Teaching in Northern Ireland

There are two main routes into teaching in Northern Ireland:

• Completion of a four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd).
• Completion of a first degree and then a one-year postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE).

It is compulsory to have a recognised teacher training qualification in order to gain a permanent teaching post in a primary or post-primary (secondary) school in Northern Ireland (NI). Teachers and teaching students are subject to a police criminal record check by Access NI .

Teachers wishing to take up a post in a grant-aided (publicly funded) school in NI must have eligibility to teach and be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI). Those who trained outside Northern Ireland must apply to the GTCNI to have their qualifications approved prior to registration.

Teachers qualified in Northern Ireland should be able to apply for registration as a teacher in other parts of the UK. Contact the Teaching Regulation Agency (England), The General Teaching Council for Scotland or the Education Workforce Council (Wales) for further information.

What qualifications do you need to train as a teacher in Northern Ireland?

For admission to an initial teacher education (ITE) course, you’ll need a GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent qualification) in English and mathematics. For primary-level courses you’ll also need at least a grade C in a science GCSE.

Applicants to a PGCE programme will require a relevant degree, usually in a Northern Ireland curriculum subject. You will also need experience (paid or voluntary) of working with young people in an educational setting, particularly school classroom experience. Involvement with extracurricular activities, such as music or sport, can be an advantage for primary-level courses.

It is essential to contact ITE course providers for further advice and guidance on their entry requirements, including equivalent qualifications.

The Northern Ireland institutions that offer initial teacher education

The following institutions provide ITE in Northern Ireland:

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) offers:

• One-year PGCE post-primary courses (with eligibility to teach across the 11-18 age range) in English, mathematics, science, information technology and computing, modern languages, religious education, and social sciences.
• An Irish medium enhancement course for those wishing to teach in the Irish medium at post-primary level. This is offered in association with St Mary’s University College. You should express an interest in this option when making your PGCE application.

Ulster University (Coleraine) offers:

• A one-year PGCE primary course.
• A one-year PGCE post-primary course, available in the following subject specialisms: art and design, English with drama and media studies, geography, history, home economics with food & nutrition and nutrition & food science, music, physical education, and technology and design with engineering and manufacturing.
• An Irish medium enhancement course in association with St. Mary’s University College. This is for those wishing to teach in the Irish medium at post-primary level and you should express your interest in this option in your PGCE application.

St Mary’s University College Belfast offers:

• A one-year PGCE primary course for teaching in an Irish medium setting.
• Four-year BEd courses in both primary and post-primary teaching, with opportunities in Irish medium education at primary level. Post-primary subject specialisms are business studies, mathematics, religious studies, and technology and design, with an additional subsidiary subject undertaken in years 1 and 2.

Stranmillis University College offers:

• A one-year PGCE in early years education (ages 3–8).
• Four-year BEd courses in both primary and post-primary teaching. Post-primary subject specialisms are business and enterprise, mathematics, religious studies and technology and design, with an additional subsidiary subject undertaken.

How and when do you apply for teacher training in Northern Ireland?

Candidates for PGCE courses apply directly to individual institutions, and you should contact institutions for application details. Application deadlines range from early November to early February; see course providers' websites for specific details. Competition for places is high and some institutions may operate a waiting list.

Applicants to PGCE programmes in Northern Ireland are normally required to hold a relevant degree, usually in a Northern Ireland curriculum subject. You can check out entry criteria on the institutions’ websites and contact the relevant admissions team, if necessary.

Knowledge of the Northern Ireland curriculum will help you prepare for your application and interview, with information available at Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).

Funding for teacher training in Northern Ireland

For information on fees and funding check with the relevant ITE provider. The Student Finance Northern Ireland website provides details about financial support, or you can call their helpline on 0300 100 0077. If you are ordinarily resident in other parts of the UK, you should contact your home funding body.

Early Career Teachers

After completing initial teacher education, you’ll be known as an early career teacher (ECT) and are required to undertake a period of induction, usually lasting one academic year. This is followed by competence-based Early Professional Development (EPD) that usually lasts for two years. ECTs are supported by a Teacher Tutor and usually start out on a supply basis.

As well as registering with the Induction and EPD team in the Education Authority , ECTs also register with the GTCNI and the Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register (NISTR).

Applying for teaching posts

The Northern Ireland education system is made up of grant aided and some independent schools.

You can find teaching vacancies online at:

• Education Authority NI
• Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education
• Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)
• JobApplyNI.com

If you are applying for a primary or nursery post in a catholic maintained school, you should have a recognised religious education certificate by the time you start the post. The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools maintains a list of recognised courses.

Advertised posts usually require at least a year’s experience so ECTs will often begin their career and gain the necessary experience through supply teaching. Registering with the Northern Ireland Supply Teacher Register (NISTR) , managed by the Education Authority, will ensure that you can access these opportunities.

You can also make a speculative approach to individual schools. After creating a professional teaching CV and covering letter, you can either email relevant schools or hand- deliver the documents. January to May is a good time to do this.

Qualifying to teach in further education in Northern Ireland

The two main routes to becoming a further education college lecturer in Northern Ireland are:

With an existing teaching qualification

You can become an FE lecturer if you hold a recognised existing teaching qualification at the time of application. For full details, see the Department for the Economy's list of qualifications required to teach in institutions of further education .

Qualifying while in service

Alternatively, you can take an 'in-service' PGCE (FE) qualification. If you meet the minimum subject and experience requirements, you can be appointed by a further education college - on the understanding that you complete a part-time PGCE (FE) teaching qualification within three years of appointment. The minimum requirements are:

• A university degree obtained in the UK or the Republic of Ireland (or one deemed by the department to be equivalent to this) or a qualification in the specialist area in which you wish to teach; with at least three years of relevant industrial, professional or business experience.
• An English GCSE (grade A–C) or essential skills level 2 (or higher) in communication.
• A maths GCSE (grade A–C), essential skills level 2 (or higher) in numeracy, or Access maths modules.

When you have passed the PGCE (FE), you can apply for registration with the GTCNI.

Colleges occasionally appoint part-time hourly paid lecturers, often for specialist courses of short duration. Currently, there is no requirement for those teaching fewer than eight hours per week to have gained, or be gaining, the PGCE (FE), unless they are teaching Essential Skills. Colleges in Northern Ireland often hold a 'register' of part-time hourly paid lecturers, so it may be worth contacting the college directly to request your name be added to the register.

If you are looking for employment as a further education lecturer in Northern Ireland, you should initially get in touch with the individual further education college or look on their website. For details, see Northern Ireland Further Education Colleges .

Written by Joanne Doherty, Stranmillis University College, July 2024

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