Cost of TY in your school and what did you get for it

Jane98

Hi,

I'm just trying to get a feel for the average cost of TY in secondary schools across Ireland.

Could you let me know how much it costs in your school and what is included (and what's not) in this?

jeonahr

I did TY last year and the year cost around €600. The trip abroad cost an additional €700 plus spending money if you decided to go (it was optional).

Honestly not quite sure where the money went.

We did a first aid course, ECDL, a self defence course and a few small class, a musical and some class outings (depending on your subjects) and trips with the whole year.

Materials for home economics and art were provided for. We also got to try new subjects such as Chinese and Russian (with temporary teachers not from our school) and we also got to go to the partnering boy school to do woodwork or technical graphics (depending on timetable). You could also participate in programmes outside the school that were only available to TY students, e.g. coding/programmes in DCU, programmes at Trinity, which my school subsidised or paid for fully.

rainbowtrout

jeonahr wrote: »

I did TY last year and the year cost around €600. The trip abroad cost an additional €700 plus spending money if you decided to go (it was optional).

Honestly not quite sure where the money went.

We did a first aid course, ECDL, a self defence course and a few small class, a musical and some class outings (depending on your subjects) and trips with the whole year.

Materials for home economics and art were provided for. We also got to try new subjects such as Chinese and Russian (with temporary teachers not from our school) and we also got to go to the partnering boy school to do woodwork or technical graphics (depending on timetable). You could also participate in programmes outside the school that were only available to TY students, e.g. coding/programmes in DCU, programmes at Trinity, which my school subsidised or paid for fully.

Do you think all of these things happen for free? Transport has to be paid for. External tutors have to be paid for. ECDL certification has to be paid for (and it is expensive).

wheresmahbombs

I'm currently in TY, and so far, it cost something above €250 for me, excluding some trips, including one to the Zeminar, which was €7.

I have also went to the IFI on two occasions, and a few urban studies trips, including the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, the Botanic Gardens, Newgrange, and the area around Bram Stoker's house. I had participated in Oracle's Build an App Day, and also went there for a mock interview.

Besides urban studies, I participated in several new subjects, including glass making, Gaisce, food safety, film studies and media studies, with more to come, like politics, cookery and filmmaking.

We have had several talks with visitors from the likes of SVP, Samaritans and Student Enterprise, along with mental health specialists and psychologists. All of this was provided for us.

There is an upcoming trip to Rome which is available to anyone in my school, but I decided not to do it.

jeonahr

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Do you think all of these things happen for free? Transport has to be paid for. External tutors have to be paid for. ECDL certification has to be paid for (and it is expensive).

Compared to my brother's school which has TY fees at €100 for the year and they get to do ECDL and everything, if not more of what I've mentioned above, it is quite expensive.

I can't speak for the Russian class but the external tutor for Chinese wasn't an actual teacher as far as I know. He was a student at DCU doing his masters or something who came from China. We didn't get to learn much due to the language barrier. I was unlucky in that I was in 1 of 2 classes that didn't get to try the subjects available in our partner boy schools and was stuck doing mindfulness and wellbeing which ended up being doss classes. There was a maximum of 4 class trips that I went on, 1 being a trip to the beach. And we never got transportation paid for (except for 1 trip). Other than that we took the public bus and paid using leapcards or cash fare.

endacl

Times have changed....

I'm an 80s kid. I remember we only found out our school had a transition year (actually a Vocational Preparation and Training Programme, or VPTP) at all when two lads didn't appear in 5th year with the rest of us. They were still in the building, just not with the rest of us! IIRC, it was a chance for lads to do a bit of growing up. Aside from that, I believe they used to make soup for the staffroom and do a bit of sweeping up.

FWIW, I think TY is a great idea, but should be provided the year after LC for those who want it. Get the exams out of the way and spend a year trying a few things, mentoring younger students, getting more practical work experience etc. before entering into another 3-4 year education/training cycle.

rainbowtrout

jeonahr wrote: »

Compared to my brother's school which has TY fees at €100 for the year and they get to do ECDL and everything, if not more of what I've mentioned above, it is quite expensive.

I can't speak for the Russian class but the external tutor for Chinese wasn't an actual teacher as far as I know. He was a student at DCU doing his masters or something who came from China. We didn't get to learn much due to the language barrier. I was unlucky in that I was in 1 of 2 classes that didn't get to try the subjects available in our partner boy schools and was stuck doing mindfulness and wellbeing which ended up being doss classes. There was a maximum of 4 class trips that I went on, 1 being a trip to the beach. And we never got transportation paid for (except for 1 trip). Other than that we took the public bus and paid using leapcards or cash fare.

It doesn't matter if he was a teacher or not, he probably still got paid. That is what TY fees are paid for.

BuboBubo

endacl wrote: »

Times have changed....

I'm an 80s kid. I remember we only found out our school had a transition year (actually a Vocational Preparation and Training Programme, or VPTP) at all when two lads didn't appear in 5th year with the rest of us. They were still in the building, just not with the rest of us! IIRC, it was a chance for lads to do a bit of growing up. Aside from that, I believe they used to make soup for the staffroom and do a bit of sweeping up.

FWIW, I think TY is a great idea, but should be provided the year after LC for those who want it. Get the exams out of the way and spend a year trying a few things, mentoring younger students, getting more practical work experience etc. before entering into another 3-4 year education/training cycle.

In the Vocational School I attended in the late 80's there was a "Pre-Employment" 4th year option, mostly geared towards early school leavers.

We used to call it "Pre-Dole".

The transition year programme described above looks great though. Those courses are expensive - but very beneficial.

spurious

In the 80s if you got to 4th year a person weren't an early leaver. They had gone before Group or Inter.