All Year Projects
Transition Year students will choose to participate in one of the following all year projects.
Drama
This is an opportunity for students who love acting and performing to develop their performing skills. This is a practical active class which will take place in our own lecture theatre and students will be participating in improvisation, role play, script writing and the focus of the year long course will be rehearsing and performing the Transition year school play. This play will then be performed in our own school theatre and this class may also represent the school in national competitions such as 'The All Ireland Transition Year Drama festival' or ‘The School Shakespeare Festival’. This module may suit students who are passionate about acting or theatre production such as sound effects/lighting but may not be as confident in their singing ability and wish to develop their acting skills outside of the musical module.
Enterprise
Students participate in the student enterprise programme run by the local enterprise office. This involves participating in the student enterprise competition and a chance to go through to the national final. Students get to set up their own business and do everything a real life entrepreneur would do….. from coming up with the business idea to marketing and writing a business plan.
Enterprise:
- Enhances creativity
- Improves communication skills
- Provides practical uses for business studies topics.
- Encourages students to consider self-employment as a career choice
- Equips students with the skills to set up and run their own business
- Combines classroom learning with real life experiences
Upcycling and Sustaianble Fashion
This module aims to develop students’ creativity through sustainable design. Young designers will be encouraged to become more conscious of fast fashion and our disposable society. Students will develop their creative skills through construction and textile techniques. They will explore historical and contemporary fashion practices. They will demonstrate responsible decision-making by reusing, recycling, and upcycling everyday items into couture fashion.
WE MUST REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE WE PRODUCE AND AT THE SAME TIME START SEEING IT AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE THAT CAN BE REUSED AND RECYCLED
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
Podcasting
In this module you will learn how to create a podcast from start to finish. You will produce your own podcast on a topic of your choosing and you will learn to develop content as well as promotional techniques around its release. In order to learn the skills needed, you will listen to different podcasts in order to understand the process involved in making them as well as understanding the different genres that you can used.
Some of these podcasts may include:
- Nonfiction Narrative (Lore)
- Fiction Narrative (Night Vale)
- Conversational / Co-hosted (Stuff You Should Know)
- Interviews (The Daily)
- Repurposed content (TED Radio Hour)
- Hybrid (Short Wave)
- True Crime (Serial)
Once you have decided on the topic and genre of your podcast, you will work in small groups to create outlines, segments and talking points for each episode of your podcast. Recording will be done at school and you will be taught how to use the necessary software to edit and publish your podcasts.
Untold Stories
Behind the Desk - Teacher Unscripted
Cluny Chats
Young Social Innovators
Are you a person with big ideas, interested in making a dierence and inspiring change? If so, Young Social Innovators is the option for you! By choosing YSI you are making the choice to be part of a nationwide project empowering young people to find creative solutions to issues which you personally choose to work on. The programme encourages critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork, as well as promoting empathy and understanding for different perspectives. YSI empowers young people to become active citizens and change-makers, making a real difference in their communities and beyond. You will have the opportunity to develop key skills such as applying for funding for your project, working with key people in the field that you have chosen to work on and be given the chance to present and pitch your idea in front of a full room and panel of experts at the Mansion House in Dublin at the annual YSI Speak Out event. So, if you would like to put yourself in a position to make a positive impact on the world around you, choose YSI!
The GAA Future Leaders
The “ GAA Future Leaders Transition Year Programme” is a joint initiative from the GAA and the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST). It is a cross-curricular programme comprising of a series of modules designed to encourage maturity, initiative, responsibility and leadership skills in pupils. The Programme gives students the knowledge and skills to support all roles required in the effective staging of Gaelic Games. As part of the Programme students are challenged to organise and run both onfield and offfield events for younger students. The course consists of 10 modules across varies topics such as coaching, refereeing, nutrition, event planning and performance analysis.
Taking Actions for Sustainable Living
Across the globe, human consumption of the world’s natural resources has increased in line with the demand for food. This means that the way our food gets from farm to table must evolve to meet global sustainability objectives. The students of today are the decision-makers of tomorrow. This course encourages innovative thinking, problem-solving and global citizenship through sustainable food systems education. The programme is a great foundation for those considering a career in the agri-food industry or for students considering taking Biology, Agricultural Science, Geography,
Home Economics, Technology or Politics and Society at Leaving Certificate level.
Students will be challenged to create solutions for issues faced in their local community in relation to sustainability. They will devise a solution, test and present findings for this solution in their chosen area. Areas covered:
- Waste
- Climate
- Biodiversity
- Land Use
Other TY Modules
Introduction to Taxation
Our Transition Year students have the opportunity to participate in the Revenue's 'Introduction to Tax' Module, an engaging program designed to introduce young people to the role of the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland. This module covers key topics such as taxation, the shadow economy, and how taxes support public services. Through interactive sessions, case studies, and real-world examples, students gain valuable financial literacy skills and a deeper understanding of the tax system's impact on society.
First Aid and Defibrillator Training
This module is an introduction in the use of CPR/ AED – basic life support. Students will also receive skills to treat minor injuries through Occupational First Aid (OFA) course.
Digital Design
The students get the opportunity to learn the best practice of design while working each week on a separate project such a poster, invitation, infographics, collage. After the modules the students will know how to use the online digital design tools for any future educational, career or personal projects.
Cookery
Our Transition Year Cookery Module provides an opportunity for students to work creatively with food and develop their practical cookery skills. Cookery can be a great way to involve students in some hands-on, interactive learning that will give them lifelong skills while encouraging them to become independent cooks in their own homes.
We work with dishes that are of interest to young people and all recipes are fully adaptable to suit different tastes.
Each week, students will be cooking/baking based on a different theme, some examples of these are:
- (Working with yeast) White bread rolls
- (Working with yeast) Pizza & sides
- Breakfasts
- Fakeaways
- One pot wonders
- Baking
- Desserts
- Sweet treats
Here is what some of our recent Transition Year students said about the Cookery Module;
"I really enjoyed the cooking module as it taught me how to create multiple kinds of dishes. I really liked learning the different skills and working with others to make these dishes."
"I really enjoyed the cooking module and it has been my favourite so far. I liked doing the breakfast, lunch and dinner meals for different weeks and thought having more than one option to chooseh from was a really good idea. It definitely helped with ideas for meals I could cook at home as well, which was really helpful😁."
Debating
Debating as a module is designed to foster open-mindedness about current affairs and topics of interest to students, critical thinking and effective communication skills. In our introductory lesson, students are introduced to the art of public speaking through games and class discussions to encourage participation and quick thinking with being presented a topic of relevance to their lives and asked to talk on the spot for 60 seconds on that topic without prior research. Moving forward, we look at the characteristics of the language of argumentation and persuasion (which students will study in their Leaving Certificate English class) with students being shown famous speeches to allow them to identify such characteristics alongside the importance of body language when debating. Students work towards researching, writing and presenting a speech or a group debate on a motion decided by the teacher by the end of this module.
Musical
The school musical takes place every October and students start to audition before the summer break. It is staged in the assembly hall with a team of event management from Transition Year who promote the musical, sell tickets, work backstage, assist with lighting and sound effects and work front of house on the evenings of the performances. It is a collaborative experience for performers and crew and it is always a highlight of Transition Year.
Yoga
The Transition Year yoga module is designed to give students tools to help manage difficult emotions like anxiety or low mood. Yoga helps reduce anxiety by promoting relaxation, regulating breathing, and calming the nervous system. Every class ends with a guided meditation which fosters mindfulness, reduces stress hormones, and enhances emotional regulation for a greater sense of calm and balance.
Fencing
Fencing is an exciting and fast-paced sport that combines skill, strategy, and athleticism. Rooted in the traditions of sword fighting, it challenges participants to think quickly and react with precision. Fencing promotes key values such as discipline, respect, perseverance, and sportsmanship, making it a rewarding activity both physically and mentally. At Mount Sackville, we are proud to offer fencing as part of our sports program, providing students with the opportunity to develop their skills, build confidence, and enjoy this unique and dynamic sport.
Research and Referencing
During our Research and Referencing module in TY, individuals or groups of students work on a chosen research topic. This can be an extension of the CBA from junior cycle, or a new topic. Students work on a literature review of their topic, finding out information on it. They discuss their methodology, how they will collect their data and information. After collecting data, students discuss their results in their conclusion. Students learn about referencing systems, e.g. Harvard referencing. Learning about Referencing in TY will help as the students move into the new senior cycle research projects and into third level.
Road Safety
Road Safety Matters is a programme aimed at transition year students to help them to develop the awareness, knowledge, values and skills to become safe road users.
Our TY programme features a simple step-by-step guide to preparing, educating and supporting students to be safe road users as well as helping them to understand how to safely share our roads.
Legal Studies
This module provides students with an opportunity to assess and examine the legal frameworks which govern our daily lives and society as a whole. Students will explore topics such as jury selection, eyewitness testimony, the use of DNA analysis and the issues surrounding conservatorship.
Psychology
Through this module students will explore various aspects of psychology in order to gain a greater understanding of human behaviour, thoughts and actions. Aspects such as dream analysis, obedience and compliance and the ways in which our brains process information will be discussed.