In education in the Republic of Ireland, a national school is a type of primary school that is financed directly by the State, but administered jointly by the State, a patron body, and local representatives. There are other forms of primary school, generally private denominational schools attached to secondary schools - unlike their second level counterparts, these primary level private schools receive no support from the state.
In national schools, most major policies such as the curriculum and teacher salaries and conditions are managed by the State through the Department of Education and Science. Minor policies of the school are managed by local people, often directed by a member of the clergy, as representative of the patron, through a local board of management. Most primary schools in Ireland fall into this category, which is a pre-independence concept.
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National schools, established by the British Government with the Stanley Letter in 1831, were originally multi-denominational, with a six-member board of two Roman Catholics, two Church of Ireland, and two Presbyterians. There was strict delimitation between religious and non-religious education, where the teacher had to declare that religious education was beginning, hang a sign on the wall indicating that religious education was in process, and remove all religious symbols and objects from sight when religious education finished. Also, parents had the right to remove their children from this period of religious education if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. Lastly, schools who failed to abide by these rules or who refused admissions of different faiths to the patron were denied state funding. These rules largely remain in place today, but are no longer well recognised by the State, the patron bodies, or the general public.
In the nineteenth century, in a climate of historical animosity between the churches, the multi-denominational system was strongly opposed: the established church (Protestant Church of Ireland), though the church of the minority, held a special position and a right to government support in promoting Protestantism. Both the Roman Catholic Church, which was emerging from a period of suppression, and the Presbyterians, who had also suffered under the penal laws, had sought state support for schools of their own tradition. In particular Bishop James Doyle was an early proponent, seeking to improve on the informal hedge school system.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, first the Catholic Church, and later the Protestant churches conceded to the state, and accepted the "all religions together" legal position. The result was that by the end of the nineteenth century the system had become increasingly denominational, with individuals choosing to attend schools primarily catering to children of their own religion. However, the legal position de jure, that all national schools are multi-denominational, remains to this day. Although, since the establishment of the Free State consistent pressure has been exerted by the Catholic Church to drop the multi-denominational legal position, this has never been conceded by the state. A report was submitted to government in 1953 showing more than 90% of the schools were attended by only one denomination - that most National Schools were de facto denominational. Changes in the Rules for National Schools were introduced in 1965 and 1973 allowing for the first time integration of religious education into the curriculum. Today, following many years of immigration for the first time in Ireland, a large majority of the National Schools cater for more than one religion. Today National Schools are both de jure and de facto multi-denominational. [1]
Patronage of a national school is a privilege normally given to those who provide initial financial support, and, until recently, required a local annual contribution. With decreasing support for the churches in Ireland, the local contribution was recently abolished.
As of the summer of 2007[update], there were 3,279 national schools, broken down by denominational patronage as follows:
| Catholic | 3,032 |
| Church of Ireland | 183 |
| Multi-denominational | 40 |
| Presbyterian | 14 |
| Inter-denominational | 5 |
| Muslim | 2 |
| Methodist | 1 |
| Jewish | 1 |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | 1 |
| Quaker | 1 |
There is a widespread misunderstanding in Ireland as to the religious nature of national schools - for instance, there is no such thing as a Catholic national school (and none is so named) - people of all religions being taught together in the same school is at the core of what national schooling in Ireland means, and all of the national schools have "no religious discrimination at entry" as part of their ethos. However, Section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 provides that a school does not violate anti-discrimination legislation where "it admits persons of a particular religious denomination in preference to others or it refuses to admit as a student a person who is not of that denomination and, in the case of a refusal, it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school". Although recently introduced religious discrimination, primarily by the Catholic Church, is incompatible with the Equal Status Act, the Equality Authority has thus far failed to react against it.
Ethos, or characteristic spirit, is an important concept in the any legal understanding of education in Ireland. It is best defined (legally) in the 1998 Education Act. "the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school"
Co-education is the predominant form of school, with 2,915 co-educational schools, and 364 single-sex schools predominantly located in larger towns and cities. However, even in Dublin and Cork, the two largest cities, co-educational schools predominate.
In 2008, the Irish Primary Principals Network, among other groups and individuals, called for fresh thinking in both the areas of funding and governance of national schools, as well as other types of primary school.[2] Many feel this is a move towards complete secularisation of such schools, by removing the religious patronage and possibly having control of the schools handed over to the state.
In the past, local people were expected to contribute towards capital expenses of the school, whilst teachers' salaries are paid by the state. The day-to-day business of the school is managed by a principal or headteacher, as with other schools. However, the state oversees the curriculum and makes regular inspections to ensure that standards are kept and national policies are followed.
| Class name | In Irish | Typical Ages | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Infants | Naí Shóisir | 4-5 | Subjects of English, Irish, mathematics, nature, religion, art and physical education are introduced |
| Senior Infants | Naí Shinsir | 5-6 | |
| First Class | Rang a hAon | 6-7 | Subjects of geography and history are introduced |
| Second Class | Rang a Dó | 7-8 | |
| Third Class | Rang a Trí | 8-9 | |
| Fourth Class | Rang a Ceathair | 9-10 | |
| Fifth Class | Rang a Cúig | 10-11 | |
| Sixth Class | Rang a Sé | 11-12 |