We support our pupils to be successful in secondary school, working closely with external partners to support transition, behaviour, attendance and progression beyond school.
This includes the following services:
- Home School Liaison
- School Completion Programme
- Behaviour for Learning Support
- Guidance Support
- Leaving Certificate ACE support
HOME SCHOOL LIAISON CO-ORDINATOR (HSCL)
The Home School Community Liaison Co-ordinator supports parents and guardians to improve educational outcomes for our students. In Mount Seskin Community College, this teacher is Ms. Anita Doody. She meets with parents and guardians in our school for meetings, for courses and she also visits the homes of our students to support both students and their parent/guardian. The HSCL links with parents during student transition into 1st year and at other key points during students’ time in Mount Seskin CC. Parents are also represented on the Parents Association, this parent group work with the HSCL on aspects of the school, a new phase of this will begin shortly.
Ms. Doody’s mobile is 085 8796092. Her email is anitadoody@gmail.com.
SCHOOL COMPLETION
SCP provides a broad range of programmes and supports to enable students to attend school and to actively engage in their education.
SCP Outcomes
- Improved Attendance
- Improved Participation
- Improved Retention
Supports and programmes which are on offer here in MSCC
- Breakfast Club
- Lunch Clubs
- Afterschool Club (Wednesday)
- One to one mentoring
- Group Work
- Mid-term, Christmas & Summer Trips
SCP project Worker Maria McArdle maria.mccardle@scp.ie
SCP coordinator Domhnall Costigan domhnall.costigan@scp.ie.
BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING SUPPORT (BFL)
The Skills Room is an additional support available in MSCC where a full-time Behaviour for Learning teacher works with students to help them to achieve their potential and succeed in school. In the Skills Room, students have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to allow them to have a more positive experience of school.
The teacher works with identified students, individually or in small groups, on Behaviour for Learning programmes that are designed to meet their social, emotional, wellbeing and behavioural and academic needs.
The teacher also works with full class groups, particularly with first year students on the Ready, Steady, Learn programme to help them to become familiar with school expectations in their new school setting.
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
At Mount Seskin Community College we take a whole school approach to Guidance with students beginning their orientation to career and further education from first year through various programmes both curricular and extra- curricular. All Junior Cycle Classes follow a guidance programme through their well bring class time. At Junior Cycle we run Business in the Community as a fun activity which exposes students to life choices and shows them the financial implications of various educational decisions.
We provide one to one support for students and also group work for various needs such as anxiety, social skills and to encourage students to form a positive relationship with their school. These are often run in conjunction with our active School Completion Programme.
We endeavour to provide supports to all students around decision making and transitional points by providing Aptitude Testing, parents information evenings, talks to students by senior cycle and past pupils and our annual Career Speed Dating Event.
At Senior Cycle we provide three programmes Leaving Cert Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Traditional Leaving Cert. We provide all of our senior cycle students with the opportunity to take part in work experience and we provide after school classes for fifth and sixth year through the ACE Programme with TUD and Power to Progress Programme in conjunction with Zurich and UCD. All of our fifth years have this year been provided with laptops through the Power to Progress Programme.
We believe our approach to Guidance has been extremely successful placing us at the top of the league tables amongst the Tallaght West Schools annually for the transfer to third level education and as one of the top schools in the greater Tallaght area.
LEAVING CERTIFICATE SUPPORTS
ACE
Mount Seskin Community College is very proud to run the Access to College Education programme for our senior cycle students. Students awarded a place on the programme and have access to a year of additional timetabled classes after school. These classes are based on the needs and requests of the students. To acknowledge good attendance at these classes, students receive a monthly payment of 50€.
The ACE programme has a school coordinator, who links in regularly with the students and a home representative who informs parents about upcoming Parent Evenings, which are held in TUD. These meetings provide advice and support to parents about the CAO process and how they can best support their child as they enter third level education.
Students are taken to the Gaeltacht in January, they participate in mock orals in Irish and and their chosen foreign language and an Easter Revision programme is organised to maximise the student’s academic potential prior to their last term at school.
Last year’s ACE students are now studying a variety of courses in Maynooth University, Trinity College Dublin, TUD and UCD, to name but a few.
The ACE programme is a wonderful academic opportunity for the students of MSCC, who may wish to pursue a particular course in a particular third level institution.
For more information, please contact Ms.O’Connor at soconnor@mountseskincc.ie