School Reconfigurations for Diversity: A-Z Explanation of Terms

Some of the terms we use on these webpages may be new to you. Some of these terms can have different meanings, depending on how they are used. Here we tell you what we mean when we use these terms on these webpages.

The meanings we give here are for your information only. They are not meant to be legal meanings. If we mention a term you don’t know in one of the explanations, it is likely we have explained it elsewhere in this A-Z glossary.

The Board of Management/manager(s) is the body of persons or the person(s) appointed by the patron to manage a school on behalf of the school patron “for the benefit of the students and their parents, to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility”. The board must uphold the characteristic spirit of the school and is accountable to the patron for so doing. The functions of the board of management are set out in section 15 of the Education Act, 1998. The board of management of a Community National School is a committee of the ETB Board and has responsibility for matters that are not employment-related, for example, school policies, child protection and school planning.

See Ethos

Community National Schools (CNS) are State-operated, multi-denominational schools. They welcome all children from the local communities they serve. Community National Schools operate under the patronage of the Education & Training Boards (ETBs), which are statutory authorities.

This refers to a school under the patronage of a single religious community. A denominational school is a school with a religious patron – the vast majority of primary schools are under Catholic patronage. Denominational schools provide religious education according to traditions, practices and beliefs of the specified religious community. In most such schools faith formation and preparation for sacraments forms part of the school day.

The school may also provide a wider education about religion and facilitate parents/guardians of other faith traditions to enable them to provide for religious education in their belief system. Practices may vary in this regard.

The Education Act, 1998 (as amended by subsequent Acts) ensures formal provision for the education “of every person in the State, including any person with a disability or who has other special educational needs”. The Act governs "primary, post-primary, adult and continuing education and vocational education and training". It sets out the functions and responsibilities of all key partners in the schooling system. The Act sets out the rights of parents to send their children to a school of their choice. Patron responsibilities are set out in law under the 1998 Education Act, for example, Section 8(3) of the Act provides for transfers of patronage.

This Act applies to all companies, partnerships, charitable organisations, trade unions and public bodies. The Act requires employers who meet the requisite threshold to provide employees with information on developments (recent & future) affecting the economic situation and activities of the business. It also requires employers to inform and consult employees on developments affecting employment in the workplace and, in particular, on decisions likely to lead to substantial changes in work organisation or in contractual relations.

In the context of primary schools, “employer” means the appropriate school authority. In the case of primary schools (other than community national schools under the patronage of an Education and Training Board), the board of management/manager(s) is the employer. In the case of community national schools the Education and Training Board is the employer.

The school patron determines the ethos and characteristic spirit of a school. These terms tends to be used interchangeably and refer to the values and beliefs which underpin a school. The Education Act 1998 provides that the Board of Management of a school is accountable to the patron for upholding the characteristic spirit of the school “as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school”. Religious education or instruction may be provided at the school in line with its ethos.

The Financial Services Support Unit (FSSU) , hosted by the Secretariat of Secondary Schools, is funded by the Department of Education and Youth and supports boards of management in complying with the provisions of the Education Act 1998 in terms of transparency, accountability and financial responsibility for State and other funding. The FSSU also supports boards of management in meeting their compliance requirements to other regulatory and statutory bodies and is an important source of advice and support for school management and finance personnel on financial governance matters.

This refers to primary schools that teach through the Irish language. Some of these school have a denominational (religious) ethos, some have an inter-denominational ethos and some have a multi-denominational ethos.

This refers to a school under the patronage or trusteeship of more than one religious faith community. Such a school provides for a variety of religious education opportunities.

The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference is made up of the Bishops of the 26 dioceses of Ireland and one auxiliary Bishop. The Council for Education of the IEC articulates policy and vision for catholic education in Ireland, North and South on behalf of the IEC.

This refers to schools under the patronage of a multi-denominational patron. A multi-denominational school is a school under a non-religious patron, where children learn about all faiths and belief systems through a multi-denominational programme. Examples include Community National Schools in the ETB sector, Educate Together schools and An Foras Pátrúnachta schools). Such schools have a multi-denominational ethos and do not provide religious education as formation, during the school day, but do provide education about religions and beliefs. In multi-denominational schools faith formation classes do not take place during the school day. Various arrangements are in place to facilitate this outside of school hours. Practices vary from school to school and can operate at a local level.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Education and Youth. The NCCA advises the Minister for Education and Youth on curriculum and assessment for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools. This advice is developed through research, deliberation, consultation and networks.

The school patron is the person/body recognised as such by the Minister in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act, 1998. Where two or more persons exercise the functions of a patron they may be registered as joint patrons. A school patron appoints the board of management to manage the operation of a school under its patronage. The patron determines the ethos and characteristic spirit of the school. Religious education or instruction may be provided at the school in line with its ethos. Patron responsibilities are set out in law under the Education Act, 1998.

Where the following terms are used in these webpages, the meaning given to them is as follows:

• Existing Patron - Person/Body with the above responsibilities currently
• Outgoing Patron - Person/Body withdrawing from the above responsibilities
• Incoming Patron – Person/Body taking on the above responsibilities

The Patronage Divesting Process arises from the recommendations of the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage & Pluralism following which the Department of Education and Youth undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas. Analysis of the parental preferences expressed in each area surveyed indicated that there was sufficient parental demand to support changes in school patronage in 28 areas. Under the patronage divesting process, a school can be opened where a school building became, or was due to become available as a result of an amalgamation/closure of an existing school. In some areas in responding to demand for diversity where existing patrons were unable to make school properties available, the department also included an examination of properties held in public ownership.

This refers to a situation where a change of patronage is taking place and the new multi-denominational ethos is introduced on a phased basis over time rather than the ethos changing to multi-denominational immediately for all pupils. For example, the multi-denominational ethos is introduced for the junior infant pupils and works its way up vertically each school year i.e. existing classes remain under denominational ethos until they leave the school after 6th class.

The primary education sector includes State-funded primary schools, special schools and private primary schools. Primary education consists of an 8-year cycle: junior infants, senior infants, and first to sixth classes. All State-funded primary schools in Ireland have a patron, who sets the ethos of the school. State-funded primary schools include denominational (religious) schools, inter-denominational schools, multi-denominational schools and gaelscoileanna (Irish-medium schools), which may have a denominational (religious) inter-denominational ethos or multi-denominational ethos. All State-funded primary schools follow a common national curriculum and are subject to the same Department rules and regulations.

The government’s policy is set out in the Programme for Government. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to seek “to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith-based education”.

The aim of the schools reconfiguration process is to help schools to transfer patronage, if school communities want this, and to increase the number of multi-denominational primary schools in Ireland.

For the purpose of these webpages, this refers to a change of patron and a change to a multi-denominational ethos.

The aim of the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process is to create more multi-denominational primary schools in Ireland. The process helps schools to transfer patronage from denominational (Church) to multi-denominational patrons, if the school community want this. A denominational school is a school with a religious patron – the vast majority of primary schools are under Catholic patronage. A multi-denominational school is a school under a non-religious patron, where children learn about all faiths and belief systems through a multi-denominational programme. Examples include Community National Schools in the ETB sector, Educate Together schools and An Foras Pátrúnachta schools).

Where this term is used on these webpages, it refers to another school under the same patronage as the outgoing patron of the school.

The European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 apply to any transfer of an undertaking, business or part of a business from one employer to another employer as a result of a legal transfer (including the assignment or forfeiture of a lease) or merger.

In the context of primary schools, “employer” means the appropriate school authority. In the case of primary schools (other than community national schools under the patronage of an Education and Training Board), the board of management/manager(s) is the employer. In the case of community national schools the Education and Training Board is the employer.

When a school changes patron, this is called a ‘transfer of patronage’. The new patron takes over responsibility for the school.

When a school transfers patronage, this can mean a change in its ethos. For example, a denominational (religious) school may become a multi-denominational school. For transfers of patronage to multi-denominational patron bodies, the school will change to a multi-denominational school. A change of ethos can take place at the same time as the transfer of patronage or can take place on a more gradual basis. For example, where each new intake of junior infants follows a multi-denominational programme, while the more senior classes continue to follow the denominational programme, until over time, all pupils are following a multi-denominational programme.

If a school community wishes for the patronage of a school to change to a multi-denominational patron, the school community can directly engage with the current school patron and seek a transfer of patronage. Change can only be agreed if there is agreement of the current school patron as, under the Education Act, 1998, the legal responsibility for changing rests with the current school patron in the first instance.