Transition Year

Transition Year at St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise is a dynamic and engaging one-year programme designed to support students as they make the transition from Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle. Our programme is guided by the Transition Year Programme Statement and provides students with opportunities to learn, develop and experience school life in new and meaningful ways.

Our TY programme focuses on four key Student Dimensions:

1. Personal Growth
2. Being a Learner
3. Civic & Community Engagement
4. Career Exploration

Subjects

Students experience a broad and balanced programme combining core subjects, subject sampling, school-designed modules, workshops, trips, projects and practical learning experiences. The emphasis is on active participation, developing new skills and encouraging students to take greater responsibility for their own learning.

Throughout the year, students have opportunities to engage in areas such as Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification, Gaisce, enterprise, financial literacy, public speaking, robotics, film, forensics, road safety, independent living, community and charity initiatives, alongside a wide range of sporting, cultural and outdoor experiences.

Work Experience

Work Experienceis a central part of our programme, giving students valuable opportunities to explore potential careers, experience the world of work and begin making more informed decisions about their future pathways.

Extended Learning & Trips

Learning also extends well beyond the classroom. Trips, visiting speakers, workshops, outdoor education and other experiences encourage students to challenge themselves, work with others and develop confidence and independence.

Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences throughout the year and recognise their own development across the four Student Dimensions. Our aim is that every student finishes Transition Year with a stronger understanding of themselves as a person, themselves as a learner, their place within their community and the possibilities available to them beyond school.

At St. Mary’s CBS, Transition Year is about much more than taking a year between Junior and Senior Cycle. It is an opportunity to participate, explore, contribute, develop new skills and make the most of experiences that may not be available elsewhere in their post-primary education.

Life, Community and Work (LCW)

Life, Community and Work (LCW) is a new Leaving Certificate subject offered at St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise. Introduced nationally for 5th Year students from September 2026, LCW builds on the strengths of the former LCVP Link Modules and provides students with practical, relevant learning that prepares them for life, further education, training, employment and participation in their community.

The subject is designed around a minimum of 120 hours of learning over two years and is organised into two integrated modules:

1. Me and My Future
   Students develop a greater understanding of themselves, their strengths and interests while exploring career and progression opportunities and preparing for life beyond school.
2. Community and Work
   Students explore their role within their community and the workplace through practical learning, enterprise, community engagement and workplace experiences.

Across the course, students develop important skills in areas such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, career planning, digital skills, enterprise and personal effectiveness. Learning is practical and students are encouraged to apply what they learn to real-life situations.

Assessment

LCW is assessed at Common Level through two components:

1. Portfolio in Action – 60%

   Students develop a digital portfolio throughout the course. In 6th Year, they use their learning and experiences to complete the Portfolio in Action Additional Assessment Component (AAC).
2. Written Examination – 40%

   Students complete a written examination set and assessed by the State Examinations Commission.

Grades & CAO Points

• Distinction: 80–100%  |  66 CAO points

• Merit: 65–79%  |  46 CAO points

• Pass: 50–64%  |  28 CAO points

• Not Achieved:  0–49%

LCW can therefore make an important contribution to a student’s overall CAO points total, while also developing skills and experiences that are directly relevant to life beyond school.

At St. Mary’s CBS, our aim is to make LCW a practical, active and future-focused subject. Students will have opportunities to engage with employers, workplaces, community organisations and enterprise while developing a clearer understanding of their own strengths and future pathways.

LCW is particularly suited to students who enjoy learning by doing, engaging with the world outside the classroom and developing practical skills that will support them in college, apprenticeships, further education, training and employment.

Leaving Cert Applied (LCA)

The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) at St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise is a two-year, self-contained Leaving Certificate programme designed for students who benefit from a practical, active and applied approach to learning.

The programme is recognised by the Department of Education and is structured around the national LCA framework developed by the NCCA. It prepares students for adult life, further education, training, apprenticeships and employment, while supporting their personal, social and vocational development.

What does LCA look like in St. Mary’s CBS?

Learning in LCA goes beyond the traditional classroom. Students learn through a combination of practical activities, projects, group work, presentations, problem-solving, vocational learning and real workplace experience.

The two-year programme is divided into four half-year sessions, with students completing modules across three main areas:

1. Vocational Preparation
   Developing employability skills, career awareness and learning through work experience.
2. General Education
   Including areas such as English and Communication, Mathematical Applications, Social Education, SPHE, Leisure and Recreation and other areas of personal and social development.
3. Vocational Education
   Practical vocational courses that allow students to develop skills and explore pathways into further education, training, apprenticeships and employment.

Work Experience

Work experience is a central and mandatory part of LCA at St. Mary’s CBS. Our students attend an approved work placement every Thursday, giving them regular experience of a real working environment throughout the programme.

This allows students to develop important skills such as punctuality, reliability, communication, teamwork, initiative and responsibility, while also exploring possible career pathways.

Assessment & Credits

One of the key differences in LCA is that students are earning credits throughout the two years, rather than relying solely on final examinations.

A maximum of 200 credits is available:

• 68 credits – Module completion
• 74 credits – Seven Student Tasks
• 58 credits – Final examinations

To receive module credits, students must satisfactorily complete the required Key Assignments and meet the programme’s attendance requirements. This makes consistent attendance, participation and engagement particularly important throughout LCA.

Students can achieve their Leaving Certificate Applied at three levels:

• Pass: 120–139 credits
• Merit: 140–169 credits
• Distinction: 170–200 credits

Progression After LCA

LCA provides students with a strong foundation for their next step. Graduates can progress to Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) and Further Education courses, apprenticeships, traineeships or employment.

While LCA does not provide direct entry to higher education through the traditional CAO points system, students can progress to higher education through appropriate Further Education and Training pathways.

At St. Mary’s CBS, we want LCA students to leave school with more than a qualification. Our aim is to develop confident, capable and independent young people with practical experience, recognised achievement and a clear pathway forward.