TRANSITION YEAR PROGRAMME. LORETO SECONDARY SCHOOL 2014 / 2015

T.Y. PROGRAMME What is TY? Our T.Y. team. Why opt for T.Y.? What subject/activities are available to students. How are students assessed?

TRANSITION YEAR What is Transition Year? A highly structured one year school-based programme with 45 timetabled periods per week. An educational bridge between Junior and Senior Cycle. Smooth transition to the more independent, self-directed learning required for the Senior Cycle.

T.Y. TEAM T.Y. Programme Senior Management Programmes Coordinator Year Head TY Coordinators Subject Teachers Create Schemes of Work with Senior Cycle prioritised

TRANSITION YEAR Why opt for Transition Year ? Time to mature and develop greater self- awareness, self respect & self esteem. Active teaching and learning methods. T.Y. facilitates skills based learning e.g. oratory and intrapersonal skills. Opportunity to sample Senior Cycle subjects to inform subject choice decisions.

PEELING THE LAYERS OF A T.Y. PROGRAMME. 1. CORE SUBJECTS. 2. SUBJECT SAMPLING. 3. OPTION SUBJECTS 4. ACITVITIES THAT ENHANCE LEARING.

SUBJECTS ALL STUDENTS TAKE ENGLISH – 3 classes IRISH – 3 classes MATHS – 4 classes FRENCH or GERMAN – 3 classes + COMPUTER STUDIES – 2 classes CAREERS – 1 class WORK PREPARATION – 1 class COOKERY/CRAFTS – 3 classes P.E - 3 classes J.P.I.C. DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION /RELIGION – 3 classes LIFE SKILLS – 1 class

ROTATING MODULES BIOLOGY. CHEMISTRY. PHYSICS TECHNOLOGY HISTORY. GEOGRAPHY. ARCHIVING. BUSINESS STUDIES. ACCOUNTING. DTP

T. Y. OPTIONS MINI-COMPANY. SOCIAL INNOVATION. FILM PRODUCTION. MANDARIN CHINESE. SPANISH. ART AND DESIGN MUSIC AND DRAMA DEBATING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. CHOIR

MINI COMPANY – Best sales technique A group of students think of a creative enterprise by providing a product or service. The group market this product and sell it to a target audience hoping to make a profit.

YOUNG SOCIAL INNOVATORS Young Social Innovators encourages, motivates and creates new opportunities for young people to actively participate in the world around them. Students learn to grapple with different social issues, advocating reform and advancing change.

WORK EXPERIENCE An opportunity to sample different jobs. Provides skills such as team building, communication skills and commercial awareness Work experience helps students to decide what to do after school (in College, training or work).

SOCIAL PLACEMENT Gives students the opportunities to visit organisations or charities and work with or for people who may be less fortunate than themselves.

T.Y. ACTIVITY WEEKS Activity Weeks enhance the educational experience of our Transition Year students. Students have the opportunity to learn from the advice and knowledge of guest speakers on topics such as careers, finance, life skills and first aid.

CAREERS INFORMATION FOR T.Y. STUDENTS Business and Law courses at UCC Shannon College of Hotel Management Law courses at the University of Limerick The Loreto Careers Fair Process Engineering Business Courses at the University of Limerick Science Careers Conference Open Day in UCC

T.Y. RECEIVING CERTIFICATES IN FIRST AID

ACTIVITY WEEKS INCLUDE EXCURSIONS TO……. `Sive’ in the Everyman Cork film festival Cork Mental Health seminar Moorepark Research Centre for Science week

TEAM HOPE ACTIVITY DAY

MUSIC & THEATRE

DRUMMING WORKSHOP

ART AND DESIGN

OUTDOOR PURSUITS INCLUDE…. Orienteering Two day trip to Blackwater activity centre A three day trip to Kenmare in May Gaisce

ASSESSMENT. ‘Assessment should be an integral part of the learning process in Transition Year not separate from it.’ (D.E.S. Guidelines). Oral /Aural assessment – beyond just language subjects. Project work – written and creative - variety. Self-assessment by students through interviews. Peer-assessment through evaluation and discussion of learning outcomes. Written /Practical Class tests. Skills assessment – practical demonstrations of learning. Regular written evaluation of activities and learning outcomes from trips. Christmas and Summer reports. Certification at end of Transition Year. Inspectorate monitor T.Y. within all schools.

T.Y. PROGRAMME STATISTICS UPTAKE RATES: check stats for this year 75-80% of Loreto, Fermoy pupils opt to complete T.Y. PERFORMANCE BEYOND T.Y: At this school, students who completed T.Y. programme in 2012 achieved an average of 95 points more in their Leaving Certificate results than those students who moved directly from 3 rd year into 5 th year.

“What you put into Transition Year you will get out of it” (Loreto Teachers)