Teagasc is the agriculture and food development authority in Ireland and is the main provider of further education in agriculture, food, horticulture, forestry and equine studies in Ireland. It provides courses in seven colleges, three of which are in private ownership. During these inspections we evaluate the quality of the education and training provision in those colleges. The inspection reports on lessons observed in a range of learning settings in the college, interaction with students and review of their work, meetings with the principal, with key staff members and with student representatives, completed staff questionnaires, and a selection of college documents. Teagasc and the college management are given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report, and their response will be found in the appendix of the report.
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Whole college evaluations in colleges offering teagasc courses
A Guide to Inspections in Special Care Units and Children Detention Centres —Revised October 2024
This guide replaces the previous version of the guide (2013) which has been reviewed in the light of experience and in consultation with the education partners. It sets out the practices and procedures involved in the inspection of schools at SCUs and CDCs which are effective from September 2016.
Guide to Evaluations of Youthreach Provision in Centres for Education and Community Training Centres
This guide provides a general overview of the approach to whole-centre inspection — April 2024
Looking at Our Centre 2023: A Quality Framework for Centres for Education and Community Training Centres
Looking at Our Centre 2023: A Quality Framework for Centres for Education and Community Training Centres provides a unified and coherent set of standards to guide and support the work of Centres for Education and Community Training centres.
Guide to Evaluations of Settings funded by the Department of Education other than Recognised Schools — January 2024
This guide was developed following consultation with the education partners and sets out the approach to evaluations in settings funded by the Department of Education other than recognised schools.
Inspection of Prison schools - Information note for Teachers
The purpose of this document is to outline the role of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education (DE) in supporting the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) on inspections of education, training and progression in prison settings. It has been developed following consultation with the OIP. The first Thematic Inspection Report on Education and Work Training in prisons conducted by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP), in partnership with the Department of Education Inspectorate (DE Inspectorate) is available here - https://www.oip.ie/thematic-inspection-on-education-work-training-april-june-2022/
Main findings from inspections of courses in Irish colleges 2022-2024
This composite report describes the main findings of the inspections carried out on a sample of courses organised in Irish colleges between 2022 and 2024.
Guide to Inspections of Courses in Irish-Language Colleges (Coláistí Gaeilge) — Updated 2025
This Guide provides information on the model of inspection used by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education (DE) to evaluate educational provision in courses provided by Irish-language colleges.
Composite Report on Irish-Language Colleges 2014
This composite report presents the findings of inspections carried out by the Inspectorate, Department of Education and Skills, on Irish-language colleges in 2014.