Portlaoise College in Laois has given a helpful heads up to students about third level options, by dedicating an entire week recently on how to reach it.
College Awareness week saw the whole school community come together to organise and promote the benefits of going to college and help students of all ages to become college ready.
Initiatives include a 'drop everything and talk about college' where all teachers took a break from their lessons to speak to students about their own experience of college.
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First Years were taught about the Leaving Cert points system and how to calculate CAO points by their maths teachers.
Second Year classes were visited by 6th Year students who spoke to them about the CAO and how it works.
Third Year students received college talks from Trinity, DCU and NUI Maynooth.
Sixth Years had lessons on Budgeting for College, Getting to College and also worked together to create an Art display of their dream careers.
Principal is Noel Daly.
“The great thing about College Awareness Week is that it puts college on the agenda for every student, this is not just an initiative for our Sixth Year students, the entire school community (including former students) engage with this process where we celebrate the benefits of post-secondary education and showcase local role models.”
The Guidance Counsellor is Daryl Egan.
“In this school we celebrate the benefits of all aspects of Further Education, this could be an apprenticeship, a QQI/PLC course or a CAO application to a third level Institution.
Proof of the supports in place by the Guidance department at Portlaoise College is the recent secondary school league table, showing where pupils from the Leaving Certificate class of 2022 enrolled in a higher education college in Ireland this year.
The Laois college was ranked 1st of Portlaoise secondary schools of the percentage of students going to 3rd level.
The result rounds off a remarkable year for Portlaoise College, as it lifted three All-Ireland Titles in Volleyball, 2 Regional Cups in Basketball and a Leinster Championship in Gaelic Football.
Principal Noel Daly is proud of their record, thanking all involved.
“This is a wonderful reflection of the myriad of elements that go together to make a successful school — a huge range of extra-curricular opportunities, hard-working teaching and support staff, a supportive and responsive parental body, high expectations, inclusive environment, high-quality learning and teaching and, of course, our dedicated and ambitious pupils.”
He is keen to highlight the hard work that goes on in the background, often carried out unnoticed.
“I thank our staff right across the school for their efforts and energy over the past number of years,” he said.
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