1st Year Weekly Grinds
Lay the Groundwork for Secondary School Success
Throughout 29 weeks, some of the best teachers in the country will help you to develop the subject knowledge, study techniques and key examination skills to reach your full academic potential from year one onward.
This year, the Institute will be offering online classes only to 1st year students.
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.
Exam-Focused Notes
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FREE Class Recordings
Rewatch until the end of the State Exams 2026
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/Time/Forces
- 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 2025/26.
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 | 1st Sept 2025 | First Week |
| 2 | 8th Sept 2025 | |
| 3 | 15th Sept 2025 | |
| 4 | 22nd Sept 2025 | |
| 5 | 29th Sept 2025 | |
| 6 | 6th Oct 2025 | |
| 7 | 13th Oct 2025 | |
| 8 | 20th Oct 2025 | |
| No Classes | 27th Oct 2025 | Mid-Term |
| 9 | 3rd Nov 2025 | |
| 10 | 10th Nov 2025 | |
| 11 | 17th Nov 2025 | |
| 12 | 24th Nov 2025 | |
| 13 | 1st Dec 2025 | |
| 14 | 8th Dec 2025 | |
| 15 | 15th Dec 2025 | |
| No Classes | 22nd Dec 2025 | Christmas |
| No Classes | 29th Dec 2025 | Christmas |
| 16 | 5th Jan 2026 | |
| 17 | 12th Jan 2026 | |
| 18 | 19th Jan 2026 | |
| 19 | 26th Jan 2026 | |
| 20 | 2nd Feb 2026 | *St. Brigid's Bank Holiday, Classes as normal this week, including Bank Holiday Monday 2nd February 2026. |
| 21 | 9th Feb 2026 | |
| No Classes | 16th Feb 2026 | February Mid Term |
| 22 | 23rd Feb 2026 | |
| 23 | 2nd March 2026 | |
| 24 | 9th March 2026 | |
| No Classes | 16th March 2026 | St Patrick's Week |
| 25 | 23rd March 2026 | |
| No Classes | 30th March 2026 | Easter Break |
| No Classes | 6th April 2026 | Easter Break |
| 26 | 13th April 2026 | |
| 27 | 20th April 2026 | |
| 28 | 27th April 2026 | |
| 29 | 4th May 2026 | **May Bank Holiday. No classes Mon 4th May - these will be taught on Monday 11th May instead. Classes as normal Tuesday 6th to Saturday 9th May. |
*Classes will be taught on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd February 2026.
**Classes will not be taught on Bank Holiday Monday 4th May 2026. These classes will be taught on Monday 11th May 2026.
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 |
|---|---|
| 1 Subject | €1,020 |
| 2 Subjects | €1,520 |
| 3 Subjects | €2,020 |
| 4 Subjects | €2,520 |
| 5 Subjects | €3,020 |
| 6 Subjects | €3,520 |
| 7 Subjects | €4,020 |
| Each Subsequent Subject | €500 |
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 2026.
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.
Online Weekly Grinds
Q: What subjects are available Online?
A: Please click here to view the timetable of subjects on offer online.
Q: If I enrol in an online class, can I also avail of onsite classes?
A: This year 1st year students can enrol in online classes only.
Q: How do I access my online grinds classes?
A: Students enrolled on the course will receive an email from us containing their unique login details and links to access their chosen subjects. Login credentials will be sent in advance of course start date. Only those details sent to you will enable you to successfully access classes online.
Q: How are the online grinds hosted?
A: All online classes are hosted live on Microsoft Teams. The links to the weekly classes are accessed via Moodle. Students must sign into both Moodle and MS Teams with the @instituteofeducation.ie login credentials sent to the student.
Q: Are the online grinds pre-recorded?
A: No, each online grinds class is streamed live as per the timetable. Recordings of classes will be available after each live class is completed. These can then be replayed as a revision aid.
Q: Will I have access to recordings of the live grinds classes?
A: Yes, recordings of classes will be available after each live class is completed. These can then be replayed as a revision aid. These will be available up until the end of the State exams 2026.
Q: Are there any specific requirements to attending online grinds?
A: We would advise that all students enrolling in our online grinds have the following:
• Access to a reliable wifi service.
• Access to a PC, Laptop, Tablet, or similar device.
• We would not recommend using a mobile phone.
• Headphones/earphones.
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: What style are the classes conducted in? Can students ask questions?
A: Our classes run in a more lecture style than most students might be used to in school, but they are also interactive, and teachers will use a variety of methods to ensure that students can learn and understand and feel comfortable asking questions and contributing to the class.
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