Children generally attend secondary school between the ages of 12 and 18. It is only compulsory up until 16 years of age, or until a child has completed three years of second-level education.
Types of secondary schools
Voluntary secondary schools
• Under the trusteeship of religious communities, boards of governors or individuals
• Managed by a board of management • Mostly denominational • Can be single-sex or co-educational • Receive funding from the Department of Education and Skills
Community and comprehensive schools
Vocational schools and community colleges
Educate Together secondary schools
Private
secondary schools
• Managed by a board of management • Mostly denominational • Co-educational • Receive funding from the Department of Education and Skills
• Owned by local Education and Training Boards (ETB) • Managed by a board of management • Non-denominational • Co-educational • Receive funding from the Department of Education and Skills • The main providers of adult education and community education courses
• Managed by a board of management • Multi-denominational • Co-educational • Receive funding from the Department of Education and Skills
• Managed by a board of management. • Mostly denominational • Can be single-sex or co-educational • Not eligible for Department of Education and Skills funding to assist with running costs
Junior cycle • This is a three-year educational programme with compulsory assessment.
• It aims to extend and deepen the quality of students’ knowledge, develop personal/social confidence, and prepare them for further study or employment.
• Students study a variety of subjects including English, Irish and Maths. è For more information on junior cycle see www.juniorcycle.ie
502 Complete Home Economics Did you know
The first Educate Together secondary school opened in Ireland in 2014.
Did you know
There are 55 private fee- paying secondary schools in Ireland.
Educational programmes offered in secondary schools Did you know
Since 2014 a new junior cycle framework has been introduced by the Department of Education and Skills. This involves new content in established subjects, newly developed short courses and a new approach to assessment and reporting.
