What is Transition Year?
Transition Year is a one-year programme between the end of the Junior Certificate and the beginning of the Leaving Certificate programme.
Does the Transition Year have a fixed curriculum?
No each school devises its own programme and it varies from year to year, following guidelines laid down by the Department of Education and Science and taking into account the resources available to the school, the numbers doing Transition year, the interests of the students and current network links we made within our local community.
How many students do Transition Year?
For the last number of years over 90% of all Third years continue to do Transition year which proves how successful the programme is. Students are informed in January/February of Third year about the Application Process.
What are the four layers of Transition Year?
Layer 1 refers to the core Subjects that all students take for the full year.
Layer 2 refers to subject sampling which gives students a taster module of the Leaving Certificate subjects available in the school to help them make informed choices when making their subject choices later.
Layer 3 is the Transition Year Specific Layer includes subjects and modules devised both within the school and by external agencies supporting the program me in schools: few examples are: self defence,Vex Robotics, First Aid, Dance, Enterprise.
Layer 4 is called the TY Calendar Layer and includes many “once off” activities such as Retreats, trips, musical production, etc
What are the main benefits of doing Transition Year?
- A significant benefit to the student is the space provided by the year to grow and mature at a sensitive and keys stage of transition through adolescence into young adult life.
- Students get great opportunities to practise team work skills, research skills and IT skills.
- Students become more self-directed learners through the development of general, technical and academic skills.
- Students gain maturity in relation to work and careers by developing work-related skills in their work experience programme.
- Students gain personal maturity by providing opportunities to develop communication skills, self-confidence and a sense of responsibility while getting involved in school musical , enterprise , competitions, projects etc.
- Students gain social maturity by developing greater ‘people’ skills and more awareness of the world outside school .
- By sampling a wide range of subject areas students can make more informed choices about the kind of Leaving Certificate programme they may wish to follow at the end of the Transition Year.
- It is generally recognised by teachers that a Transition Year Programme equips the now more mature student with a broader range of skills and insights to deal more effectively with a Leaving Certificate programme and able to maximise their points.
- There is growing evidence from third level institutions that students who have taken Transition Year are more self-reliant learners.
Ativities that have featured on our Transition year Calendar in Gallen C.S. Ferbane:
- Subject Sampling
- Science Competitions
- Scratch Computer Programming
- Vex Robotics
- Outdoor Pursuits
- All types of sport
- Self Defence
- First Aid
- Dance
- Work Experience
- Mini Company
- Offaly & National TY Enterprise competitions
- Horticulture
- Working with students in Cluny Centre
- Retreat
- Annual School Musical
- Community Initiatives
- Driving Theory & Car Safety
- Invited speakers
- Visitations to local industries.
- University and or IT visit
- Home Economics competitions
- Junk Kouture Competition.
