Published in: Irish Educational Studies

Abstract:

The Transition Year (TY) programme has seen large increases in the number of participating schools and students since the 1990s. However, existing documentation of this growth has been intermittent and sometimes inconsistent. This paper documents in detail the changes seen in school provision and student uptake for the 19 years from 1992/1993 to 2010/2011, drawing on data provided by the Department of Education and Skills. Issues considered include the mainstreaming of TY in 1994, cohort participation rates (proportions of junior cycle students progressing to TY), school type and student gender. Particular attention is given to provision and uptake of the programme with regard to students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. This is examined through the use of both school-level (school participation in schemes aimed at addressing socio-economic disadvantage) and student-level (possession of a medical card) information.

Clerkin, A. (2013). Growth of the ‘Transition Year’ programme, nationally and in schools serving disadvantaged students, 1992-2011. Irish Educational Studies, 32 (2), 197-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2013.770663