INTO FOR Beginning Teachers GUIDE TO TEACHING IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
TEACHING IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND For teachers trained in Northern Ireland, England & Wales: Post-Primary School Teaching original certificates and details of experience should be forwarded to the Secondary Teachers Council, Department of Education and Science, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Irish Qualification No Irish Qualification is required unless one is teaching in an Irish Medium School or in the Gaeltacht. Candidates require the Ceard Teastas Gaeilge for Irish-medium or Gaeltacht schools. Full details are available from the Department of Education & Science. Primary School Teaching Mainstream Schools original certificates and details of experience should be forwarded to the Primary Administration, Department of Education and Science, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Recognition Provisional Recognition granted initially for a period of 5 years. The Irish Qualification - Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge needs to be obtained within a 5 year period. Full recognition will be granted on obtaining the Irish qualification. Graduates from St. Mary s University College with a four-year degree, which includes Academic Irish, are exempt from the Irish qualification, and will be granted full recognition. Graduates with a degree in Irish may also apply for an exemption from Module Two (Irish Literature).
Special Education (Primary) original certificates and details of experience should be forwarded to the Primary Administration, Department of Education and Science, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Recognition Restricted recognition will be granted to primary qualified teachers, which restricts teachers to teaching in certain categories of Special Schools and Special Classes or taking up Special Needs Resource Teaching Posts in mainstream primary schools. Post primary qualified teachers may also take up teaching positions in special schools that teach pupils aged 12-18, and where post primary education programmes are taught. The Irish Qualification (SCG) Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge (Primary) Level: Between A-Level and Degree Level Contents: 4 exams, 2 written papers (1) language, (2) poetry and prose, and 1 oral and 1 aural (inspection of teaching & cultural portfolio) 3-week period in Gaeltacht area on a recognised course Time Scale: 5 years to obtain May take 1 module or more per year. Resits are possible. Exam: April/May and October each year Exemptions: Partial exemptions possible if one has spent time in Gaeltacht area as part of a degree course or if one has a degree in Irish. Appeals: Results may be appealed. Salary Full, current details of salaries and deductions can be found on the INTO website www.into.ie - Graduates with 3-year degrees start at point 2 of the scale; - 4-year graduates start at point 3 of the scale; - Progress by 1 point per year of experience (initially) to maximum point 25; - Allowances are payable in respect of extra educational qualification e.g. Bachelor Degree, Masters Degree, Special Education Diploma. - Additional allowances paid to teachers in Gaeltacht Schools, all-irish Schools and Island Schools;
- Opportunities for promotion arise in what are referred to as graded posts i.e. Special Duties Teacher, Assistant Principal Teacher, Deputy Principal Teacher and Principal Teacher; - Teachers are paid fortnightly (every second Thursday) by the Department of Education & Science; - Teachers in Vocational Education Committee Schools (post-primary)are paid monthly. Probation On first appointment, teachers serve a probationary period as follows: - In the case of continuous service, satisfactory service of not less than 1 year s duration; - In the case where service is not continuous, satisfactory service of not less than 300 days duration in aggregate; - DES inspector must furnish a satisfactory report on the teacher s work during this period. School Year Primary Schools Teachers work a minimum of 183 days per year. Post-Primary Schools Teachers work a minimum of 167 days per year. Applying for Jobs Teaching jobs are advertised in the National Newspapers, particularly in the Irish Independent, any day of the week and sometimes for a period of 1-2 days. Also check local papers. Substitute positions become known, generally by word of mouth. INTO operates a substitute service for teachers in the Dublin area. Teachers available for substitute work must register with the Substitute Section, INTO Head Office, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Substitute members attend Head Office at 8.30am and as Principals phone requiring teachers, members are allocated jobs in turn.
Useful Website Addresses www.into.ie INTO www.ncca.ie National Council for Curriculum and Assessment www.education.ie Department of Education and Science www.pcsp.ie Primary Curriculum Support Programme www.teachingcouncil.ie General Teaching Council INTO The Number One Choice for Teachers