Ashfield Accelerate TY

A three-year Leaving Certificate cycle allows students to approach senior cycle with greater confidence, clarity, and maturity. By beginning senior-cycle learning in 4th Year, students benefit from:

• A gradual and less pressurised introduction to Leaving Certificate content

• Stronger subject foundations and improved academic confidence

• Time to identify strengths, interests, and potential career pathways

• Enhanced study skills, organisation, and exam preparedness

This extended cycle is particularly beneficial for students who are ambitious, aiming for competitive third-level courses, or who simply perform best when learning is paced, purposeful, and well supported.

The TY academic programme timetable is carefully structured to maintain academic momentum while allowing students to explore, reflect, and grow.

Students can expect:

• Continued academic study, including core subjects and introductory Leaving Certificate material

• Study skills and learning strategies, supporting independent and effective learning

• Work experience placements, enabling students to explore potential career interests

• Community engagement and social responsibility projects

• Personal development modules, focusing on communication, confidence, leadership, and wellbeing

• Time for self-discovery, creativity, and reflection

This balance ensures students remain academically focused while developing the broader skills required for life beyond school.

Ashfield College is built on a strong culture of accountability, mutual respect, and high expectations. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, attendance, and personal development, with consistent support and guidance from experienced teachers and tutors.

We are committed to a holistic model of education one that values academic excellence, emotional intelligence, character development, and wellbeing. Small class sizes, structured support systems, and close student-teacher relationships ensure that every student is known, supported, and challenged appropriately.

Ashfield College is located in a modern, secure campus that provides an ideal environment for focused learning. Our facilities are designed to support both academic study and student wellbeing, offering a calm and professional atmosphere.

The campus is easily commutable, making it accessible for students from across Dublin and surrounding areas. Safety, structure, and consistency are central to the Ashfield experience, giving students and parents confidence in the learning environment.

The 4th Year Academic Transition Programme equips students with the mindset, skills, and academic grounding needed to thrive in senior cycle and transition confidently to third-level education.

At Ashfield College, we don’t rush potential we cultivate it!

Module 1 Scientific Thinking

• How scientists investigate problems
• Experimental design
• Data collection and interpretation
• Statistics and probability
• Scientific communication
• Designing and testing hypotheses
  Module 2 Engineering & Design In this module students work through the engineering design cycle:Identify → Research → Design → Build → Test → Improve Projects for this module include:

   

  • Bridge-building challenge
  • The sustainable house
  • Water filtration systems
  • An electric vehicle challenge
  • Drone design
  • Renewable energy project

   

  Module 3 Coding & Computer Science

   

  • Python fundamentals
  • Computational thinking
  • Algorithms
  • Web development
  • Data visualisation
  • Introduction to machine learning
  • AI tools and responsible AI

   

  Module 4 AI & Emerging Technology

  • How generative AI works
  • Prompt engineering
  • AI in medicine, finance and sport
  • Robotics
  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Ethics of AI
  • Future jobs

  Students develop an AI-enabled solution to a real-world problem.

• Income and taxation
• PAYE
• Budgeting
• Saving
• Loans and Interest
• Mortgages
• Credit Cards
• Pensions
• Insurance
• Inflation
• Compound Interest

Students are introduced to the world of investing and financial markets through practical, engaging activities with financial responsibility.

Students choose from the following:

• Spanish
• French
• German
• Mandarin – introductory option

Language programme:

• Conversation
• Vocabulary
• Pronunciation
• Real-life situations
• Food
• Music
• Sport
• Politics/current affairs
• History
• Business

Digital fluency is becoming as fundamental to future study and employment as traditional literacy and numeracy.

• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Word
• Canva
• Data visualisation
• Video editing software

Students use AI for:

• Research
• Brainstorming
• Data analysis
• Coding
• Presentations
• Productivity

A practical introduction to Cybersecurity:

• Password security
• Phishing
• Social engineering
• Digital identity
• Cybercrime
• Ethical hacking concepts
• Personal data

This strand is designed to help explore different pathways, understand where their interests and strengths might lead to in their further study and future careers.

Students explore:

• Medicine
• Engineering
• Law
• Finance
• Technology
• Science
• Business
• Media
• Sport
• Entrepreneurship

Activities include:

• Career profiling
• University visits
• Guest speakers
• Alumni panels
• Workplace visits
• Job-shadowing
• CV development
• Interview skills
• LinkedIn/digital profile

For this element of the programme, students have the benefit of hearing from and having an opportunity to question professionals from different industries.

For example: Finance Day

Visit a financial services company 

Meet analysts

Build an investment portfolio

Attend a trading simulation

Engineering Day

Visit an engineering company 

Participate in a design challenge

Meet practicing engineers

Technology Day

Software development workshop 

AI challenge

Cybersecurity simulation

Our timetable combines exciting dedicated academic tuition in English, Irish and Mathematics, alongside opportunities for creativity, sport, personal development and independent learning.

With university visits, workplace experiences, guest speakers and special challenges woven throughout the year.