Can I teach Primary with a HDip in Post-Primary?

Sassie

Hello,
Am just looking for info. I have a Hdip from UCD for Secondary teaching.

Can I teach at priamry level or am I required to go back and study for Primary?
Does Secondary HDip only suffice for subbing?

Am in full time employment at the moment (non-teaching) but that will cease in Decemebr so I want to know what my options are.

Thanks in advance

amz5

Sorry, you aren't even supposed to sub at primary level.

TheColl

amz5 wrote: »

Sorry, you aren't even supposed to sub at primary level.

A degree on its own is enough to sub, never mind a H.Dip. as well! But to get a full time job at primary level you'll need the B.Ed. or the postgrad.

amz5

It is "enough" to sub. Principal's shouldn't accept either secondary school teachers or people with a random degree to sub. The Teaching Council and INTO have stated that people should not be accepted to sub without a Primary School Teaching qualification. Although it is still legal, the majority of Principal teachers are refusing to hire unqualified primary teachers as directed. The H.Dip would be favoured more than a person with an Arts degree. But not for anything longer than a day. As I said in another thread, our Principal splits the class when there is a teacher absent if a qualified sub cannot be contracted for the day. Most Principal teachers are doing this.

There are a very large number of unemployed primary school teachers who would probably be very quick to report Principals who hired unqualified people when there are qualified people available. I am not unemployed, I'm just letting you know that having unqualified personnel is very much frowned upon in the current climate.

Edited to add the INTO stance on the situation:
"Qualifications of teachers:

Boards of management are obliged to recruit and employ fully qualified primary teachers for any vacancy in the school, regardless of the duration of the vacancy. Information regarding recognised qualifications can be obtained from the Primary Administration Section of the Department (Tel: 090 6483735/6483736).
Under no circumstances should a board of management engage an untrained person and commit to retaining that person for the full duration of a teacher’s absence on maternity leave, parental leave, career break etc.
It should be noted that a post-primary qualified teacher is not fully qualified for the purposes of appointment as a primary teacher.
In the event that no suitable qualified teacher applies for a post and an untrained person is appointed pending the availability of a qualified teacher, the Board must outline to the Department the efforts made to secure a qualified teacher and the circumstances that necessitated the appointment of an untrained person.
The procedures for the appointment of teachers as outlined in the Constitution of Boards & Rules of Procedures for Boards of Management of National Schools must be adhered to at all times"


In the past secondary school teachers could get jobs (temporary for the year etc) in primary schools. A very large number of secondary school teachers who had been working in primary schools did the Hibernia course.

BoozyBabe

Sassie, if you have mortgages & bills that rely on you having an income to cover them, I wouldn't even consider this tbh.

I am unqualified, though I will sit my final Hibernia exams in August.

Last Oct, I posted 45 CVs to schools. From those, I got work from 3 schools. 2 of them for only a couple of days. (I'd to turn down some work from one of them & 2 other schools during my teaching practices) & the remaining school, I might get 2-4 days per month on average.

Schools really are very reluctant to employ unqualified people now. A few years ago, the situation was different, & many unqualified people working then now have their contacts & references & are still working (although most are getting primary qualifications). If, like me, you have no contacts in the primary profession, you will really struggle to get work, so my honest advice would be to think of finding work elsewhere.

dungeon

My advice would be to investigate second level, for which you are qualified. There seems to be a ready supply of qualified teachers at primary level so I'd imagine that's not a likely or viable option.