Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers

• Initial Teacher Education and Professional Development Section
• Digital, Teacher Supply, Teaching Council Section

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a national teacher support service offering high quality and relevant continuing professional development to teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas.

The aim of the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is to provide high-quality professional development and support that empowers teachers and schools to provide the best possible education for all pupils/students.

Its mission is to support teachers as reflective practitioners by providing a range of professional development opportunities and supports that facilitate teacher learning, collaboration and evidence-based practice with an emphasis on:

• Curriculum and Pedagogy;
• Learning and Teaching Methodologies;
• School Improvement and School Self-evaluation;
• School Leadership, Culture and Leading Learning;
• Pupil/Student and Teacher Welfare;
• Information and Communications Technology.

The overall goal for the PDST is to be widely acknowledged as an innovative, responsive and trusted provider of continuing professional development and support for teachers and schools. The PDST team comprises seconded, practicing teachers augmented by team leaders, local facilitators and associate trainers.

Email: info@pdst.ie

Phone: (089) 2263713 2.30pm – 4.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Address: Professional Development Service for Teachers, 14 Joyce Way, Park West Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12, D12 F9X8

The National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT)is a State-funded service that supports the induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs), both primary and post-primary, into the teaching profession in Ireland. The main objective of induction is towards promoting the professional development of NQTs by way of systematic support in their first year of teaching, thus laying the foundations for subsequent professional growth and development. The NIPT co-ordinates the provision of a multi-faceted induction programme for teachers called Droichead. The NIPT Full-time team members and Regional Development Officers (RDOs), are supported in their work by a team of associates.

Email: info@teacherinduction.ie

Phone: (01) 4528020

Address: The National Induction Programme for Teachers, Dublin West Education Centre, Old Blessington Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 PX58

Education centres organise the local delivery of national programmes of teacher professional development on behalf of the Department of Education. Centres also organise a varied local programme of activities for teachers, school management and parents in response to demand. Education centres are statutory bodies and are managed by voluntary management committees elected annually.

There are 21 full-time and 7 part-time education centres:

Supervision for guidance counsellors offers peer professional support facilitated by supervisors and an opportunity to access continuing professional development.

Email: iom@eircom.net

Phone: (047) 74000

Address: Guidance Counsellor Supervision, Monaghan Education Centre, Knockaconny, Armagh Road, Monaghan, H18 E890

Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) supports schools in their implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) through the provision of appropriate CPD for school leaders and teachers.

Email: info@jct.ie

Phone: (047) 74008

Address: Monaghan Education Centre, Knockaconny, Armagh Road, Co Monaghan, H18 E980

The Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) is a national Department of Education Programme that supports students who show signs of potential early school leaving. It is an intervention for second level students, who are potential early school leavers. It is based on the concept that all young people are capable of achieving real success in school and they can have a positive experience of education if the conditions are favourable.

Professional development support to schools and teachers offering the Programme is provided through the PDST. The PDST also manages aspects of the programme such as the student profiling system and organises and manages many competitions, initiatives and interventions associated with the programme.

One such intervention is the JCSP Demonstration Library Project. JCSP Libraries are creative, active learning centres which aim to stimulate interest in the student. The Libraries are welcoming, comfortable, exciting and dynamic learning spaces and are stocked with an exciting collection of carefully chosen books and other resources designed to entice and engage the most reluctant teenager. While prioritising literacy development of JCSP students, the libraries also provide a service to the whole school including well stocked teacher resource sections.

JCSP operates within the Junior Cycle curriculum. It follows the curriculum framework set out for the Junior Cycle, which is re-focused to cater for JCSP students. It is an intervention into the Junior Cycle and not an alternative to it. It helps to make the curriculum accessible and relevant to young people who would benefit from a different approach to the Junior Cycle. The JCSP approach involves:

• analysing students’ strengths and weaknesses and taking note of any specific recurring difficulties.
• planning programmes of work which both build on students’ abilities and address the main obstacles which hinder their progress.
• engaging in dialogue with young people and their parents regarding their needs and their progress in school.

There are currently 224 schools involved in the Programme. Entry to the Programme is currently limited to schools participating in the DEIS Action Plan as the target group of students are disadvantaged.

Email: jcsp@pdst.ie

Phone: (01) 2365021

Address: Junior Certificate School Programme Support Service, Blackrock Education Centre, Kill Avenue, Dun Laoighaire, Co Dublin

Summer Camp Programme facilitates a week long Literacy and Numeracy camp to a number of DEIS band 1 primary schools through the medium of either English or Irish.

Email: info@ecnavan.ie or info@dwec.ie

Website: www.ecnavan.ie or www.dwec.ie

Phone: (046) 906 7040 or (01) 908 1633

Address: Summer Camp Programme, Athlumney, Navan, Co Meath, C15 RK03

or Campaí Samhraidh, Old Blessington Road, Tallaght, Co Dublin, D24 PX58

Summer Course Programme makes training courses available to teachers over the summer months. Its main objectives are the advancement of teachers’ pedagogic and management skills.

Email: SummerCourses@ecdrumcondra.ie

Website: www.ecdrumcondra.ie

Phone: (01) 857 6433

Address: Summer Course Programme, Drumcondra Education Centre, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, D09 CKC8

The Teacher Professional Network Scheme (TPN) is a teacher organisation which affords professional peer support to members.

Email: tpn@blackrockec.ie

Website: www.blackrockec.ie

Phone: (01) 2365000

Address: The TPN Administrator, Blackrock Education Centre, Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, A96 EW01

The Centre for School Leadership (CSL) has responsibility for the continuum of professional development for school leaders, from pre-appointment training and induction of newly appointed principals, to continuing professional development throughout careers.

Email: office@cslireland.ie

Phone: (065) 6845510

Address: Clare Education Centre, Government Offices, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 F782

Further Information: Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI)

The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. It acts in the interests of the public good while upholding and enhancing standards in the teaching profession.

Cosán

Cosán, which was published by the Teaching Council on 15 March 2016, is the name given to the national framework for teachers’ learning. Cosán means pathway and this name was chosen to reflect the fact that teachers’ learning is a journey. It marks the continuation of a journey that teachers undertake from Initial Teacher Education, through Induction via the Droichead model, and this professional learning should continue across the duration of a teacher’s career.

Email: info@teachingcouncil.ie

Phone: (01) 6517900

LoCall: 1890 224 224

Address: The Teaching Council, Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co Kildare, W23 Y7X0, Ireland