The majority of young people considered the Junior Cycle curriculum to be too exam-focused and the Junior Cert examination itself to be a negative form of assessment, which causes stress and is essentially ‘a memory test’. Suggestions for improvement included more assessment of practical aspects of subjects and the introduction of different types of assessment, such as participation in class and measuring progress and improvement. There were mixed views on continuous assessment. While many students favoured assessment through a number of smaller exams during the year or project-based work, some felt continuous exams might cause more stress all year round and diminish the importance of exams. Young people would like to receive more feedback in the form of constructive criticism from teachers because they felt it provides encouragement, measures progress and gives them motivation to improve. According to many young people, positive feedback encourages them to learn. Practical, enjoyable, interesting and opinion-based subjects and activities were deemed to be the easiest to learn.