EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSION:
Transition from 6th class to 1st year.
Summary of area as part of the overall DEIS plan.
In Mount Seskin Community College we have a particular focus on the area of transition from 6th class to first year. We see this time in our students’ educational progression as a key area to ensure success when students begin second level. It is also important to increase student’s familiarity with our school before students begin 1st year and therefore in-school activities are planned. The focus on transition begins when students are in 5th class and continues into 6th class, with many activities and supports put in place for our new students.
These supports and activities include:
- Sample lessons for our incoming first years in our school.
- Fun days with SCP, 6th class and 1st
- Information evenings and in school meetings for parents and guardians.
- Supports from HSCL, the SEN Co-ordinator, SCP and the new year-head are also in place at this stage.
Some of the targets for this part of educational progression include evaluation of attendance at information evenings, input from parents and the students themselves.
Transition from Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle:
Towards the end of third year, students must apply for Senior Cycle in Mount Seskin Community College. There are four Senior Cycle programmes to choose from: Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and Transition Year.
These four programmes are explained to the students by the Guidance Department. The Co-ordinator also sends a brochure to all the parents with an outline of the programmes. A meeting will then be held for all parents of third year students to help them understand the difference between the programmes and to make sure the students choose the correct programme to suit their child's needs.
Transition year and Leaving Certificate Applied have limited numbers, therefore an interview process will take place in the final term of school each year to ensure the programme best suits the student's needs.
STUDENT RETENTION IN SCHOOL
The DEIS retention plan in MSCC seeks to improve student retention to key exam milestones. There is a particular focus on Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Applied groups. The plan also identifies small groups of students at high risk of early school leaving and seeks to retain these students in the education system.
A range of measures are in place to work towards meeting the set targets. Whole-school initiatives which promote a positive teaching and learning environment are in place to meet the needs of all students. More targeted interventions aim to assist students in need of particular support to help them reach set milestones.
DEIS ATTAINMENT
The aim of the DEIS attainment team to support and encourage our students to strive to achieve the best they can academically. We wish to reward those who are doing well and create a culture that celebrates academic achievement.
We do this in a variety of ways.
Our initial aim is to support all students in sitting the house exams. We encourage participation by all through various interventions by year heads HSCL and the Guidance Department. We particularly focus on first years in this regard so as to instill good habits.
We celebrate the academic achievement of all with a focus on celebrating the session results of the Leaving certificate Applied students.
At a whole school level we reward achievement in state and house exams through bi-yearly whole school academic achievement awards. On the first of these in the academic year we also award our top Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate students the State Exams Shield.
We also monitor the level of attainment in our state exams by ensuring that subjects do a yearly review of these and by consistently aiming to increase the level of attainment at Leaving Certificate.
ATTENDANCE
Daily attendance at Mount Seskin is monitored and valued so that each student achieves their potential. Students are expected to be in school every morning at 8.47am and to attend all their classes. Texts are sent home every morning if a student is marked absent for registration. Parents may be contacted if the school has a concern about a student’s attendance . As a school, we want to reward student’s for their efforts. Certs are given out monthly for excellent attendance and prizes are organised throughout the year to encourage, promote and reward good daily attendance such as pizza parties, trips to Jumpzome, bowling, ice skating. These
rewards change every year depending on the interests of the students and the funding available. Plaques are given out at the end of the academic year to students who have perfect or excellent attendance. Students are constantly informed by their tutors and Year Heads about the importance of attending to achieve.
NUMERACY
Numeracy encompasses the ability to use mathematical understanding and skills to solve problems and meet the demands of day-to-day living in complex social settings. To have this ability, a young person needs to be able to think and communicate quantitatively, to make sense of data, to have a spatial awareness, to understand patterns and sequences, and to recognise situations where mathematical reasoning can be applied to solve problems.
Mount Seskin Community College Numeracy Aims:
· Creating a numeracy rich environment
· Encouraging a whole school approach to developing numeracy skills
· Encouraging a positive approach to numeracy and developing students’ confidence in using numeracy skills