Transition Year

The Transition Year acts as a bridge between the Junior and Senior Cycle and is directed towards the intellectual, social and emotional maturation of the students. The Transition Year programme is constantly evolving. The programme provides the students with opportunities for developing their intellectual, imaginative and emotional life. It provides them with practice in thinking for themselves, in decision making and in assuming responsibility. Students are encouraged to develop a positive approach to learning and to their own education.

Overall Aims

The following aims of Transition Year are interrelated and interdependent and are strongly reflect in the Transition Year Programme:

• Education for maturity with the emphasis on personal development including social awareness and increased social competence
• The promotion of general technical and academic skills with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and self-directed learning
• Education through experience of adult working life as a basis for personal development and maturity
• Individual responsibility and the nurturing of thinking, caring and articulate self-confident young people
• Provision of opportunities to discover students own individual gifts and strengths

The subjects taught in Transition Year help to implement the overall aims of Transition Year. The subjects are divided into core subjects which are taught throughout the year and modular subjects which are taught on a rotational basis.

Core subjects: Irish, English, Mathematics, Religion, Modern Languages, ECDL and Physical Education.
Modules: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, European Studies, Geography, Business, Accounting, Home Economics, Art, Music, Japanese, Italian, Technology, Chinese Studies, history and environmental studies.

All students participate in the Mini – company programme. Students are encouraged to participate in Gaisce – The President’s Award programme. Opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities apart from time tabled events are offered to all Transition Year students.

Students enjoy two sessions of Work Experience – one in the first term and one in the second term. All students take part in the Transition Year musical which is staged during the second part of the year.

Transition Year Parents’ Night takes place at the end of the year during which students showcase some of the work they have competed over the course of the year.