Dunshaughlin Community College First Year (12+) Entry Information
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Established in 1933, Dunshaughlin Community College (DCC) is a co-educational post-primary school in Meath. In 2013, an extension was completed, considerably increasing the size of the school. In addition to this, the original building was completely refurbished.
The College is committed to providing a high-quality, comprehensive education that enables pupils to reach their full potential. Dedicated teachers deliver engaging and challenging lessons, making use of the College’s modern resources. The Junior Cycle curriculum includes seven core subjects, and pupils also study two optional subjects, choosing from subjects such as graphics, engineering, home economics and wood technology. All pupils are encouraged to be independent learners, which helps to prepare them for life after school.
An extensive extra-curricular programme is an important part of school life, with pupils being encouraged to participate in a wide range of sporting and cultural pursuits so that they can develop into well-rounded, accomplished young adults. Activities on offer include basketball, debating, chess and modern music. The programme enables pupils to develop existing skills, discover new talents, build their self-esteem and enhance their social skills.
DCC is proud to be a school that is student-orientated and constantly adapting to the ever-changing needs of its community. Students can get involved in the running of the school by becoming members of the student council. This means they will provide feedback to the school management, informing them of the views, concerns and hopes of the student body, which will inform decision-making. Such collaboration is advantageous to both the school and its pupils, helping to create an environment in which pupils are happy, feel listened to and thrive.
Dunshaughlin Community College First Year (12+) Entry Admissions Process
The College holds an Open Evening in October, allowing prospective families to visit classrooms and explore the facilities. There is also the chance to listen to a presentation given by the senior management team. Attending this event is a helpful way to check you feel the school is a good fit for your child.
To apply for a place at the College for your child, you need to fill out an application form. This should be completed by the deadline in November of the calendar year preceding entry. Late applicants will be put on a waiting list. Please note that applications will only be accepted after a specified date in October of the year preceding entry, giving a relatively short window of opportunity to apply.
Offers of places will be made before the end of November, around two weeks after the deadline for applications. If your child is offered a place, you must accept it by the mid-December deadline. This involves completing and returning an acceptance form. Offers will not be made to any child whose parent/guardian has failed to confirm in writing that they accept the Student Code of Behaviour and will endeavour to make sure their child adheres to it.
Oversubscription
In the event of oversubscription, preference will be given in the following order:
- to children in the catchment area
- to children with a sibling currently at the school
- to children attending St. Seachnaills National School, Gael Scoil na Rithe, Culmullen National School or Dunshaughlin Community National School
- to children attending Dunsany National School, Skryne National School, Rathbeggan National School, Rathfeigh National School or Rathregan National School
- to children of Dunshaughlin Community College staff members
- to children attending Kilmessan National School or Kiltale National School
Students from the CES (Centre of European Schooling) will be awarded places at DCC regardless of the above categories, providing the number of applications is not higher than the number of places available.
Dunshaughlin Community College Contact Details and Exam Information for First Year (12+) Entrants
Address: Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin, A85 TY22
County: County Meath
Admissions info: [email protected] or 01 825 9137
School type: Co-educational post-primary
Exam date: January of the calendar year of entry
Exam type: CAT4 Level E
Applicants who secure a place at DCC will take the CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) Level E in January of the calendar year of entry. This test will assess pupils’ reasoning abilities.
The school can use the results of the CAT4 Level E to understand a pupil’s strengths and weaknesses and therefore be able to personalise learning and adapt teaching. The more a school knows about a pupil, the better it can position itself to maximise each pupil’s potential. Furthermore, the results will also allow the school to track pupils’ progress.
The CAT4E has eight modules, a duration of 1.25 hours, consists of multiple-choice questions and covers the following areas:
- Verbal reasoning: tests your child’s ability to solve problems using words
- Non-Verbal reasoning: tests your child’s ability to solve problems by analysing visual information
- Quantitative reasoning: tests your child’s ability to use maths to solve problems
- Spatial reasoning: tests your child’s ability to think and draw conclusions in three dimensions
How to Prepare for the Dunshaughlin Community College CAT4 Level E for First Year (12+) Entrants
At Pretest Plus, we believe that considered preparation will significantly boost a student’s confidence and enhance their performance in examinations.
Working their way through our CAT4E Practice Tests will help your child be prepared for the CAT4E in the following ways:
- They will become familiar with the format of the CAT4E, meaning there are no surprises on the day.
- They will get better at answering questions quickly and accurately when under time pressure.
- Looking at the answers and detailed explanations for each question, they will learn from any mistakes they make and avoid repeating them in the actual exam.
- They will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses, meaning they can then focus on any areas that require improvement.
Improving across all the areas that will be tested in the CAT4E will mean your child is well-equipped to access every aspect of Dunshaughlin’s extensive curriculum. Furthermore, the more advanced their reasoning abilities are, the more successful they will be in navigating the challenges of higher education and beyond.
Dunshaughlin Community College CAT4 Level E Practice Tests for First Year (12+) Entrants
Our CAT4E practice tests and courses are highly accurate, ensuring that your child’s exam preparation is targeted and efficient. The following packs are specifically designed for CAT4 Level E, taken in January of the calendar year of entry to the First Year at Dunshaughlin Community College.
DCC CAT4 Level E Full Practice Tests for First Year Entrants
These full mock tests are designed to provide your child with extremely accurate practice ahead of their CAT4 Level E. Each practice test covers Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative and Spatial reasoning, replicating the modules, timings and question types used in the actual exam.
Our highly rated CAT4E practice tests are available to take online immediately after purchase. Each CAT4E practice test is marked automatically and can then be reviewed. Answers and explanations are provided for every question, as well as comparative ranking statistics on a per-module basis.
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 1
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 2
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 3
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 4
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 5
✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4 Level E Practice Tests bundle, including all five tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Tests Bundle - Save 25%
DCC CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Tests for First Year Entrants
Our CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Tests each focus on one module that will come up in the CAT4E. Therefore, if your child finds particular modules challenging, you can target them specifically, making a big improvement in a short amount of time.
Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Verbal Classification
CAT4 – Level E – Verbal Analogies
Non-Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Matrices
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Classification
Quantitative reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Number Analogies
CAT4 – Level E – Number Series
Spatial reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Analysis
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Recognition
✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Tests bundle, including all eight tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 – Level E – Skill Practice Bundle - Save 25%
DCC CAT4 Level E Video Courses for First Year Entrants
Our CAT4 Online Video Courses cover each section of the CAT4E. Each course consists of a series of lessons and step-by-step explanations.
CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Course
CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course
✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4E Video Courses bundle, including all four products. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 – Level E – Video Courses - Save 25%
If you don’t buy a bundle, don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200!
The information in this post was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of possible future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the CAT4 or any other test publisher.
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
