Presentation to Teacher Education Students about the

Teaching Council and the process of registration

(including Garda vetting)

What’s this presentation about?

• 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 – 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

Pre-Registration

Standards of Entry

Teacher Education

Programmes

Registration

Recognition of Qualifications

Register of Teachers

Post-Registration

Induction

Probation

Codes of Conduct

CPD*

Fitness to* Practice

Other Functions

Research

Advising the Minister

Representing the Teaching Profession

Cooperating with GTCNI

Statutory Functions

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• Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations • Introduced in November 2009• Superseded previous arrangements• NFQ Level 8 profession required from April 2013 – all sectors…• Teaching qualification required from April 2013 – all sectors…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

@TeachingCouncil

LoCall: 1890 224 224T: 01- 651 7900

The Teaching Council, Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare