Teaching in Northern Ireland : Entry requirements

It is compulsory to have a recognised teacher training qualification in order to gain a permanent teaching post in primary or secondary schools in Northern Ireland. In contrast with the rest of the UK, there are no 'shortage’ or ‘priority’ subjects in Northern Ireland. Competition for teaching posts is extremely high and, as a result, many newly qualified teachers (NQTs) spend their first year in temporary teaching posts. As in the rest of the UK, all candidates must, by law, satisfy ‘fitness to teach’ requirements and be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) before entering schools.

How do you become a further education (FE) lecturer in Northern Ireland?

In Northern Ireland, a teaching qualification is not mandatory for appointment to posts in FE. Full-time and associate lecturers in FE without a teaching qualification (such as a BEd or a PGCE) are expected to complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Further and Higher Education delivered by the University of Ulster (the only recognised provider) within three years of taking up a post. Lecturers who go on to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Further and Higher Education are also eligible to teach in schools. Issues surrounding a new award of Qualified Teaching, Learning and Skills (QTLS) are still under consultation with the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DELNI). For the latest information, visit Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK).