Junior Certificate

Please note that in First Year all students sample a variety of subjects and then decide whether to continue with those subjects in Second Year and Third Year.

 

Generally, for the Junior Certificate students will sit eleven subjects:

Two Optional Subjects are taken from the following list: 

 

Leaving Certificate

The following subjects are available for those who wish to pursue the Leaving Certificate Established Programme. The school also offers the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.

 

  • Physics

  • Biology

  • Business

  • Engineering

  • Accounting

  • Applied Maths

  • Construction Studies

  • Design and Communication Graphics

  • Home Economics (Social and Scientific)

  • Agricultural Science

  • Computer Science

  • Physical Education

 
 

Transition Year

 

Transition Year in Kinsale Community School is a year of opportunity!

In aligning with the school’s Mission Statement, the Transition Year Programme has been devised to holistically cater for the needs of the students at Kinsale Community School  This has involved a whole staff approach with regard to involvement in the Programme’s initial design.  A Coordinator and a Core Team of teaching staff, in consultation with management, have taken collaborative responsibility for the development and design of the programme.  The content of the programme will vary from year to year to meet student needs and in light of funding and resources available within the school, local community and from the Department of Education and Skills.

Aims of Transition Year in KCS

 The mission of the Transition Year Programme in Kinsale Community School is to promote the personal, social, educational and vocational development of students and to prepare them for their role as autonomous, participative and responsibility members of society.

 The aims of Transition Year (“PDST Transition Year Programmes – Guidelines for Schools”):

  • Education for maturity with emphasis on social awareness and increased social competence

  • Promotion of general, technical and academic skills with emphasis on interdisciplinary and self-directed learning

  • Education through experience of adult and working life as a basis for personal development and maturity

 

 
 

Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)

 

The Leaving Certificate Applied is a two-year Leaving Certificate available to students who wish to follow a practical programme with a strong vocational emphasis. It is one of three Leaving Certificate options offered by the Department of Education and Science.

The Leaving Certificate Applied is a distinct, self-contained two-year programme aimed at preparing students for adult and working life. The programme puts an emphasis on forms of achievement and excellence, which the established Leaving Certificate has not recognised in the past.

The Leaving Certificate Applied was introduced to recognise the talents of all students and provide opportunities for development in terms of responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge. It is an innovative programme in the way students learn, in what they learn and in the way their achievements are assessed

LCA Curriculum in Kinsale Community School

  • Vocational Preparation & Guidance

  • English & Communications

  • Mathematical Applications

  • Languages-Irish & Modern European Language

  • Graphics & Construction Studies

  • Hotel, Catering & Tourism

  • Art

  • Leisure & Recreation

  • Social Education

  • Science

  • Religion

  • Childcare

Assessment

What's different about The Leaving Certificate Applied is that students are examined on their work as they go along.The programme is divided into half year blocks called ‘sessions' of which there are four over the two year programme. Students are assessed on their work in January and May of each year when a session ends

Students who successfully complete the programme will receive a Leaving Certificate from the State Examinations Commission. All credits awarded will be recorded on the Leaving Certificate Applied parchment.This certificate will be awarded at three levels:

Certificate Levels

Award                              Result                                  Credits

Pass                                   60-69 %                               (120 - 139 credits)

Merit                                 70-84 %                                (140 - 169 credits)

Distinction                         85-100 %                              (170 - 200 credits)

Candidates who acquire less than 120 credits will receive a Record of Experience. This will also apply to those who leave before the end of the programme.

The Leaving Certificate Applied assessment takes place over the two years under three headings:

Satisfactory completion of Modules

Performance of Student Tasks

Performance in the Terminal Examinations