PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE AT SENIOR CYCLE

In order to create an environment where all members of this school community can reach their full potential we aim to facilitate lifelong learning, to encourage respect for self, others and the environment and to appreciate individual talents and abilities.
It is our policy that each student will be enabled to make curriculum choices for Senior Cycle that will foster a spirit of enterprise, adaptability and initiative and develop communicative, interpersonal, vocational and technological skills.
We offer programmes at Senior Cycle which include:
Transition Year, Traditional Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.

TRADITIONAL LEAVING CERT CYCLE

The traditional Leaving Certificate programme involves students taking seven subjects for examination purposes.  Compulsory subjects are Irish (unless a student has an official exemption resulting from an educational psychological assessment), English and Mathematics.
Students choose four subjects from the following:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• French
• Spanish
• History
• Geography
• Accounting
• Business
• Design & Communication Graphics
• Construction Studies
• Home Economics (Social & Scientific)
• Art
• Physical Education (Starts September 2024)

Students also have the opportunity to partake in PE, SPHE and RE.

LEAVING CERTIFICATE VOCATIONAL PROGRAMME (L.C.V.P.)

The L.C.V.P. is a Leaving Certificate with a strong vocational dimension. It is an additional certification awarded with the Leaving Certificate to students with particular subject combinations and includes modules in Work Experience, Enterprise Education and Preparation for Work. The programme provides students with the opportunity to realise their potential for self – directed learning, for innovation and for enterprise.
The programme aims to prepare students for the real world where the ability to cope with rapid change is of increasing importance in preparation for social and economic life.

Benefits of doing the LCVP
All third level institutions  recognise the value of the LCVP and award points accordingly, based on a student attainment.  A student may use his / her LCVP points as their sixth subject if the points they score in their “regular” subjects were lower than those achieved in their Link Modules.

Students are expertly prepared for the world of work as they learn how to compile a Curriculum Vitae, complete application forms for employment, write letters of application for employment and practice Mock interviews.
Report writing skills are learned for the first time – an absolute necessity for any student intending to embark on any third level course.
Students gain individual confidence in presenting reports / findings to a group situation.
The Enterprise Education Module allows students, if they so wish, to establish a small business among themselves. Students learn both the theory and the practice of the in’s and out’s of running small enterprises and business plans, marketing strategies and Income and Expenditure accounts. Company Management structure is also taught in this module.
Students profile local entrepreneurs and visit local companies / voluntary organisations to gain greater insight into their operations.
Digital technology forms the basis of this programme. Students compile a portfolio of their course work over two years and this portfolio is assessed along with their written examination. Every component of the portfolio is word processed so students will be exposed to programmes such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, Publisher.
Apart from the numerous academic advantages listed above, the programme strives to promote greater competency, responsibility, motivation, innovativeness and self-esteem among students.