Transition Year

Mission

To promote the personal, social, educational and vocational development of pupils and to prepare them for their role as autonomous, participative, and responsible members of society.

History of Transition Year Programme at Marist College.

1989 Transition Year introduced into Marist College under the guidance of Brother Philip.

1995/2000 Mr. Luke Walsh Coordinator.

2000/2004 Mr. Tony Colgan Coordinator.

2004 to present Mr. Michael Loftus, Programme Coordinator.

The Transition Year programme has been in existence in Marist College Athlone since 1989. The programme is optional for students on completion of their Junior Certificate and success in the application pathway. Our programme offers the student the space to mature and promotes increased social awareness and social competence. The programme at Marist provides a broad variety of learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom.

Overall Aim

The following aims are interrelated and interdependent and should be strongly reflected in every Transition Year programme:

1. Education for maturity with the emphasis on personal development including social awareness and increased social competence.
2. The promotion of general, technical and academic skills with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and self-directed learning.
3. Education through the experience of adult and working life as a basis for personal development and maturity. (Source: Department of Education Guidelines)

The aims and philosophy of Transition Year should permeate the entire school. Each school devises its own unique programme to meet the needs of its students. The programme should offer students a broad and balanced curriculum based on the following four layers.

Subjects

Core Subjects: Are usually those subjects that all students take for the full year.

Subject Sampling: May involve giving students a taster module of the Leaving Certificate subjects available in the school to help them make informed choices when making their subject choices later. Subject sampling may also expose students to new subjects that they have not experienced before. Includes subjects and modules devised both within the school and by external agencies supporting the programme in schools.

Transition Year Specific Layer: TY Calendar Layer includes "once off" activities such as work experience, trips, musical production, etc.

Schools decide upon the subjects and modules in each of the four layers based on the needs of students, staff allocations and teacher’s expertise as well as parents expectations and local resources and geographical location.