Primary school teachers in Ireland must be qualified to teach the range of primary school subjects to children aged 4 to 12 years. To qualify as a primary school teacher, you must have completed the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree examination.

The 5 colleges of education which offer 3-year full-time courses leading to a B. Ed degree are:

Coláiste Mhuire (Dublin)

St. Patrick’s College (Dublin)

The Church of Ireland College of Education (Dublin)

The Froebel College of Education (Dublin)

Mary Immaculate College (Limerick)

Irish Language Requirements

Primary school teachers must satisfy the Department of Education and Science (DES) that they can not only teach the Irish language but also teach the range of primary school subjects through Irish. In order to gain full recognition as a primary school teacher, applicants must pass the written, aural and oral parts of the Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge and provide certification that they have completed an approved three-week course in the Gaeltacht.

Probation

Before being certified as fully qualified teachers, graduates of the colleges of education have to complete a probation period after they satisfy the Irish language requirement. This is generally a one-year period during which an inspector from the DES evaluates the teacher’s work. If the Inspector is satisfied by the teacher’s performance, they will be awarded the DES Diploma which certifies that they are a fully qualified national school teacher.

Restricted Recognition of Qualifications

This is given to teachers who are qualified to teach the range of primary school subjects to pupils aged 4 to 12 years but who are not qualified to teach in mainstream national schools because they do not have an appropriate Irish language qualification. Teachers with restricted recognition generally work with students who have special educational needs. Those who qualified outside the State or those who received their teaching qualification in Montessori teaching are eligible for restricted recognition.

The Teaching Council

Primary school teachers must also be registered with The Teaching Council, click here for more information about The Teaching Council