Applicants for the approved Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching) and the Higher Diploma in Arts in Primary Education must have the following academic qualifications:
(a) an honours Bachelor degree — level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications or a qualification at level 9 or 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications, and
(b) one of the following sets of second level qualifications:
(i) in the Leaving Certificate Examination from 1969 onwards: a grade C3 or above in Higher Level Irish; a grade D3 or above in Mathematics (Ordinary or Higher level); and a grade C3 or above in English (Ordinary level) or grade D3 or above in English (Higher level);
(ii) in the Leaving Certificate Examination prior to 1969, Honours in Irish and passes in English and Mathematics;
or
(iii) in the Northern Ireland GCSE and GCE A Level Examinations: a Grade C at GCE A Level Irish; a Grade C at GCSE Level in both English and English Literature or Grade B at GCSE Level in either; and a Grade D at GCSE Level in Additional Mathematics or a Grade A at GCSE Level in Mathematics.
The following document gives further details including accepted alternatives to second level qualifications in Irish, English or Maths.
A post primary teacher in Ireland must hold a suitable degree and a suitable teacher education qualification. Details of the qualifications needed to be eligible for appointment to an incremental salaried teaching position in a voluntary secondary school, other than in a probationary capacity are available on the Teaching Council website www.teachingcouncil.ie.
The Deputy may be aware that the Teaching Council has begun work on the development of its strategy for the review and accreditation of initial teacher education programmes. Consultation fora have taken place and the Council hopes to commence reviews on a pilot basis in late 2009.
Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)
Entry Requirements and Procedure for 2009
1. Admission to a teacher education course for primary teachers (2009-2010) for persons with third level degrees
A full-time course, commencing in early 2009 and concluding in mid-2010 will be held in the following Colleges of Education for primary teachers for the purpose of enabling third level graduates to qualify as primary teachers:
St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 [called Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)]
Mary Immaculate College, Sth. Circular Road Limerick [called Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)]
Froebel College of Education, Sion Hill, Blackrock, Co. Dublin [called Higher Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)]
Coláiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9 [called Higher Diploma in Education (Primary Teaching)]
A limited number of places will be available on this course and successful applicants will be selected by way of competition. Persons who successfully complete this course may be registered by the Teaching Council as qualified for service in the country's primary schools.
2. Application Procedure
Application forms for this course are available from each of the Colleges listed above. Applicants should note that there are two centres for applications, Dublin and Limerick. Applications should be made toone Centre only (i.e. Dublin or Limerick). Applicants should also note the selection procedure detailed at 4 below. The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 5.00 p.m. on 13th November 2008.
3. Conditions of Eligibility
Applicants must have the following academic qualifications:
(a) an honours Bachelor degree — level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications or a qualification at level 9 or 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications, and
(b) one of the following sets of second level qualifications:
(i) in the Leaving Certificate Examination from 1969 onwards: a grade C3 or above in Higher Level Irish; a grade D3 or above in Mathematics (Ordinary or Higher level); and a grade C3 or above in English (Ordinary level) or grade D3 or above in English (Higher level);
(ii) in the Leaving Certificate Examination prior to 1969, Honours in Irish and passes in English and Mathematics; or
(iii) in the Northern Ireland GCSE and GCE A Level Examinations: a Grade C at GCE A Level Irish; a Grade C at GCSE Level in both English and English Literature or Grade B at GCSE Level in either; and a Grade D at GCSE Level in Additional Mathematics or a Grade A at GCSE Level in Mathematics.
Applicants must provide evidence to the Colleges of Education that their honours Bachelor degree is placed at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications . Holders of level 9 or 10 qualifications must also provide evidence of their award's position on the NFQ. This should be included with the completed application form.
Alternatives to second level qualifications in Irish, English or Maths
A Pass in a University First Arts Examination in Irish, English or Mathematics will be accepted in lieu of the Leaving Certificate Examination/GCE/GCSE requirement for the relevant subject.
In the case of Irish, a Grade C in the Matriculation Examination (which existed up to 1992) will also be accepted in lieu of the Leaving Certificate Examination/GCE/GCSE requirement. In addition, the Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge from NUI Maynooth, the Diploma in Arts (Applied Irish) from University College Cork, the Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge Fheidhmeach
from UCD, Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge, Level C1, NUIG and the Diploma in Irish at the University of Ulster, are accepted as satisfying the Leaving Certificate Examination/GCE/GCSE requirement.
In the case of Mathematics, a Pass in that subject in the Matriculation Examination will also be accepted in lieu of the Leaving Certificate Examination/GCSE requirement.
4. Selection Procedure
Eligible applicants will be required to undergo an Interview and an Oral Irish test. The results of these tests will be graded and allocated points as follows:
Interview
|
Oral Irish
|
A
|
100
|
A
|
40
|
A-
|
90
|
B
|
32
|
B
|
80
|
C
|
24
|
B-
|
70
|
D
|
16
|
C
|
60
|
E
|
Fail
|
C-
|
50
|
—
|
|
D
|
40
|
—
|
|
E
|
Fail
|
—
|
|
Applicants who get a "fail" grade in either the Interview or oral Irish test will be eliminated from the competition.Qualified applicants will be placed in order of merit as determined by the results of the Interview and Oral Irish test. Where two or more applicants obtain the same points total, their placement on the order of merit will be determined by random selection. There will be two separate order of merit lists: one common list for all of the Dublin Colleges and a separate list for Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Each College will fill its places by reference to the relevant order of merit and the College preferences of successful applicants.
The purpose of theInterview is to ascertain the suitability of the applicant for participation in a primary teacher education course. Part of the Interview may be conducted through Irish.
TheOral Irish test will comprise:
conversation on everyday topics and on books read by the applicant;and
reading correctly and intelligently a suitable passage of prose or poetry and explaining the matter read.
Applicants should note that a high standard of fluency is required in the Oral Irish test and should prepare for the test accordingly. Applicants will be advised by the relevant Centre (Dublin or Limerick) of the date, time, venue, etc. of their Interview and Oral Irish test and must attend these tests at their own expense. The location will be either Dublin or Limerick.
5. General Information
Student grants: Grants will be available from Local Authorities to those who satisfy the conditions of the Higher Education Grants Scheme. Details will be available from the Local Authority of the area in which the applicant is ordinarily resident.
Medical requirements: The Department of Education and Science’s Rules for National Schools require that before a student is admitted to a College of Education, the medical officer of the college must certify that s/he is of sound and healthy constitution and free from any mental or physical defect likely to impair his/her usefulness as a teacher; the medical certificate shall include any such details as the Minister may require. The Colleges will advise students as to the procedure to be followed in this regard.
Proficiency in spoken Irish: All student teachers in Colleges of Education are required to attend a 3 week course in the Gaeltacht at the end of their first year. It should be noted that this is a compulsory part of the course.
During this full-time teacher education course, participants may not engage in business or in any other course of study without the prior permission of the College President.
Further information regarding the course is available from the applicant's College of choice.
October 2008