Transition Year & Senior Cycle

Subject Options Night 2019 Brendan Waldron, Principal

Marguerite Quinlan Deputy Principal

Cara Hurley

Deirdre Doyle, Bernie Murray

Agenda▶ Transition Year 7pm▶ Welcome:

▶ Principal, Mr Brendan Waldron▶ TY: Ms Bernie Murray & Ms Deirdre Doyle

▶ Q&A Session: Ms Quinlan will oversee

▶ Senior Cycle 730pm▶ Welcome:

▶ Principal, Mr Brendan Waldron▶ Senior Cycle Subject Choice: Ms Cara Hurley▶ LCVP Ms Deirdre Doyle

▶ Q&A Session: Ms. Quinlan will oversee▶ Refreshments

Mission Statement

“Coláiste Chiaráin provides an educational setting in which the person is encouraged to grow at every level – personally, academically, spiritually, socially and culturally.”

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

The Transition Year Programme

TRANSITION YEAR

▶ Transition Year is a one year school based programme between Junior and Senior Cycle.

▶ It is provided by 80% of schools.

▶ 66% of all students in Ireland complete the TY Programme.

▶ Optional programme:

▶ Application form

▶ Selection Criteria

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

Education forMATURITY

with emphasis on social awareness

& increased social competence

Education throughexperience of

ADULT & WORKING LIFE

as a basis for personaldevelopment &

maturity

Promotion of general,technical and academic

SKILLS with an

emphasis on self-directed learning

Why opt for Transition Year ?

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

THE TRANSITION YEARPROGRAMME

▶ 1. Core Subjects

▶ 2. Subject Sampling

▶ 3. TY Specific Modules

▶ 4. Once-Off Events

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

CORE SUBJECTS

▶ English

▶ Irish

▶ Maths

▶ French / German

▶ Religious Education

▶ Career Guidance

▶ Wellbeing

▶ PE

▶ ICT

▶ Portfolio / ReflectionColáiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

SUBJECT SAMPLING

▶ Home Economics / Art / Music

▶ DCG / Technology / Construction Studies

▶ Accounting / Business / Economics

▶ Geography / History / Agricultural Science

▶ Physics / Biology / Chemistry

TY Specific Modules

▶ Young Scientist

▶ Technology / Robotics

▶ TY Magazine / Journalism

▶ Environmental Studies

▶ Enterprise

▶ Young Social Innovators

Once-off events▶ Work Experience Placements▶ French / German Tour /Exchange▶ Drama / Musical / Music Lessons▶ Driving (Theory and Practical)▶ Outdoor Pursuits▶ GAA Coaching and Young Whistlers▶ First Aid / CPR and Defibrillator Training▶ Gaisce Awards▶ Internet Safety ▶ Mindfulness▶ Volunteer Work with St Hilda’s and other schools▶ Various Guest Speakers / Day Trips / College Open Days

These activities vary year on year depending on the group

NCCA Longitudinal Study, ESRI Evaluation, "War on Attrition" - HEA

Some Statistics

▶ 30% of students who start college don’t finish

▶ 30% change courses

▶ TY students more likely to finish college and less likely to change courses

▶ Growing evidence to suggest that TY students become more self-reliant learners when they enter third level education than their peers

▶ TY students do better by an average of 26 points

▶ CV of TY student

Recent Research:Aidan Clerkin, 2016: Educational Research Centre

▶ “They spend significantly more time on homework in fifth and sixth year, and are more likely to persist with difficult questions..”

▶ “TY participation status was among the strongest predictors of spending more time on homework."

▶ The TY programme developed students' self-regulatory and self-management skills.

Student’s views?

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

“I know how to do research, I have experience of

project work and my ICT skills have

improved”

“I feel more mature and ready for LC.

I’m in a better position to select my

senior cycle subjects.”

“I have developed some new interests e.g. Drama / Science / Creative Writing”

“I have a much better and more confident relationship with adults”

Transition Year Admissions Policy

▶ Completed application form▶ Returned by Thursday, March 14th 2019

▶ Students will be chosen for TY on the following basis:▶ 1. Application form

▶ 2. Interview

▶ 3. Criteria: attendance, punctuality, discipline, attitude, homework, classwork and willingness to participate.

Transition Year Admissions Policy

▶ The maximum number of available places will be dependent upon staffing, facilities and resources and will be determined annually by the Board of Management.

▶ For acceptance on to the Transition Year Programme, the school must be of the opinion that a student is capable of benefiting from participation in Transition Year

▶ His/Her participation will not prevent any other student(s) from benefiting from participation

Transition Year Cost

▶ €400.00 TY Fee:

▶ €100.00 deposit in April

▶ Remainder in September

▶ Payment methods:

▶ Online payment system: www.colaistechiarainathlone.ie

▶ Debit/Credit Card payment to office

▶ Cash/cheque

Questions

Senior CycleSubject Options

Night 2019 Brendan Waldron, Principal

Marguerite Quinlan Deputy Principal

Cara Hurley

Deirdre Doyle

Agenda

▶ Senior Cycle Subject Options 730 pm

▶ Welcome: ▶ Principal, Mr Brendan Waldron▶ Senior Subject Choice: Ms Cara Hurley▶ LCVP Ms Deirdre Doyle

▶ Q&A Session: Ms. Quinlan will oversee

▶ Refreshments

Mission Statement

“Coláiste Chiaráin provides an educational setting in which the person is encouraged to grow at every level – personally, academically, spiritually, socially and culturally.”

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

The Established Leaving Certificate

CORE SUBJECTS

▶ English

▶ Irish

▶ Maths

▶ Religious Education

▶ Career Guidance

▶ Wellbeing

▶ PE

▶ ICT

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

SUBJECT COHORTS

▶ French / German

▶ Home Economics / Art / Music

▶ DCG / Technology / Construction Studies

▶ Accounting / Business / Economics

▶ Geography / History / Agricultural Science

Entry to Third Level

Three separate criteria

▶ Matriculation Requirements

▶ Course Requirements

▶ Points

Matriculation Requirements

▶ Matriculation requirements are the basic standard that a third level college requires students to reach for entry to a course.

▶ Vary from college to college.

▶ Depend on the level of the course applied for. (level 6,7,8)

NUI Matriculation Requirements: (4 NUI Colleges: UCD, UCC, NUIG, Maynooth)

■ Irish (unless exempt)■ English■ *A Third Language (not required for

general entry to UCD except for arts and commerce. not required for business in Maynooth or for science or engineering in any NUI)

■ *Mathematics (Foundation level maths accepted for matriculation)

■ Any Two/Three other Matriculation subjects

Ordinary Level O6 (Pass) in a third language for:

▶ Entry to NUI Colleges (except Science/Engineering & Maynooths business/finance/accountancy/law degrees)

▶ National College of Art and Design (will accept Art instead)

▶ Leisure Management, Hotel and Catering Management, Tourism (DIT)

▶ Cadets▶ Biotechnology NUIG▶ Medicine (RCSI)▶ Irish – for entry to Gardai O6 (D3) Ordinary level

unless you have a second language

No Third Language Required:

▶ Entry to TCD, UL, DCU: You can use a pass in Irish instead.

▶ Engineering/Science/ Agriculture University College Dublin/

Law & Business in Maynooth

▶ Institutes of Technology unless it is part of the area of study

▶ Gardai* Nursing, Apprenticeships,

▶ Most Further Education Courses

COLÁISTE CHIARÁIN, SUBJECT OPTIONS / TY 2017

General Rules for Subject Choice

▶ All subjects are the same for calculation of points for university/College entry except

Higher Maths which has 25 bonus points (if you

achieve at least a grade H6)

▶ Choose the subjects that you enjoy and in which you have achieved good grades

▶ If your career plans require that you study specific subjects in the Leaving Cert e.g. chemistry for Pharmacy, priority must be given to these subjects etc.

Step I: Course Requirements

▶ Websites such as

▶ cao.ie

▶ qualifax.ie

▶ careersportal.ie

▶ ucas.com

▶ all college websites/prospectus

Course Requirements cont..

▶ Most Business courses state a requirement in Maths - not a business subject!

▶ An Art portfolio is required for most art/design related courses - Art itself is not required!

▶ A minimum of one science subject is required for the following fields: Nursing, Medical/paramedical, Science, Engineering

Examples of Course Requirements

▶ Irish H5: Primary teaching

▶ Chemistry H: Veterinary, Dietetics, Pharmacy, Dentistry, 5 year Medicine,

▶ Medicine (UCC)◦ HC in Chemistry + HC in Physics or Biology

▶ Maths (H4*): Engineering courses (level 8 degree), plus a science subject.

▶ Physics is a good indicator for engineering

Further Course Requirements

▶ Media Studies & Journalism, DCU: H4 English

▶ Biotechnology, NUI Galway: requires a third language at O2 or H6

▶ Theoretical Physics, TCD: H3 Physics

▶ B. Comm. Accounting, NUI Galway:

H4 Accounting

▶ Music/Design/Performance courses all require Portfolio or audition……

Points System

Percentage Higher Grade

Higher Points

Ordinary Grade

Ordinary Points

90 – 100 H1 100 O1 5680 – 89.99 H2 88 O2 4670 – 79.99 H3 77 O3 3760 – 69.99 H4 66 O4 2850 – 59.99 H5 56 O5 2040 – 49.99 H6 46 O6 1230 – 39.99 H7 37 O7 00 – 29.99 H8 0 O8 0

Other Points

Foundation Level Points

F1 20

F2 12

LCVP Grade Points

Distinction 66

Merit 46

Pass 28

What to research!

▶ College literature / website▶ College / Matriculation Requirements▶ Course Requirements: ▶ Subjects / Levels / Grades

▶ Check the course content – Main subjects

▶ Good websites include ⚫ www.qualifax.ie

⚫ www.careersportal.ie

⚫ www.cao.ie

⚫ www.ucas.com (UK requirements)

⚫ www.eunicas.com (EU)

Subject Choice - Guidelines

▶ Pick the subjects you are most interested in

▶ Maximise your points

▶ Achieve grades specified by colleges

▶ Pick the essential subjects for your hoped for course or career

▶ Mistakes can be Time Costly as well as cash costly!

7 Subjects to Leaving Certificate

▶ The Core subjects:▶ 1. Mathematics

▶ 2. English

▶ 3. Irish - unless exempted by Dept. of Educ.

▶ Electives:▶ 4. Languages: French / German / Other

▶ 5. Choose two/three others

(and an additional one as a substitute)

Groupings

▶ Languages: - French, German, Other.

▶ Science: - Ag. Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics

▶ Business: - Accounting, Business, Economics

▶ Humanities: - Art, Geography, History, Home Economics, Music

▶ Technology Subjects: - Design & Communication Graphics, Technology, Construction Studies.

Step 2

▶ Check our booklet to assist you at this stage:▶ www.https://www.colaistechiarainat

hlone.ie/education/career-guidance/

▶ Students can ask teachers ▶ for information on particular subjects ▶ Talk to senior students▶ Family, brothers, sisters

Step 3

Students▶ Talk to the Guidance Counsellor

▶ Discuss some career paths ▶ Talk with their parents about Fifth

Year options and possible subject choices.

Step 4The subject/career/choice process:

▶ Interest Tests▶ Aptitude Tests

▶ Course Requirements▶ Information from Research

Step 5

▶ Tonight you will receive the 5th Year Option Form To state your preference for subjects / courses for next year.

(Your top four subjects)

▶ We will then take your preferences into account when constructing the

option bands.

Subjects Offered: depend on. ➢ Resources

➢ Availability of teachers

➢ Timetabling issues (e.g. some subjects must be timetabled at the same time),

➢ We do make great efforts to arrange the 5th Year timetable to satisfy the greatest number of students to the greatest extent possible.

Summary

▶ Maximise your options for college:◦ Maths, English, Irish, a modern European◦ Language, 1 science subject.

▶ Remember to research

⚫ Appropriate careers websites

⚫ College/employer websites/literature

▶ Important to check the grade/level required.

▶ Pick the subjects you are most interested in or have an aptitude for!

▶ Remember a lot of courses do not require any special subjects!

Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme

Requirements:

Language Module(compulsory)

Two subjects from vocational subject groupings (see booklet)

Programme requirements

2 Link Modules

Modern EuropeanLanguage

VocationalSubject 1

Vocational Subject 2

Irish

Other LC Subjects

Most LCVP Students take seven Leaving Certificate Subjects plus

the Link Modules

Link Modules▶ Preparation for the World of Work

▶ Enterprise Education

AssessmentThe Link Modules are assessed by written

examination and portfolio.

Portfolio Content

▶ Curriculum Vitae

▶ Report on a visit to a local business

▶ Work Placement / Work Shadow Diary

▶ Career Investigation

▶ Action Plan for a fundraiser / visit to school by local entrepreneur / school event / work placement

▶ Recorded Interview

❑ Partnered with Alkermes PLC❑ Team Building Workshop❑ CV and Interview Preparation

Workshops❑ Mock Interviews❑ Site Visit❑ Wrap-up Session

Skills at Work Programme

CAO Points for Link Modules

80 - 100% Distinction = 66 Points = H4

65 - 79%Merit = 46 Points = H6 or O2

50 - 64%Pass = 28 Points = O4

Requirements:

Qualification for this programme depends on subject choice.

The subject combinations are detailed in the booklet.

There will be an information evening in September for parents / guardians of all students who qualify.

Please contact Ms Doyle if any queries.

Student’s views?

Coláiste Chiaráin, Subject Options / TY 2017

I know how to do research, I have better ICT skills and I know a lot

about the world of work.

‘I’m definitely more confident and can work better in a team’

‘I have a much better idea of what I want to do after school now’

‘I now have the motivation to achieve the points I need’

Questions