Transition Year is a one year programme taken after the Junior Certificate and before the Leaving Certificate Programme. Transition Year is offered to all Students who wish to follow a three year Senior cycle.

Transition Year places a heavy emphasis on learning from experience. The emphasis is on developing skills rather than on simply remembering facts. Such skills stand to people for life.

The purpose of the Transition Year Programme is to promote maturity. Maturity in studies by making students more self-directed learners through the development of general, technical and academic skills. Maturity in relation to work and careers by developing work-related skills. Personal maturity by providing opportunities to develop communication skills, self-confidence and a sense of responsibility. Social maturity by developing greater ‘people’ skills and more awareness of the world outside school.

What about exams?

Assessment is a key part of any worthwhile learning programme. Transition Year is an opportunity to move beyond the narrow focus of end-of-year, written exams. The emphasis is on varied and on-going assessment with students themselves becoming involved in diagnosing their own learning strengths and weaknesses. Project work, portfolio work and exhibitions of students’ work are also encouraged.

Facts about TY

500 of the 700 plus second level schools in the State offer the TY Programme. Some 26,000 students, or about 50% opted to take the programme in 2002/2003 TY is compulsory in many schools, particularly in the Dublin area.

ESRI Report (Source:Irish Times Aug 26, 2003)

•  Students who do TY secure much better grades in the Leaving Cert exam than those who do not.
• Students who do TY secure up to 8% more in the Leaving Cert across a range of subjects than those who did not do TY. The trend is particularly marked in English and maths.
• The central recommendation of the report is that TY should be made available in every school in the State.

In St Brigid's the following subjects are offered in Transition Year;

• English
• Music
• Maths
• Information Technology
• Irish
• Spanish
• Business Studies
• French
• Home Economics
• Chemistry
• Religion
• Physics
• History
• Geography
• Career Guidance
• Art
• Design, Communications, Graphics
• Sign Language
• Social Personal and Health Education
• Personal Education

Transition Year offers students a broader variety of topics, subjects and life skills. Here is a taste of the current modules offered to Transition Year students:

• Gaisce Bronze Award
• First Aid
• Law Programme
• European Computer Driving License (ECDL)
• Public Speaking
• Young Entrepreneur Programme
• Outdoor Activity Programme
• Sign Language
• School Newsletter
• Organic Gardening
• Photography
• Etiquette Training
• Log On, Learn Programme
• Friends of the Elderly Programme
• Driver Education
• Personal Development
• Civic Link – Co-Operation Ireland
• Beauty Therapy
• Japanese
• Guest Speakers – Garda, Health Nurse, Senator Mark Daly.

Transition Year students from St. Brigid's Secondary School, Killarney who received certification from Benjamin Ryan Medical Training
Instructor as part of their TY First Aid Programme.  The students successfully completed the Irish Heart Foundation Heartsaver AED Course
with Basic First Aid.