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 Other Functions Pre-Registration 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

7. 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

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Superseded previous arrangements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 Conditional 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:

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 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.

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. Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Contact Details
@TeachingCouncil
LoCall: T:
The Teaching Council,
Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare