Come To Cork

Education

The Irish education system is free – from primary school right through to third level. Attendance is compulsory from age 6 to 16, although most children start younger and stay longer in the system.

Primary Level

Children usually start primary school at the age of four or five and spend eight years getting a basic grounding in the three ‘Rs’ as well as studying music, art, social skills, sports and culture.

The study of the Irish language is compulsory in all schools but if you’re coming from abroad and your child is over the age of 11 when entering the system, he or she may be exempt.

In the Cork region, there are almost 400 primary schools, including about a dozen that cater for children with special needs. Historically, most Irish schools were run by religious communities, and although the churches take a less active role these days, the majority of state-funded national schools are still denominational, with Catholic schools predominant.

You can send your child to any school you choose, provided there is a place available – and for practical reasons, preference is given to children living nearby and who already have a sibling attending the school.

Second Level

Children usually start secondary school at the age of 12 or 13. For the first three or four years they have the opportunity to study a broad range of subjects, usually taking eight or nine subjects for their Junior Certificate at age 15 or 16.

Mathematics, English and Irish (with the exemption mentioned above) are obligatory and most schools encourage the study of at least one modern European language as well as a choice of science subjects, history and geography, and arts subjects. Physical education, sports and cultural/social development are also taken very seriously in Irish schools and almost every school organises periodic educational trips, concerts, and special-interest clubs for its pupils.

After the Junior Certificate exam, many pupils take a “Transition Year” before starting into the Leaving Certificate study programme. This gives students the chance to explore life outside the school curriculum and usually includes some time spent on a work-experience scheme in an area that interests them.

After the Transition Year, work on the two-year-long Leaving Certificate programme starts in earnest. Most students take this at age 17 or 18 and take examinations in six or seven subjects. There are approximately 100 second level schools in Cork, catering for almost 50,000 students. The standard of education here is regarded as being generally very good with Irish the Irish education system comparing well with that of other member states. A 2007 OECD survey on the educational attainment levels of 15-year-olds in almost 60 countries worldwide, put Ireland in the top quarter with a ranking of 15.

Third Level

Third-level education has expanded hugely in the past generation. Now more than 65% of students who take the Leaving Certificate go on to third-level education. Some go directly from school, while others spend a few years in the workplace or travelling abroad.

Since the 1990s, tertiary education up to primary-degree level is free to all Irish and EU citizens – presuming that they’ve been resident in the country for three of the five years before their enrolment on a full-time two-year course.

Demand for university places is very high and often outstrips supply in popular courses. Places are allotted on the basis of grades received in the Leaving Cert examination – or its international equivalents.

Cork has several world-class, third-level colleges – UCC, CIT and Griffith College – all of which can hold their heads up in the international education arena.