Programme Coordinator: Fiona Healy
About the Programme
After completing the Junior Certificate cycle students proceed to 4th Year (Transition Year).
The Transition Year Programme is a unique one year programme that promotes the personal, social, vocational and educational development of students. TY provides a bridge to enable students to make the transition from the more dependent type of learning associated with the Junior Cycle to the more independent learning environment associated with the Senior Cycle. It encourages the development of a wide range of transferable critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
TY offers the opportunity to develop as learners for the third level as well as the working world. The programme is dynamic, motivating and encourages students to become innovative and independent thinkers and learners. It also provides an opportunity for learners to reflect on, and develop an appreciation of, the value of learning in preparing them for the ever-changing demands of the adult world of work, further and higher education and relationships.
Sample List of Activities/Programmes
Each year we strive to create a more dynamic and vibrant programme, which will vary from year to year. As well as engaging with their core subjects in class, our students have taken part in many programmes, some of which include:
- Business in the Community
- RTE media course
- Bridge 21
- Street Law - in association with the Bar of Ireland
- Work Experience
- Subject-based class trips
- Young Social Innovators competition 2019. Check out our YSI Instagram page to get a greater insight into all the learning and action that took place through the experience in 2019.
- College Awareness Week
- Overnight Outdoor Activity Trip, Rostrevor, Co. Down
- Digital Media projects (Movie Magic)
- Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Mini-Med programme
Possible awards
- TAP Salter Sterling Award
- TY student of the year
- Young Social Innovators
- Work Experience award
- Community Spirit Award
Assessment
Much of TY is activity-based learning with an opportunity for reflection. This entails learning both inside and outside the classroom. Students who are self-motivated, can work hard and adapt well to new learning experiences will greatly value the TY programme we offer here in Mercy Secondary School.
Assessment is carried out in Mercy Secondary School on an ongoing basis and can include classroom-based assessment of projects, e-portfolios, oral, aural, practical and written activities.
Formal assessment takes place in the form of:
- End of Term Interviews
- End of Term Written exams (Winter and Summer)
- E-Portfolio Submission (End Term 2)
Eportfolios are an ongoing element to assessment in TY, where students are encouraged to reflect on their own personal experiences in TY. These eportfolios are marked twice yearly and displayed at the TY showcase.
Please click the link for a breakdown of the assessment criteria in TY.
Work Experience
A huge component of Transition Year is Work Experience, where students are offered the opportunity to experience the working world and engage with their community as young adults. This component of the programme is assessed through liaising with the employers on an ongoing basis throughout the Term.
Work experience takes place one day per week (Thursday) for the duration of the academic year. Students are required to secure 1 placement per term (2 in total over the course of the year).
Student Testimonials
“I think my greatest success was coding as it helped me to present in front of a large group of people. It has made me more comfortable working in groups”.
“I feel work experience helped me develop different skills. For example, time management, communication, confidence and patience. These are skills I will need for what I want to do when I’m in college. It has been my greatest success because it’s something I was anxious about doing but I ended up loving it. It also helped me get an idea of what I want to do in the future.”
“I've learned how to work in groups due to TY and I’m now much better at socialising”
“Doing TY will definitely push me to work very hard for the Leaving Cert, especially with the new skills I’ve developed”
“After doing TY, I feel much more connected with myself and I better understand where my abilities lie”.
Student Transition Year Photos
