Aspiring primary teachers get reprieve in Leaving Cert move

Colleges plan to offer places to around a dozen students whose applications to become primary teachers were turned down in August, thanks to the retrospective easing of entry requirements by Education Minister Richard Bruton.

The move is part of a wider list of reforms that will see standards rise slightly over the next two years for those wishing to enter bachelor of education (B.Ed) programmes that qualify them to teach in primary schools.

As well as Central Applications Office (CAO) points determined by their six best Leaving Certificate grades, B.Ed applicants must have certain minimum grades in Irish, English, and maths.

After changes to the grading system this year, only those who got a new higher-level H6 grade (40% to 50%) or better in maths and English could be considered eligible, consistent with the old 40% minimum associated with a past D or higher entry requirement.

Some of the small numbers who received a H7 grade (30% to 40%), which gets the same CAO points as an ordinary-level O3 (70% to 80%), complained it was unfair because students could still get into the B.Ed with an O5 (50% to 60%) or O6 (40% to 50%) in ordinary-level English or maths, respectively.

Mr Bruton has recognised the issue they raised and, as well as allowing a H7 in maths or English as a minimum entry requirement for the next three years, is applying the change retrospectively.

“This is consistent with the decision on the entry requirements for 2018 to 2020,” said the Department of Education, as part of the minister’s broader announcement on future entry standards.

From 2019, the minimum grade for students taking ordinary-level English or maths will rise to O4 (60% to 70%). The lowest standard in Irish is rising in 2019 from a H5 (higher-level 50% to 60%) to H4 (60% to 70%) and all the changes are to be reviewed in 2021.

Around 13 students who might otherwise have been offered B.Ed places could receive offers this year after the changes were notified to the relevant colleges by the department last week.

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, and Dublin City University Institute of Education, which runs St Patrick’s College, said they have been in contact with the CAO to identify affected students who would have been eligible for entry if the changes were made before August.

Although these and other colleges concerned may be open to offering late entry to courses already started, the Department of Education cautioned that offers could depend on capacity.

“As with any course in a third-level institution, whether or not the relevant students are offered a place will depend on the individual institutions themselves and the available places they have on the programme,” said a spokesperson.

Every year when dozens of CAO applicants become eligible for a course if a Leaving Certificate result is upgraded, colleges can sometimes only offer a deferred place the following year if a course is too long started or has limits on resources, such as like lab spaces or agreed work placements.

The CAO said it has started making changes to software based on the new entry requirements, following communications from colleges, and it will provide updated information when the changes are completed.