Primary schools

Inspectors are organised into geographical districts. There is an average of one inspector to every 350 to 400 teachers. The inspection focuses on the implementation of the curriculum.

A full inspection of each school in a district is conducted in a cyclical fashion - usually every four, five or six years, depending on the inspector's work load. In addition, every teacher on probation is seen a couple of times during the year's probation. The inspection of primary schools is governed by Departmental circulars.

Second level

Inspections are subject based and inspectors are recruited on the basis of subject specialisms. A major function of second level inspectors is their role as examiners for the various Junior and Leaving Certificate subjects. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of their time is taken up with exam related work, so not a lot of time is left for school inspections.

Vocational schools are governed by the 1930 VEC Act and there is also an agreement between the TUI and the Department of Education.

Procedures in relation to unsatisfactory teachers are similar in primary and vocational schools, with a built in appeals mechanism. There is no such agreement in community and comprehensive and vocational schools where unsatisfactory teachers fall within the ambit of the trustees.