 31st March 2025 | |
| 26 | 7th April 2025 | |
| No Classes | 14th April 2025 | Easter Break |
| No Classes | 21st April 2025 | Easter Break |
| 27 | 28th April 2025 | |
| 28 | 5th May 2025 | **May Bank Holiday. No classes Mon 5th May. Classes as normal Tuesday 6th to Saturday 10th May. |
| 29 | 12th May 2025 |
*Classes will be taught on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd Feb ’25.
**Classes will not be taught on Bank Monday 5th May’25. These classes will be taught on Monday 19th May’25.
Online Timetable
| Day | Time | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 17:30 | Irish (Common) |
| Tuesday | 17:30 | Maths (Common) |
| Wednesday | 17:30 | English (Common) |
| Thursday | 17:30 | Science (Common) |
| Number of Subjects | Pay in Full | Installment Payment 1 | Installment Payment 2* | Installment Plan Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Subject | €1,020 | €655 | €465 | €1,120 |
| 2 Subjects | €1,750 | €1,130 | €795 | €1,925 |
| 3 Subjects | €2,240 | €1,445 | €1,020 | €2,465 |
| 4 Subjects | €2,735 | €1,765 | €1,245 | €3,010 |
| 5 Subjects | €3,225 | €2,080 | €1,470 | €3,550 |
| 6 Subjects | €3,720 | €2,400 | €1,690 | €4,090 |
| 7 Subjects | €4,215 | €2,715 | €1,920 | €4,635 |
| 8 Subjects | €4,710 | €3,035 | €2,145 | €5,180 |
| Each Subsequent Subject | €495 | €300 | €210 | €510 |
Onsite and online fees are the same.
All students joining our weekly classes will receive access to recordings of all the classes for which they have enrolled. In addition, they will have access to recordings of the classes that have already taken place since the start of the course. This is an invaluable aid when it comes to revision. Class recordings are available to the end of State Exams 2025.
Please note:
- Card payments accepted.
- 10% reduction for the second and subsequent members of the same family, attending the same courses. Please contact our office to avail of this discount.
- Fees are non-transferable.
- Installment plan payment 2 is due week of 20th January 2025
Onsite Classes
Q: What subjects are available in Leeson Street/Killester/Westmanstown?
A: Please click here to view the timetable of subjects on offer at Leeson Street/Killester/Westmanstown.
Q: If I enrol in a class in Leeson Street, can I also avail of classes online or in Killester/Westmanstown?
A: Yes, you can enrol in a combination of online and onsite classes. However, a student can only attend the classes they are enrolled in.
Q: Are my onsite classes recorded?
A: Yes, All classes, whether online or onsite, are recorded and available to students to watch back online for revision. All students will be sent login details for our student platform; Moodle, where they can watch back any of their classes.
Q: Are the class notes available online?
A: Yes. A soft copy is available on the Moodle Course page for each class booked. In addition, if you are attending a class onsite, class notes will be provided to you in the classroom. If you are attending an online class, class notes will be posted directly to you. Please ensure you include your Eircode when registering to ensure notes are posted to the correct location.
Q: If I am doing weekly grinds, can I change my choice of subject or class-time during the year?
A: Yes. We will allow class changes up to Easter, subject to available places. Please contact our office to arrange changes on 01 661 3511.
Q: How long is each weekly grinds class?
A: Each class lasts 75 minutes.
Q: How much is the fee per subject?
A: This depends on the number of subjects taken. Please refer to the fees table to see a list of fees.
Q: Can I cancel my classes and get a refund?
A: Yes, though please note: Classes are taught for 29 weeks. A refund (or partial refund) can be given for requests made before Week 15, 8th January 2024. A request for a refund can be made by contacting our office on 01 6613511 or helpdesk@instituteofeducation.ie
Q: How many weeks of tuition are there in the weekly grinds course?
A: There are 29 weeks (29 classes) of tuition between September and May. Students will have one class per subject booked per week.
Q: If I start weekly grinds later in the year, will this be reflected in the fees I pay?
A: Yes, fees are reduced 3 times throughout the year. The website will always show the most up-to-date pricing.
Q: Is attendance at weekly grinds and part-time courses monitored?
A: Yes, students are required to sign a roll sheet at each class they attend. The Institute however accepts no responsibility for students who fail to attend class.
Q: Are there any breaks or holidays during the year for students attending weekly grinds or part-time courses?
A: Yes, the classes schedule generally follows the normal school calendar with breaks at mid-terms, Christmas & Easter. Please refer to the timetable for more details
Q: Can part-time students take up an extra subject or a subject that is not available to them in their own school?
A: Yes, with consideration being given to the suitability of the subject. It is advisable that a student only takes on a new subject at the start of the academic year and notify their teacher. Our 6th year program covers each subject in full. Please note that our classes cover the theory of the curriculum and do not carry out any practicals.
Q: What subjects would you recommend to take on as an extra subject?
A: The most popular subjects would be: Accounting, Agricultural Science, Applied Maths, Business, Classical Studies, Economics, and Politics and Society.
Q: Are the classes conducted ‘lecture style’ or are students free to ask questions?
A: Our classes are run in more lecture style than most students might be used to in school. However they are also interactive and our teachers use a variety of methods to ensure that students can ask questions and contribute to the class.
Q: For weekly grinds, does the beginning of a new term mean the start of a new course?
A: No, in the weekly classes each subject commences in September and runs through to the end of the academic year in May. Students can catch up on what they have missed by reviewing the previous class recordings and notes.
Q: If I want to join weekly grinds during the year, can you tell me what remains to be covered on the course and what the student has missed?
A: Teachers have their own individual teaching plan for the year, and should be able to advise on this.
Q: My son/daughter cannot attended the course. Can we buy the notes?
A: No. Teaching is a central part of all our courses. The notes are to facilitate recall and revision of the day’s work covered by the teacher.
Weekly Grinds Locations
Our Weekly Grinds courses are available at our Leeson Street Campus, Dublin, and also as Online Classes. For more information please select a location below.
The Institute of Education
79 – 85 Lower Leeson Street
Dublin 2
D02 PX56
St. Mary’s Holy Faith School
Brookwood Meadow,
Killester,
Dublin 5,
D05 K588
Westmanstown Sports & Conference Centre
Westmanstown,
Dublin 15,
D15 Y2DH
Can’t make it to our onsite locations?
Join our Online Weekly Grinds classes. Get the additional support you need with our fully interactive LIVE classes.
Please note:
Login details for online classes will be issued to students by email before the start of the course.
My daughter attended classes at the Institute. She found the lessons to be excellent; well-structured and focused. The teachers were top-class and provided excellent advice and encouragement. The lecture notes are superb!
– Grainne (Parent)
I liked how interactive it was and how comprehensively all the material was covered. I thought the teacher was excellent.
– Ava, 5th Year Student
It was like being in the classroom even though I was at home. The course was very useful and the notes are incredible!
– Brian, 6th Year Student