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National school
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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. Most major policies such as 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.
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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. Most major policies such as 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.
National Schools, established by the British Government with the Stanley Letter in 1831, were originally multi-denominational, with a six member board of two 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 where 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 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 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 "de facto" increasingly denominational, with individuals choosing to attend schools primarily catering to children of their own religion. However, the legal position "de jure" remains to this day, having not been conceded even under a strongly Catholic post independence state.
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.
, there were 3,279 national schools, broken down by denominational patronage as follows:
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.
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. 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.
Summary of classes in Irish national schools| 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 | |
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