Secondary School Activities

The Access Service maintains partnerships with schools across the country and organises a range of secondary school activities for students.  Some of these programmes are long-running and some are brand new, but all are offered with a view towards providing students with new educational opportunities. 

The DIT Access Service works in partnership with 29 designated disadvantaged secondary schools which are located in inner city Dublin as well as Longford, Roscommon, Louth, Meath and Cavan.  We have a specific programme for our Dublin inner city schools which aims to increase the number of students from those schools entering and completing higher education.    

Secondary Schools Programme

Art Portfolio
We run a week long art portfolio preparation course in July each year in conjunction with the School of Art, Design and Printing in DIT Mountjoy Square. A follow up winter tutorial session takes place in November and January to guide students on the submission of their art portfolios as part of their application to college.

Supervised Study
This Programme provides a space for pupils to undertake structured, focused study within the Dublin Institute of Technology. At the beginning of each term the educational needs of the students are identified by teachers and each student is linked to a “mentor,” a DIT student with expertise in a particular area or subject.  The mentor then provides tuition on a one-to-one basis for the duration of the programme.

Take 5
An annual summer school which gives 5th year students a chance to spend one day each in college at TCD, DCU, NUIM, UCD and DIT.

Achievement Awards
We present DIT sweatshirts or book vouchers and a Certificate of Achievement to students in all of our link primary and secondary schools. The awards initiate links between junior cycle students and DIT and help create an initial awareness of 3rd level.

Culinary Arts Experience
Over an eight week period, two pupils from each of our link schools work alongside 3rd year Culinary Arts students who are embarking on a “restaurant immersion programme”. During this module of their course students become part of a management team in which they “own” and “run” a working restaurant for two days per week.

Easter Revision
Sixth year pupils from our link schools who have applied through access entry routes (HEAR and Access DIT) are invited to DIT to participate in an intensive Easter revision programme to help them prepare for the leaving certificate. Our ordinary level maths revision is always a great success.

Shadowing Days
Transition year/Fifth year students are matched up with DIT students for a day. They accompany the DIT student everywhere they go, whether it is to the library, lectures or for a coffee. For 2011/12 we will be holding shadowing days in both the Colleges of Business and Sciences & Health.

Access College Open Days

Link schools are invited to bring a class group in to a DIT college for a day to explore and learn about a broad area of study in DIT. Students take part in tours, workshops, information sessions and have the opportunity to meet DIT students.