Transition Year is a one year programme taken after the completion of Junior Cycle and before the Leaving Certificate Programme. Transition Year is offered to all third year students who wish to follow a three year senior cycle programme.

Transition Year places a heavy emphasis on experiential learning . 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 and personal growth and development. Students are encouraged to become self-directed learners through the development of general, technical and academic skills. Students are encouraged to develop work-related skills. Students are provided with opportunities to develop communication skills, self-confidence and a sense of responsibility. Socially, students develop their ‘people’ skills and more awareness of the world outside school.

What about exams?

Assessment is an integral part of any worthwhile learning programme and for that reason Transition Year students will sit Christmas and Summer house examinations with all other year groups. However, Transition Year is also an opportunity to move beyond the focus of end-of-year summative assessment. The emphasis is instead placed 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

On average 75% of students who have completed 3^rd Year go on to do Transition Year

(Department of Education of Education Statistics 2021)

•  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

Irish

Maths

Spanish

French

Business Studies/Accounting

Agricultural Science

Chemistry

Physics

Biology

Information Technology

Religious Education

Home Economics

Art

History

Geography

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

Career Guidance

Sign Language

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

Public Speaking

Young Social Innovator (YSI)

Global Citizen Education

Green Schools

Young Entrepreneur Programme

Outdoor Activity Programme

Photography

Etiquette Training

Friends of the Elderly Programme

Driver Education/Road Safety/Car Maintenance

Beauty Therapy

Newby Chinese

Guest Speakers

Car maintenance

Law module