St Josephs Secondary School Foxford Senior Cycle Transition

St. Joseph’s Secondary School Foxford Senior Cycle & Transition Year Information Evening 28 th February 2017

PROGRAMME Transition Year Option- Miss O’Brien Senior Cycle Subject Choices- Mrs. Doyle Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) – Miss O’Brien Questions and Conclusion

Your Choices Transition Year OR Senior Cycle +LCVP

Entry into TY • Admissions Policy • Application Form. We also research the student group going into TY to find out about their reasons for opting for Transition Year …. .

Resourcing • Subjects and Programmes -offered are subject to availability of resources –Finance & Staffing • Cost of Transition Year for the parent /guardian is largely dependant on the nature of the activities completed in the various modules.

St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Foxford Transition Year Option 2017 – 2018

What is Transition Year ? • Transition Year is a one-year Programme between the end of the Junior Certificate and the start of the Leaving Certificate Programme. • Introduced to schools in Ireland in 1973. • Currently, over 27, 000 students are participating in TY in 540 schools.

Aims of Transition Year • To promote maturity. • To assist each individual develop himself or herself as a person. • Promotion of general, technical & academic skills. • To help young people prepare for adult life especially through contact with workplaces and career interests.

Advantages of TY Students develop maturity & self confidence. Students improve their self esteem. Build interpersonal & team skills. Make wiser subject choices for Leaving Certificate & further education. • Extend the learning experience beyond the classroom. • •

Advantages of TY • Students become more self reliant learners. • Students get to explore the working world. • Extend their repertoire of learning styles – group work/debating. • Achieve improved Leaving Certificate results. • Develop entrepreneurial skills – Create business plans. • Students discover more about their personal strengths.

Disadvantages of TY • If students have difficulty working on their own initiative – TY may not be for them. • Year out – Disruption to the normal routine of homework & structured learning. • Cost – Can be an expensive year.

You will only ever get out of TY what you put into it.

Research on TY • NCCA – National Council for Curriculum & Assessment has carried out various studies on the TY Programme. • TY students do better in their Leaving Certificate by an average of 26 points. • Repeat Students only gain by an average of 5 points. • TY students are more likely to be educationally adventurous & less likely to drop out of college.

Entry into TY • Not all 3 rd year students have automatic entry. • Initial Application Form (Available). • We take into account: The Code of Behaviour The Age of the student Lottery • Interview- if deemed necessary(Personal goals and reasons for doing TY, Compatibility of their interests and the TY Programme). • The school demands a high standard of work & co-operation.

TY Programme Includes; 3 SPECIFIC LAYERS A. Core Subject Layer – Irish, English, Maths etc. B. Optional Subjects – Home Economics, Science, Art etc. C. Extra Curricular Activities – Drama, Foreign Tour, Swimming, Driving Lessons etc.

Core Subjects • • Irish English Mathematics Religious Education Physical Education Careers & Work Experience Information Technology (IT)

Some Optional Subjects • • • Environmental Studies (Green Schools) Home Economics (Food Safety) Science (Forensic Science, Sports Science) Business (Enterprise) Art French / German Woodwork Metalwork (Technology) Legal Studies Technical Graphics Geography History

Possible Extra Curricular Activities • • • Drama/Pantomime Driving Lessons Karate Swimming Tag Rugby Gaisce Mental Health Awareness Programme Guest speakers Plays Safety in the Workplace Guest Speakers- AWARE • • • Choreography Enterprise projects Trips Out Bonding Day Foreign Tour Killary Adventure Centre First Aid Road Safety Shuttle YSI –Young Social Innovator Choir Driving Theory

Portfolio • The school requires each TY student to complete a Portfolio of work. • Portfolio is an essential part of the TY year & must be done to the students best ability • Includes samples of best work, reports & projects in subject areas and any certification obtained through the year. • Portfolios will be on display for parents to view on our TY night at the end of the year. • Interview assessment on portfolio items.

So why opt for TY? Time to mature & develop Space to reflect & plan after Junior Certificate Make reasoned subject choices for LC Age profile of Irish students Challenges facing young people today – Points race • Changing attitudes and demands within education • Recent research (NCCA) • • •

Thank You • Application forms • We are available for any questions you may have at end of talk

Introduction • • • Subject Choice Booklet Subject Groupings Essential Subjects Ideal Subjects Other Entry requirements Choosing Subjects

Booklet • Contents of each Subject. • Key points to consider. • Careers that this subject could be useful in.

Leaving Certificate Two-year programme that gives the opportunity to take seven subjects at Higher, Ordinary or Foundation Level. Foundation level is available in two subjects Irish and Mathematics.

SUBJECT CHOICE. When it comes to making subject choice it is important to get advice and to choose wisely. There are 3 Core subjects. Then there are 4 essential or desirable subjects for certain third level courses

Subject Groupings : Language Group Irish, English, French, German Science Group Mathematics, Agricultural Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Business Studies Group Accounting, Business, Applied Science Group DCG, Construction Studies, Engineering Social Studies Group History, Geography, Art, Music, Home Economics

For the fourth subject I would consider which essential subject I need ? ie French/German or a Science Subject.

Essential Subjects To study at one of the colleges of the National University of Ireland you must choose a third language in the L. C. It can be important to have a modern continental language anyway. However some courses are excluded * Nursing * Engineering * Science courses.

Colleges of NUI • • • UCD UCC NUI MAYNOOTH NUI GALWAY NCAD

What 3 more to choose from the available subjects?

Desirable Subjects So what about the next three? A science subject (often two science subjects) is essential for careers in medical, paramedical careers physiotherapy, radiography, human nutrition, pharmacy medical laboratory science and nursing.

SCIENCE • One laboratory science subject needed for most science/healthcare courses. BIOLOGY * Must be Biology for * Human health and Disease * Genetics * Beauty Therapy. * (Advisable for Nursing)

CHEMISTRY l. PHARMACY l. VETERINARY l. MEDICINE l. DENTISTRY l. DIETETICS

OTHER SUBJECTS • ART & MUSIC – Generally not required as basic entry requirements even if intending not to study at Third Level. HOWEVER • ART – Portfolio Requirement MUSIC – Competence Test

For your sixth and seventh subjects it is • enjoy studying & have an ability This could be Business, Geography, History, Art, Music, Home Economics, Technical Graphics/DCG, Engineering, Construction.

Consequences of poor Subject Choice • Student may be unhappy with subject which may lack motivation • May not do as well as they hoped • Not having a subject they need for a course • May want to change subject later.

Don’t make rash decisions *What the students friends are doing. *Who the teacher will probably be. *Rumours from older brothers/sisters or friends about what is an “easy” subject- a subject is only easy if you are good at it.

% Marks New Grading System (HL / OL) Points (HL) Points (OL) LCVP % Marks Points 90 – 100 H 1 / O 1 100 56 80 – 100 Distinction 66 80 < 90 H 2 / O 2 88 46 65 – 79. 9 Merit 46 70 < 80 H 3 / O 3 77 37 50 – 64. 9 Pass 28 60 < 70 H 4 / O 4 66 28 50 < 60 H 5 / O 5 56 20 40 < 50 H 6 / O 6 46 12 30 > 40 H 7 / O 7 37 0 0 < 30 H 8 / O 8 0 0

Closing Doors • Not choosing a science subject can close doors at this stage. • Nursing requires a science subject • If you don’t choose a third language you are limiting courses in NUI Colleges

It is important to have a substitute choice that you have researched and that you are happy with should one of your choices prove not to be feasible. For this reason we are asking you to choose • 6 subjects from the list • Excluding the 3 core. • This includes 2 reserve subjects. • Leaving Cert students study 7 subjects altogether but can also study LCVP.

ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED • • COMPULSORY/CORE SUBJECTS ABILITY INTEREST EXISTING SKILLS MOTIVATION PREFERRED STYLES OF LEARNING JUNIOR CERT SUBJECTS TY EXPERIENCES

Subject Option that covers everything Irish English Maths French Biology/physics. Any 2 other

Information • • www. qualifax. ie - useful tools section www. cao. ie www. careersportal. ie – subject choice section www. skoool. ie www. ucas. com Look to the school for information Career section in School

To summarise Core subjects Essential Subjects Desirable subjects The Points System Ability Any Questions?

Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) St. Joseph's Secondary School Foxford, Co. Mayo.

An Enhanced Leaving Certificate • The LCVP is a two year programme taken as part of the Leaving Certificate • It has been designed to develop “ Skills” essential to academic and vocational success.

Skills § § Team Working Critical Thinking Flexibility Leadership • • Basic Skills (incl. IT) Motivation to Learn Communication Initiative & Enterprise These skills are equally relevant to young people progressing to further study, working for themselves or going directly into employment

LCVP Helps Students • Take responsibility for their own learning • Become more innovative and enterprising • Communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively • Investigate and plan their career options

and to. . • develop key skills for the modern working environment • work well with others as part of a team • network with people in business and the community • access and use computers and audio-visual equipment

LCVP Structure 2 Link Modules Vocational Subject 2 Vocational Subject 1 Other LC Subjects Irish Modern European Language Most LCVP Students take 7 Leaving Certificate Subjects plus 2 Link Modules

Vocational Subject Groupings 1 Construction Studies Engineering Design & Communication Graphics DCG 2 Physics and Construction Studies or Engineering 3 Home Economics and Biology 4 Home Economics and Art 5 Accounting and Business or Economics 6 Biology and Physics ) ) Any Two )

Vocational Subject Groupings 7 Engineering and Accounting or Business or Economics 8 Construction Studies and Accounting or Business or Economics 9 Home Economics and Accounting or Business or Economics 10 Art and Accounting or Business or Economics 11 Music and Accounting or Business or Economics

LCVP Revised Link Modules (from Sept 2002) • Preparation for the World of Work • Enterprise Education

Preparation for the World of Work Purpose To provide the student with a general knowledge of the world of work, the skills to find employment and experience in an adult working environment.

Enterprise Education Purpose To identify enterprising skills, profile an entrepreneur, investigate business and community enterprises and set up their own enterprise projects as vehicles of learning.

Purpose of the Link Modules The Link Modules help you put theory into practice Vocational Subjects LINK MODULES Business Community Work / Career

Typical LCVP Activities • • • Invited Visitors Site Visits Case Studies Work Experience Using Computers Video Interviews

Link Modules Assessment • The Link Modules are assessed by written examination and portfolio

Link Modules Assessment Written Examination • Section A - Audio Visual • Video sequence of an enterprise • Section B - Case Study • Received 4 weeks in advance • Section C - General Questions • Choice of 4 questions from 6

Link Modules Assessment Portfolio of Coursework • Core Items • • CV Career Investigation Enterprise/Action Plan Summary Report • Options - any two from: • • Diary of Work Experience Enterprise Report Recorded Interview/Presentation Report on “My Own Place”

% Marks New Grading System (HL / OL) Points (HL) Points (OL) LCVP % Marks Points 90 – 100 H 1 / O 1 100 56 80 – 100 Distinction 66 80 < 90 H 2 / O 2 88 46 65 – 79. 9 Merit 46 70 < 80 H 3 / O 3 77 37 50 – 64. 9 Pass 28 60 < 70 H 4 / O 4 66 28 50 < 60 H 5 / O 5 56 20 40 < 50 H 6 / O 6 46 12 30 > 40 H 7 / O 7 37 0 0 < 30 H 8 / O 8 0 0

Thank you We are available for any questions.