Irish Education System: An Overview

The Junior Certificate
Details Later

The Transition Year Programme
Aims of the Transition Year
The overall mission of the Transition Year Programme is to promote the personal, social, educational and vocational development of students and to prepare them for working life. The aims include:

1. Education for maturity with emphasis on social awareness and increased social competence.
   
2. Education through the experience of adult working life as a basis for personal development and maturity and
   
3. Promotion of general, technical and academic skills with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and self-directed learning.
   

The course is designed to cater for the needs and capacities of students within a framework of broad general education which would have a substantial academic base. The course also includes a wide range of practical applications, activity-based learning, team and group work and work experience.

The Transition Year Programme acts as a "bridge" from the highly structured environment of the Junior Cycle and to the much more independent, responsible and mature attitude towards work, study, school and interpersonal relationships of the Leaving Certificate Programme.

Curricular Principles:
Each school chooses it's own curriculum content looking at the needs and capacities of their students. Some of the Leaving Certificate material can be covered during the Transition Year Programme but the Leaving Certificate is designed as a 2 year programme not a 3 year programme. This year allows students to grow and mature with their attitudes towards studies and to let them get the feel of the world of work.

Modules:
This means that the timestables of students will be changed throughout the year allowing for students to cover a wide variety of areas so they can choose which subjects they will do for their Leaving Certificate.

All students study the following subjects throughout the year:
Irish, Religion, English, French/German, Mathematics, Social and Personal Development.
The subjects that will continually br rotated throughout the year are:
Typing, Business Studies, Economics, Technical Graphics, Computer Studies, Physics, Construction Studies, Outdoor Education, Enterprise Studies, Chemistry, Biology, History, Social and Health Education, Engineering, Geography, Home Economics, Drama, Art, Cultural Studies, Music, Physical Education.

During the modules there is allowances for the students to do Work Experience in an area they are interested in and get to "taste" if this is where they would like to pursue their career.
Students also cover outdoor education which consists of rock climbing, orienteering, hill-walking, canoeing and a trip to Dublin Zoo.
There is also extra time to do extra-curricular activities including sports, public speaking and drama. During the school year , events such as the Kellogg’s transition year challenge , the Gaisce Awards and events organised for charity will also arise.

Teaching and Learning:
There is special emphasis on:

1. personal responsibilty for learning
   
2. activity based learning
   
3. group and team work
   
4. project work and research
   
5. visiting speakers
   
6. study visits
   
7. integration of appropriate areas of learning.
   

This means there will be many different methods used of teaching students in a wider variety of learning.

Assessment and Certification:
Students will be assessed by:

1. overall behaviour in each subject by subject teachers
   
2. written, practical, oral and aural assessment
   
3. projects of skills and competencies attained
   
4. pupil diary/log book to record personal progress.
   

Attendance and punctuality will be assessed by teachers and tutors throughout the year.

What do you receive in the end?
At the end each student will receive a profile with certificates each achievement in each area of study during the year.

The Transition Year: Points for Parents

1. Transition year is foucused on promoting maturity . It recognises that 15-16 year olds are at a cruical stage on the pathway from childhood dependence towards adult independence . Aransition year programme (TYP) allows young people to become more aware of themselves and of the world around them. Decision-making can be more informed and ambition more foucused.
   
2. The emphasis is on devleoping skills rather than on simple remembering facts. Such skills-academic, techincal and general-stand to people for life . Skills in maths, languages and study are especially relevent for Leaving Certificate Programme.
   
3. Young people can gain realistic insights into adult and working life. A ''working experience'' placement of a week or two, where employers co-operate with schools in allowing students to sample a workplace enviroment at first hand, has been a major milestone on many people's path to maturity.
   
4. Students can devleop more independant study habits. The emphasis is on-going assessment rather than on a terminal exam. Project work, for example, where a student has a plan and excute a piece of work over a number of days or weeks, can promote self-regulate learning. Rather than have students lose any study habits, TYP can lay a solid base for learning in a more adult, responsable way.
   
5. The year lays a soild foundation for a Leaving Certificate Programme. At the end of a TYP these young people can be better equipped, better motivated and more clearly focused than their counterparts who did not have benifit of the year. This foundation can also be a solid base for a mature and consistent apporach to third-level studies after the Leaving Certificate.
   
6. Transition Year is not dominated by an exam at the end of the course. Therefore, there is space and opportunity for each school to concentrate on aspects of learning which don't always feature on either the junior or Leaving Certificate course. Qualities which might not otherwise flourish are often development. Individuality is respected and and fostered.
   
7. TYP offers young people a broader variety of topics and subjects. For example, some schools currently include outdoor pusuits, health education, media studies, computer studies, tourism awareness, as well as specialised lanaguage, scientific and aesthetic.
   
8. TYP gets students and teachers out of the classroom, into other learning environments. Trips to galleries, wotkplaces, museums, theatres and other stimulating locations feature in many programmes. Some schools also offer opportunities for foreign travel, though many schools are careful not to add unneccessary additional costs when offering a TYP.
   
9. Transition Year places a heavy emphasis on learning from experiences. This recongnition of the validity of young people's own lived experience means that they are continually challenged to make sense of their own experiences. Studying aspects of popular culture such as fashion, advertising, popular music, cinema, etc. can increase the motivation for learning and add to the growth of self-esteem.
   
10. Students who have missed out on parts of the Junior Certificate course can use Transition Year to catch up or fill in gaps in their learning before starting a Leaving Certificate Programme. This can be espcially relevant in maths and lanaguages.
    
11. Young people can learn the skills of dealings with in practical ways. There can be a lot of contact with adults outside the school. Oral communication skills, so relevent to all aspects of living and working, are highlighted. Many teachers identify the growth of young people's confidence and self-esteem through Transition Year Programme as the key benifit of the year.
    
12. Attention to careers, third-level courses, the realities of emploment are central concerns in Transition Year. Work experience or work simulation or work shadowing features on every programme. By the end of a Transition Year Programme they had twelve months earlier.
    
13. Students can follow and develop special interests. These might be sporting leisure, academic or socail interest. The flexiblity offered by Transition Year means it can be an ideal opportunity for teenagers to respond to chanllanges such as Gaisce, (The President's Award scheme) and the young scientist of the year competition.
    
14. Transition Year links schools more directly with immediate communities. Students can become involved in activities such as voluntary work, community service or local surveys. The community resources of individual parents and other people are also being imaginatively integrated into many TY programmes.
    
15. Each school is free to design its programme to its own students. This promotes enterprise and professional development amoung teachers. That spiet of enterprise can be passed on to the young people in very practical ways.
    

The Leaving Certificate Programmes:
The Leaving Certificate:
Many Senior Cycle Students will continue to choose the established Leaving Certificate, taking subjects at either Foundation, Ordinary or Higher Level. Foundation Level is now available at Leaving Certificate in two subjects - Gaeilge and Mathematics - as well as at Ordinary and Higher Levels .All other Leaving Certificate subjects are available at Ordinary and Higher levels. Work on the revision of subjects in the established Leaving Certificate is ongoing by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment ( NCCA). Revised syllabuses in Gaeilge, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Accounting were introduced in September , 1995. Revised syllabuses in other subjects will continue to be introduced , on a phased basis , having due regard to the implementation issues in schools. In addition to updating the content and relevance of syllabuses, the NCCA has been requested to increase , where relevant, the vocational orientated of each subject . This is to ensure that the subjects in the established Leaving Certificate will be more relevant to the needs of students in the future.

THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE SUBJECTS:
English , Maths, Irish, Art, Music, History, Geography, French, German , Biology, Physics, Home - economics, Engineering, Business etc.

THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE VOCATIONAL PROGRAMME. (LCVP)
The Department of Education is offering a restructured and expanded Leaving Certification Vocational Programme beginning on a phased basis in September 1994. This restructured programme is designed to enhance the overall vocational orientation of the Senior Cycle curriculum in line with the recommendations of the recent Culliton and OECD reports. In addition, the programme serves better those pupils for whom the present LCVP is too restrictive.

Provision for funding of the programme has been included in Ireland’s National Development Plan submitted to Brussels for EC Structural Funds for the period 1994- 1999. Schools selected to participate in the programme will receive appropriate support to provide for resource, training and equipment needs.

WHAT DOES THE LCVP INTEND TO ACHIEVE?
In general, the expanded LCVP is intended to ensure that Senior Cycle education remains attractive and relevant for today’s larger and more diverse pupil cohort. The programme is designed to foster in young people a spirit of enterprise, adaptability and initiative, developing the communicative interpersonal, vocational and technological skills. To achieve these general aims the new programmes.
Provides an expanded range of curricular options Offers girls and boys enhanced opportunities for participation in a vocationally oriented curiculum.Takes account of the introduction of the three year Senior Cycle from 1994 Provides certification that is respected for its quality and standards of education achievement.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE NEW LCVP?
For schools and teachers familiar with the existing LCVP, the most striking feature of the expanded programme is a border and more interdisciplinary approach to the vocational dimension of the programme. This restructuring ensures optimum access to vocational education for all pupils without gender or other biases.

THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED PROGRAMME
This is a two year Leaving Certficate Programmme which places emphasis on forms of achievements and excellence which the traditional L.C. has not recognised in the past.

THE PRINCIPAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME ARE:
*To prepare students for the transition from the world of school to adult and working life.
*To meet the needs of students who are not catered for by other leaving certificate programmes.
*To enhance the personal and social development of participants.
*To provide access to further education for those students who successfully complete the programme.

The leaving certificate applied has a strong community base, makes use of local resources and pays to the needs of the local region. Because the principle aim of the programme is to equip the students with the necessary skills for work, a strong emphasis is placed on work experience and work simulation. Opportunities exist within the programme for developing personal and social qualities of the students including self-confidence, responsibility, co-operation, teamwork, problem solving, independence, decision making and initiative.

THE PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN ELEMENTS:
Vocational preparation, vocational education and general education. Students are required to take a full course in:
VOCATIONAL PREPARATION
· Vocational preparation and guidance
· English and communication
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
· Vocational specialisms(2)
· Mathematical applications
GENERAL EDUCATION
Social education
Languages (including at least 2 modules in gaeilge chumarsaideach and 2 modules in modern European language)

A full course is 160 hours i.e 80 hours per year(approx 4 class periods per week) over each of the 2 years. Two courses are selected from the following vocational specialisms:- Hotel catering and Tourism, Office skills and retail distribution, Construction and Manufacturing, Craft and design and Leisure and Recreation.
Students are also required to take a short course in:
· Art Education
· Information Technology
· Leisure and Recreation (including physical education)

A short course is of 80 hours duration. Short courses apply to year 1 of the programme only.

ASSESSMENT OF THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED-
Student achievement and performance will be recorded in 3 modes:

MODE REQUIREMENTS CREDITS
Module completion Satisfactory completion of 40 credits
40 modules (1 credit per module)
Students tasks 9 tasks graded as distinction(3) 27 credits merit(2), pass(1)

External examinations At the end of year 2 exams will 33 credit be taken in 5 main areas:
English and Communications
Vocational Applications
Languages
Social Education
Total 100 Credits
A student may accumulate a total of 100 credits

Attendance:
The Department of Education places great emphasis on attendance with an expectation of 90% attendance. Successful completion of modules is dependant on regular and punctual attendance. This is particularly important where group projects are involved.

Certificate of the Leaving Certificate Applied
The Leaving Certificate applied is a single award issued by the Department of Education and made on the basis of credits accumulated over four sessions and in the external examination. Students may receive a Record of Experience.** The Leaving Certificate will be awarded at three levels:
Pass 60 Credits
Merit 70 Credits
Distinction 85 Credits
** Candidates acquiring less than 60 credits will receive a Record of Experience.
This will also apply to those who leave before the end of the programme.