Transition Year programme has been offered in Mercy College since 1993. Transition Year aims to –
At the end of Transition Year the student is generally more focused and more mature. Statistics nationally indicate that students who have completed Transition Year score higher points in the Leaving Certificate than those who did not take the course.
Transition year students are also less likely to drop out of college in their first year than those who have not completed the course.
The curriculum is broad and balanced.
Students participate successfully in a number of competitions at county, regional and national level.
Make the most of it while it lasts. The year will give you many opportunities and challenges. Be involved! Do your best!
Your teacher(s) will help you along the way. They will pass on information about events and activities. Please make sure you are on time for morning roll call.
Please check the TY notice board regularly.
For those of you who make the most of it, TY will be a great experience. I anticipate that you will feel more confident and independent, have more friends, know your teachers better, be more socially aware, be more of a ‘team’ person and have lots of good memories by the end of the year. Carpe diem!
Mercy College is taking part in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme. We continue our links with schools in France, Germany and Spain and students are encouraged to take part in exchange programmes.
Pupils will receive a Christmas and end of year report as in any other year. Successful participants will receive Work Experience Certificates and Transition Year Certificates. There will be exams in the core subjects in May.
Good attendance is vital if you are to make the most of the year. Poor attendance and/or punctuality mean that you will miss out on information, events, activities, and assignments.
Occasionally, groups of TY pupils collect for charity, usually by selling ‘flags’ or bag packing in the city centre. A permission form from home is always required.
A deadline is a deadline! Every year some TY pupils miss deadlines for signing on for activities or handing in Projects or Portfolios. You may miss out on the activities or have your work rejected if you miss the deadlines. Be warned!
Some senior pupils in Mercy College become involved in school debating teams and competitions. TY is the best year to begin!
French, Spanish and German exchanges are organised for Transition Year students.
Gaisce, or the President’s Award, is a national prize for personal achievement, based on set challenges, e.g. learning a new skill, doing community work or going on an expedition.
At the end of the year, there will be a TY Graduation Night to which parents and guardians will be invited. A range of certificates e.g. First Aid, Work Experience, will be presented.
The most important certificate is the Transition Year Certificate, which will be awarded to the majority of the year’s TY class. The certificates are awarded at three levels – Distinction, Merit, Pass.
There will be Guidance classes to help pupils make these choices. Choices are made in the spring. There will be an evening meeting for parents on this topic.
A module is a subject that lasts half a year! Indicate on your timetable the length of each module. After Christmas you will switch to a different module. Participate to the best of your ability in your classes. This will be a key factor in deciding on the level (Distinction, Merit, Pass) of your Transition Year Certificate.
Various outings are organised by individual teachers or subject departments. A pupil who misbehaves on an outing may be excluded from other outings.
There will be an Information/Discussion evening about TY in March and a parent-teacher meeting later in the year.
TY pupils are not immune from detention.
September is a ‘settling in’ month for getting back to school, starting new subjects and modules, meeting new teachers and getting the Junior Cert results… The ‘big’ TY events are further down the road.
There will be a number of guest speakers for TY during the year. The talks will generally be on social and health issues.
The TY Play is always a main highlight of the year for those involved! A fantastic opportunity to make new friends, develop self-confidence and have possibly the best experience of your time in Mercy College!
Work Experience is a major element of TY. You will have a Work Experience class once a week but the onus is on you to organise your placements.
Where possible, students find placements in work related to the career in which they have a special interest. It is the responsibility of each student to make her own application and to find their Work Experience Placement as this is an essential element of preparation for the world of work.
Students are not paid for work experience. Students are monitored by the school and assessed by the employer.
At the end of work experience each student is required to complete a Work Experience Portfolio.
Note: To gain a Work Experience Certificate at the end of the year, you must complete the assignments set by your work experience teacher. Incomplete Portfolio = no Certificate!
