Books on shelves representing access to education and learning support for children in Ireland

Accessing education for children in Ireland

The Irish education system is made up of pre-school, primary school and post-primary (secondary) school. All children in Ireland under the age of 18, can attend school for free.

Accessing education

The Irish education system is made up of pre-school, primary school and post-primary (secondary) school. All children in Ireland under the age of 18, can attend school for free.

As a parent, you must make sure your child is educated from the age of six to 16. Most children start primary school at age five and continue school until they finish their Leaving Certificate exams at the end of post-primary school.

Parent speaking with staff about school placement support

Pre-school

Pre-school is optional in Ireland. If your child meets the age requirements, they can get free pre-school education through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme.

Queries

Queries related to school places or transport should be sent to [email protected] for the attention of the Tulsa Education Support Service (TESS). Staff are seconded to IPAS from the Tulsa Education Support Service (TESS) to assist with school places for children living in IPAS accommodation centres.

Please include the name(s), TRC number(s) (if applicable) and centre address, as well as details of the case.