INCA Education around the world
Ireland : Keywords
Glossary
| ASTI | Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland |
| BEd | Bachelor of Education |
| CAO | Central Applications Office |
| CSPE | Civic, social and political education |
| DES | Department of Education and Science |
| EEC | European Economic Community |
| EMU | Economic and Monetary Union |
| ERC | Education Research Centre |
| ESS | Environmental and social studies |
| EU | European Union |
| FAS | "Foras Aiseanna Sathair" - Training and Employment Authority |
| FETAC | Further Education and Training Awards Council |
| GCSE | General Certificate of Secondary Education (England) |
| GDP | Gross domestic product |
| GNP | Gross national product |
| HDE | Higher Diploma in Education |
| HEA | Higher Education Authority |
| HEN | Home Education Network |
| HETAC | Higher Education and Training Awards Council |
| IBEC | Irish Business and Employees Confederation |
| ICT | Information and communication technology |
| ICTs | Information and communication technologies |
| ICTU | Irish Congress of Trade Unions |
| ILO | International Labour Organisation |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund |
| INTO | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| IT | Information technology |
| JCSP | Junior Certificate School Programme |
| LCA | Leaving Certificate Applied |
| LCVP | Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme |
| NCCA | National Council for Curriculum and Assessment |
| NCEA | National Council for Educational Awards |
| NCTE | National Centre for Technology in Education |
| NCVA | National Council for Vocational Awards |
| NEPS | National Educational Psychological Service |
| NEWB | National Education Welfare Board |
| NFER | National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales |
| NQAI | National Qualifications Authority of Ireland |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| QCA | Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (England) |
| PE | Physical education |
| RE | Religious education |
| SEN | Special educational needs |
| SESE | Social, environmental and scientific education |
| SPHE | Social, personal and health education |
| TUI | Teachers' Union of Ireland (post-primary) |
| UK | United Kingdom |
Glossary
| board(s) of management | Established under the terms of the Education Act 1998, boards of management, usually comprising representatives of school owner(s), teachers and parents, have a duty to manage the school on behalf of the owner/patron and to the benefit of students and their parents. Boards of management are expected to provide an appropriate education for every student at the school, in accordance with any policies determined by the national Minister for Education and Science. |
| community school(s) | A form of second-level school catering for students aged 12+ to 17/18 years. Community schools are allocated individual budgets by the State. |
| comprehensive school(s) | A form of second-level school catering for students aged 12+ to 17/18 years. Comprehensive schools are allocated individual budgets by the State. |
| first-level | Primary education in Ireland (children aged 6-12) is often referred to as first-level education. (Many children start publicly-funded first-level education from age 4.) |
| junior cycle | The first three years of secondary education in Ireland (students aged 12-15), which are compulsory, are usually known as junior cycle education. |
| Junior Certificate | Taken on completion of junior cycle education (students aged around 15), the Junior Certificate examination, available in all subjects and at various levels, marks the end of compulsory education in Ireland. |
| junior infants | The term used to describe the class provided in state-funded primary schools for pre-school children, aged 4-5 |
| lay principal(s) | Principals or headteachers appointed, usually by open competition, to voluntary schools. Lay principals are appointed for life and are not necessarily members of religious orders. |
| Leaving Certificate | A two-year programme of studies in post-compulsory upper secondary education leads to the terminal Leaving Certificate examination. Entry to further or higher education institutions is determined by students' point scores in the Leaving Certificate. Students normally take the Leaving Certificate examination at age 17 or 18, after five or six years of post-primary education. |
| Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) | The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is a two-year programme of studies which leads to a terminal examination at age 17 or 18, after five or six years of post-primary education. Its primary objective is the preparation of participants for adult and working life through relevant learning experiences. Students study general (academic) subjects, vocational subjects and spend a proportion of their time in 'vocational preparation'. The LCA is intended to meet the needs of those students who either chose not to opt for other Leaving Certificate programmes or who are not adequately catered for by other Leaving Certificate programmes. |
| Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) | The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) is the normal Leaving Certificate programme (see glossary definition above) with a concentration on technical subjects and some additions. The programme includes three 'link modules' on enterprise education, preparation for work, and work experience. Consequently, students taking the LCVP take five Leaving Certificate subjects, including two subjects chosen from a set of vocational subjects; a recognised course in a modern European language; and the three mandatory link modules. |
| post-primary | The term generally used in the Republic of Ireland to refer to secondary education. |
| post-primary education | The term generally used for all forms of secondary education, including junior cycle and senior cycle. |
| post-primary school(s) | The term generally used for all forms of second-level school (children aged 12+) in Ireland. |
| principal(s) | headteacher |
| second-level | A term used in Ireland to describe secondary/post-primary education (including junior cycle and senior cycle). |
| second-level education | A term used in Ireland to describe secondary/post-primary education (including junior cycle and senior cycle). |
| senior cycle | The term describes the two or three years of post-compulsory education in school (students aged 15-17/18), following the junior cycle. |
| senior infants | The term used to describe the class provided in state-funded primary schools for pre-school children, aged 5-6. |
| special educational needs (SEN) | The Education Act 1998 defines special educational needs as the educational needs of students who have a disability and the educational needs of exceptionally able students. |
| third-level | The term used in Ireland for the higher education sector, comprising the university sector, technological sector and colleges of education. |
| third-level education | The term used in Ireland for the higher education sector, comprising the university sector, technological sector and colleges of education. |
| Transition Year | An optional one-year programme in post-compulsory senior cycle second-level education. Where offered, the Transition Year is the first year following completion of compulsory education, students aged 15-16. On completion, students can follow a two-year Leaving Certificate course. |
| vocational school(s) | Second-level schools providing education for students aged 12+ to 17/18, which are administered by vocational education committees. Vocational schools are funded by up to 93 per cent of the total cost of provision. The balance is provided by receipts generated by the committees. |
| voluntary school(s) | These are privately owned schools, often Catholic, run by a board of management appointed by the trustees of the school. Voluntary schools can be either fee-paying (parents pay fees, but the State generally pays teachers' salaries) and non-fee-paying (parents do not pay fees and the State pays teachers' salaries). |
