Presentation to
Teacher Education Students about the
Teaching Council
and the process of registration
(including Garda vetting)
What’s this
presentation about?
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Professionally-led Regulation
Role and Functions of the Teaching Council
The NQT Registration Process
Question and Answer Session
What is a Regulated
Profession?
• A regulated profession is responsible for
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Entry standards and qualifications required to practice
Knowledge skills and competence required
Ethical standards and rules of conduct
Policing its own ranks
• Hallmarks of a profession – skills, integrity, trust
• Professional bodies are accountable to the public
and are responsible for the standing of the
profession as a whole
• Professional bodies have different functions to
unions
Background
• International trends towards professional and
occupational regulation
• Teachers, Unions, Parents, Management
bodies, and others have looked for the
establishment of a self-regulating body for
teaching in Ireland for over 40 years.
• Why? Ownership of the profession in the
profession; maintain and enhance public trust
About Us
• Set up and governed by Teaching Council Act, 2001
• Established on 28 March, 2006
• 37 members
• 22 Teachers
• 4 from Colleges, 4 School management
• 2 Parents Associations, 5 Ministerial nominees
• Committee Structure
Registration, Education, Finance, Executive, Audit, Investigating &
Disciplinary
Statutory Functions
PreRegistration
Standards of
Entry
Registration
Recognition of
Qualifications
PostRegistration
Other
Functions
Induction
Research
Probation
Codes of
Conduct
Teacher
Education
Programmes
Register of
Teachers
Advising the
Minister
CPD*
Representing
the Teaching
Profession
Fitness to*
Practice
Cooperating
with GTCNI
Teacher Education
• Review & Accreditation of Programmes of Teacher
Education
• Developing a Policy on the Continuum of Teacher
Education
Initial Teacher
Education
Induction
Continuing
Professional
Development
Registration
Requirements
• Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations
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Introduced in November 2009
Superseded previous arrangements
NFQ Level 8 profession required from April 2013 – all sectors…
Teaching qualification required from April 2013 – all sectors…
• Register of Teachers Established
• 79,000 currently registered (Nov. 2012)
• Almost 4,000 NQTs added each year
Registration
• Full registration
– when all registration requirements have been met
• Conditional registration
– where one or more registration requirements have not been met but
the applicant is allowed onto the Register providing they remedy the
shortfall within a specified period
• Teaching Service Conditions
– Induction, Probation or Post Qualification Employment (PQE)
• Qualification Conditions (generally applied to those who qualify outside of
Ireland)
– Irish Language Requirement (primary), History and Structure of Irish
Education System (post-primary)
Condition of Induction
• Induction takes place during that critical period at the
beginning of the newly qualified teacher’s career
• The Out of School Workshop Programme now
mandatory for all NQTS
• For further details:
www.teacherinduction.ie
Condition of Probation
(Primary)
• All newly qualified primary teachers are registered with
this condition
– Service requirement – Minimum 100 days (2 x 50 or 1 x 100)
teaching service (post qualification)
– Professional Competence Requirement - satisfactory report
from the Inspectorate
– Form C - when the requirements have been met, the teacher
completes and returns Form C to the Council.
• Condition is removed when proof of Service and
Competence requirements is received by the Council
(i.e. Form C)
Post Qualification
Employment (PQE)
(Post-Primary)
• All newly qualified post-primary teachers are registered
with this condition
– Service - proof of minimum 300 hours teaching service
– Form B – must be completed by the teacher and countersigned
by the School Principal for each period of teaching service
• Condition is removed when proof of 300 hours service is
received by the Council (i.e. Form B)
• Timeframe extensions may be granted in extenuating
circumstances
• The requirements of PQE can be met abroad
Registration and Subjects
(Post-Primary)
• Subjects are determined at the time of registration
based on degree transcripts meeting subject criteria
– Not the ‘Autoquals’ list.
• In most subjects the Council is seeking to establish
that there is a minimum 54 ECTS Credits coverage of
a curricular subject in the degree.
• Applicants can take further subject modules to make
up for any shortfalls that exist in the coverage of the
subject in their degree.
Registration Timeline for NQTs
• Today
– Complete the pink Consent Form and return it as per instructions given
today
– Allows your college to send us your details and results
• Within the next month
– Complete the blue Garda Vetting Form and post it to the Council ASAP.
– Complete the yellow Character Reference Form and retain
• July 2013 (when you have passed your exams)
– Teaching Council will invite you to register by sending you the NQT
Registration Application Form
• August 2013
– Expect confirmation of becoming a Registered Teacher – congratulations!
– With your Registration Number and Garda Vetting completed, you can be
employed as a Registered Teacher.
Remember…
• Pink Consent Form - return it as per
instructions given today
• Character Reference Form – complete it ASAP
and retain safely for submission with your
NQT Registration Application Form
• Vetting Application Form – complete it ASAP
and send it to the Teaching Council.
Requirement to be
registered and vetted
for employment
• Section 30 – The requirement to be registered
• Circulars of the Department of Education and
Skills
Contact Details
www.teachingcouncil.ie
info@teachingcouncil.ie
vetting@teachingcouncil.ie
@TeachingCouncil
LoCall: 1890 224 224
T: 01- 651 7900
The Teaching Council,
Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare