What’s this presentation about?

1. Presentation to Teacher Education Students about the Teaching Council and the process of registration (including Garda vetting)

2. What’s this presentation about? • Professionally-led Regulation • Role and Functions of the Teaching Council • The NQT Registration Process • Question and Answer Session

3. What is a Regulated Profession? • A regulated profession is responsible for • 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Statutory Functions

7. Teacher Education • Review & Accreditation of Programmes of Teacher Education • Developing a Policy on the Continuum of Teacher Education

8. Registration Requirements • Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations • Introduced in November 2009 • Superseded previous arrangements • NFQ Level 8 profession required from April 2013 – all sectors… • Teaching qualification required from April 2013 – all sectors… •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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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)

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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 yellowCharacter 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.

15. 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.

16. Requirement to be registered and vetted for employment • Section 30 – The requirement to be registered • Circulars of the Department of Education and Skills

17. 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