Droichead: The induction process for teachers
Droichead is the induction process for:
- Newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
- Teachers who have not previously completed induction
It runs within each academic year and you are required to complete it within that timeframe.
A key part of the process is to engage with your experienced colleagues and reflect on the professional conversations that take place in your professional learning and practice.
Settings that are recognised for Droichead
As a primary school teacher, you normally complete Droichead when employed as a mainstream class teacher in a recognised primary school.
As a general rule, you must be:
- In paid employment in a permanent, temporary or substitute capacity, and
- Teaching all areas of the Primary School Curriculum, including Irish, to a mainstream class of pupils (single or multi-grade) for the entire school day.
For job-sharing or part-time contracts, please refer to Post-qualification Professional Practice Conditions Transitionary Arrangements.
Other than in exceptional circumstances, your school should place you as a NQT in a mainstream setting.
Special circumstances
In certain circumstances, you may complete Droichead in one of the following roles:
- Special class teacher in a mainstream school
- Teacher in a special school
- Full-time resource teacher of pupils with low-incidence disabilities (as defined by the Department of Education)
- Full-time learning support teacher
- Combination of Learning Support and Resource Teaching post.
In the above cases, your employment must involve teaching the same group of pupils.
Droichead Temporary Measures - supply panels and principal release time posts
In order to assist teacher supply challenges, the following time-bound measures have been put in place for the remainder of the 2023/2024 academic year and the 2024/2025 academic year.
These are short-term measures and are subject to review.
Supply Panels and Principal Release Time Posts
On an exceptional basis, applications for Droichead will be accepted from 14 November 2023 to the end of the 2023/2024 academic year and the 2024/2025 academic year where a primary Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) is employed:
- under the Supply Panel provision, Or
- on a Principal Release Time Post
Please note the following:
Note 1: NQTs must complete the Droichead process for the full duration of their contract of employment in these positions i.e. from the commencement date to the end date of the contract, which must exceed the minimum requirement of 60 teaching days.
Note 2: The Principal and PST members in the base school will play a key role in supporting the Droichead process for the NQT with the Principal of the base school acting in an oversight role. The relevant personnel in the base school must:
- ensure that they have prior consent and agreement from all schools confirming they are willing to facilitate the completion of the Droichead process.
- take responsibility for ensuring that the NQT is supported in all aspects of the Droichead process and becomes part of its school community.
- assume responsibility for ensuring that all requirements of the Droichead process are completed.
- ensure that the NQT is returned to the same receiving school which should be a Droichead trained school, in so far as is practicable.
Note 3: A minimum of two Professional Support Team members (PSTs) from the base school are required to support the NQT throughout the process. Whilst the NQT may also engage with additional PST members in receiving schools, the PST in the base school must take responsibility for signing Form D.
In small schools, or in circumstances where the base school is not in a position to establish a PST exclusively from within the staff, the Oide Droichead Induction Division should be contacted at www.oide.ie to discuss the option of offering the process using the External PST model or the Inter-school model.
Queries
If a school or NQT has any doubt in relation to eligibility, please email the Council for advice at conditions@teachingcouncil.ie.
Queries to the Council should include the full name and registration number of the NQT and as much information as possible in relation to the NQT’s contract of employment.
How long is Droichead?
You must complete a minimum block of 60 consecutive school days in an eligible setting from the date on which you applied for Droichead in a primary school.
This is a minimum period of practice.
We recommended that you use any extra time to remain on Droichead until the end of your contract or the academic year to take full advantage of the support, guidance and advice provided.
Before you apply
Before you apply for Droichead you must:
- Confirm that you are in an eligible setting and meet the minimum duration for the process.
- Confirm that your school is willing to facilitate you through the process by providing a Professional Support Team (PST) to work collaboratively to support and mentor you during your induction process.
- Read and understand Section 2 of the Post-qualification Professional Practice Procedures and Criteria document so that you are fully informed of the Droichead process and what is required of you to complete it.
How to apply for and complete Droichead
There are three main parts to Droichead:
- Apply online
- Engage in Droichead
- Complete the online Droichead Form D
1) Apply via your My Registration account
Select “My Registration” then “My Conditions” and the “View Details” option on your Droichead condition.
After you apply
When you apply for Droichead, you will receive an email acknowledging that we received your application. When you have been accepted onto Droichead, you will receive a confirmation email.
The confirmation email will provide links to important information and documentation. It gives approval and includes your start date.
A copy of the confirmation email is required:
- By your PST to begin Droichead
- To attend the Cluster Meetings
2) Engage in Droichead process:
Strand A: School-Based Induction
- Supported by Professional Support Team (PST)
AND
Strand B: Additional Professional Learning Activities
- Attend 1 NQT Cluster Meeting per term
- At least 1 other Professional Learning Activity chosen in consultation with PST
Professional Support Team (PST)
Your Professional Support Team (PST), must have a minimum of two teachers who have completed at least two days of PST training before they can start the process with you.
You can only conclude Droichead when all the members of your PST have completed all required days of their PST training.
3) Complete Droichead Form D through My Registration
Select “My Registration”, then “My Conditions” and the “View Details” option on your Droichead condition.
Select option to complete your Droichead Form D.
As you are completing your Form D application, you’ll see some sections of the form are filled with information that you provided when you submitted your Droichead application. To view a video about completing a Form D application, click here.