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How to qualify as a primary teacher
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A 4 year full-time course leading to a Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) degree is held in the following locations:
There are four state funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which offer programmes of primary initial teacher education accredited by the Teaching Council for primary teaching.
The purpose of this programme is to introduce a separate CAO entry route in to primary teaching specifically for deaf and hard of hearing students who communicate through ISL. This degree will allow ISL to be accepted as an alternative to Irish as an entry requirement once certain criteria has been meet. However, the required minimum entry requirements in Maths and English must be met for entry to this programme.
The four state funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) above offer a two year Professional Master of Education (PME) programme of Initial Teacher Education.
In addition, a Professional Master of Education in Primary Teaching is provided by Hibernia College. Hibernia College is a privately-owned, non state-funded, company. This blended learning programme takes place over 2 years and is accredited by the Teaching Council for primary teaching.
Persons who successfully complete the above primary initial teacher education programmes may be registered by the Teaching Council.
In addition to the points required for entry to Bachelor of Education programmes of primary initial teacher education, the Department of Education specifies minimum entry requirements that students must meet in the core subjects: Maths, English and Irish. This is to ensure that primary teachers have the capacity to lead learning in these vital areas.
In October 2017, changes were announced setting higher minimum entry standards to primary programmes of initial teacher education for Leaving Certificate Maths and English at Ordinary Level and Irish at Higher Level.
These changes have been deferred for students applying to the Professional Master of Education (PME), and will now apply for those students from September 2021 (update of 10th June 2019).
The higher minimum entry requirements, announced in October 2017, will continue to apply from September 2019 for students planning on entering the undergraduate Bachelor of Education (Primary) programme.
Tables 1 and 2 set out the current and future Minimum Entry Requirements for the Bachelor of Education and Professional Master of Education.
TABLE 1: Minimum Entry Requirement for Primary Bachelor of Education
| Year of College | Entry 2017 & 2018 | Entry 2017 & 2018 | 2019 onwards | 2019 onwards |
| Subject | Grade | % | Grade | % |
| Irish | H5 | 50<60 | H4 | 60<70 |
| English | O5 | 50<60 | O4 | 60<70 |
| or | or | |||
| H7 | 30<40 | H7 | 30<40 | |
| Maths | O6 | 40<50 | O4 | 60<70 |
| or | or | |||
| H7 | 30<40 | H7 | 30<40 |
TABLE 2: Minimum Entry Requirement for Primary Professional Master of Education
| Year of College | Entry 2019 & 2020 | Entry 2019 & 2020 | September 2021 onwards | September 2021 onwards |
| Subject | Grade | % | Grade | % |
| Irish | H5 | 50<60 | H4 | 60<70 |
| English | O5 | 50<60 | O4 | 60<70 |
| or | or | |||
| H7 | 30<40 | H7 | 30<40 | |
| Maths | O6 | 40<50 | O4 | 60<70 |
| or | or | |||
| H7 | 30<40 | H7 | 30<40 |
0034/2021
Updated Entry Criteria for the Gaeltacht Entry route to the (English Medium) Primary Bachelor of Education
DownloadIn addition to the subject requirements set out above there are also other general entry requirements for the programmes.
To view the most recent entry requirements for the Bachelor of Education and Professional Masters of Education, please see the following:
Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching) Entry Requirements 2021
Download
Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) (CAO) Entry Requirements 2021
Download
Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) (Mature) Entry Requirements 2021
DownloadThe requirements to register as a primary school teacher are set out in Route 1 of the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations, 2016.
Teacher Education Section
Address:
Department of Education, Teacher Education Section, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co Westmeath, N37 X659
Email:
