What is Transition Year?

Transition Year is a one year course that bridges the gap between Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. The aims of Transition Year at Greenhills Community College are:

  • To give students a broad education experience free from exam pressure, to study new subjects and gain new experiences which the Junior and Leaving Certificates don’t provide.
  • To promote the personal and social development of each student so that they become confident, responsible, well-adjusted adults.

The benefits of Transition Year are:

  • It helps students discover and develop their own talents and gifts
  • It offers Leadership Opportunities
  • It provides Work Experience Opportunities
  • It encourages Creativity and Entrepreneurship
  • It helps to develop Skills for Life
  • It help to promote Maturity and Resilience

Structure of Transition Year

Our students are offered a full programme in subjects that helps being their preparation for the senior cycle programme, as well as short courses on new subject areas, such as: –

Core Subjects

  • English
  • Maths
  • Gaeilge

Leaving Cert Sampling Subjects

  • Business
  • German
  • Art
  • Religion
  • History/Geography

Enrichment Modules

  • Film Production & Media
  • Enterprise: Mini-Company
  • Youth Leadership
  • Driver Theory
  • Cookery
  • Career Preparation

Other Opportunities and Leadership in Transition Year

  • Gaisce President’s Bronze Award: 3 aspects:
    Learn a new skill; Community Volunteer; Physical Achievement
  • Portuguese Language and Cultural Studies
  • Student Mentor Programme:
  • Work with Junior Students in Leadership Role
  • Environmental Studies:
  • Sustainability/ Green Schools
  • Foróige Youth Leadership Programme
  • Organising Key Events around school; e.g. Awareness Weeks; Seachtain na Gaeilge, etc

Work Placement Friday

Every Friday is devoted to Work Placement for TY students. Students obtain their own placements with the support of the TY team. Work placements are monitored and contact is maintained with employers to ensure that students gain the most from this valuable experience. 

Activities Wednesday

Students are timetabled for activities every Wednesday. These activities can be a trip, outdoor education programme or a workshop in school. Examples of the type of activities organised for TY students are: 

  • Driving School of Excellence Workshop in school 
  • Drumming Workshop : We Drum Ireland 
  • Dublin Zoo Tour and Conservation Workshop 
  • Reptile Workshop – Jurassic Experience 
  • Hike to Three Rock Mountain 
  • Visit and guided tour of Croke Park Stadium 
  • Go Quest Indoor Challenge Zone  
  • Introduction to First Aid course
  • Fighting Words Writer’s Workshop 
  • Phoenix Park Cycling

How will Transition Year be Assessed?

  • TY uses a Credit System and Continuous Assessment
  • There will be Exams in Core Subjects
  • Project/ continuous work, participation and attendance counts in all areas
  • Credits accumulate throughout the year 
  • Portfolio Work: Best student work and reflective pieces in a collection
  • Students are interviewed on their Portfolio at end of year: Reflection on their TY year
  • Awards at the end of the year are based on accumulated credits: Pass, Merit and Distinction
  • Work Experience, Gaisce and overall participation in ALL activities will be awarded credits
  • There is an Awards Ceremony and presentation of all student work at the end of year

Greenhills TY Parents Presentation 2022

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