Enrolling your child in secondary school

Secondary school in Ireland is similar to ‘high school’ in other countries. In general, children start secondary school when they are 12 or 13 years old.

All children in Ireland are entitled to free secondary school education. Most children attend public secondary schools funded by the State.

Depending on your child’s age when you return to Ireland, they will start secondary school in one of 6 ‘years.’ See the table below for the general age range of students in each school year:

All children in Ireland are entitled to free secondary school education. Most children attend public secondary schools that are funded by the State.

While most children attend public secondary schools, you can choose to send your child to private school or educate them at home.

Private school

There are a small number of private secondary schools around the country. Private schools are not free, so you will pay annual tuition fees. Check with the school directly for details of their fees and curriculum.

Independent school

Independent Schools (also called ‘non-recognised schools’) are privately run and require an annual tuition fee. You should contact the school directly for further information about their fees, curriculum, and other activities.

If you choose to send your child to an independent school, you must register with Tusla's Alternative Education Assessment & Registration Service (AEARS).

Tusla has a list of approved independent schools.

Home-school

You have a right to educate your child at home, rather than send them to school. Depending on your child’s age, you may need to register with Tusla’s Alternative Education Assessment & Registration Service (AEARS), before you begin home schooling.

You do not need a formal teaching qualification to home-school your child, and you do not need to follow the national curriculum. However, you must give your child a ‘certain minimum education.’ Visit our page about teaching your child at home for more information.

Depending on where your family settles in Ireland, you may have a choice of nearby secondary schools. The schools may be public (funded by the state) or private (fee-paying).

Each school’s board of management or patron decides how it is run. For example, a school can have a particular:

• Religious ethos (for example, Catholic or multi-denominational)
• Language of instruction (English or Irish)
• Gender (all girls, all boys, or mixed)

Other differences

All State-funded secondary schools must follow the national curriculum for:

• Junior Cycle (for students in first, second and third year)
• Senior Cycle (for students in fifth and sixth year)

Secondary schools can vary in the subjects they provide. For example, some schools offer a wider choice of international languages, while others offer a wider range of practical subjects, like engineering and construction studies.

While all schools must teach to the Leaving Certificate, some secondary schools also offer:

• Leaving Certificate Applied
• Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme

Transition Year (TY)

Transition Year (also called ‘TY’) is an optional one-year programme that takes place between the Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle.

Each school designs its own TY programme to suit the needs and interests of its students. Schools must design their TY programme within set TY guidelines for schools (pdf) and include core subjects that all students take for the full year.

Transition Year is optional, and admission criteria vary from school to school.

Learn more about Transition Year.

You can search for secondary schools in your area using the Government’s online directory. The directory lets you filter your search results by religious ethos, language of instruction, and gender. You can then click into each individual school for their enrolment numbers, contact details and inspection reports.

Most schools also have a website with information about their ethos, policies, curriculum, and extra-curricular activities. If you cannot find the information online, contact the school directly.

Contact the school to see if there is a place available for your child. Every school has specific admission dates when you can apply, but schools can also accept students later in the year, if there are places available. If you apply to a school mid-year or after the admissions period has passed, the school should accept your child if they have a place available.

If the school does not have enough places, it will give priority based on its admissions policy.

Visit the school

When you find a school with a place available, you may want to arrange a visit. Most schools can arrange a visit on a typical school day, to make sure you and your child like it.

Always apply for a school place in writing, and check if the school has an application form. If they do not have one, write a letter of application and address it to:

The Secretary,
Board of Management,
Name and address of school

Remember to write the date on your application.

Schools may ask you for additional documents like previous school reports, a birth certificate, and an educational assessment. Schools cannot ask for a baptismal certificate as part of your application (as set out under the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018).

Keep a copy of your completed application form or letter and copies of any documents you submit with the application.

The school must reply to you in writing and within 21 days of your application to let you know whether your child has been accepted or placed on a waiting list.

If you get an offer from the school, you must formally accept it. Schools usually have a deadline by which you must accept their offer.

After you accept a place for your child, you must sign a declaration stating that you accept the school’s behaviour policy and that you will do your best to ensure your child complies with it.

If the school refuses your application to enrol your child, see ‘how to appeal the decision’ below.

The school may request documents from you to determine what class to put your child in, or what level of support they need. They may ask for:

• Copies of report cards
• Relevant assessments and reports of special educational needs
• A list of current textbooks and course outlines
• Results of standardised tests
• Examples or copies of your child’s latest classroom work

The school also might request your child's immunisation records. This is so your child can be included in the School Immunisation Programme.

Exemption from learning Irish

Depending on how long your child has lived abroad, they may not have to study Irish in school. You must apply to the school’s principal for the exemption from Irish and include proof of your child's age and previous schooling.

If a school refuses to enrol your child because they do not have a place available, you can ask their board of management to review the decision. If the board reviews the decision but your child still does not get a place, you can then formally appeal the decision.

You can also appeal to the Department of Education and Youth if a school refuses to admit your child for a reason other than the school being not having a place available.

If a school tells you that your child is on a waiting list, ask where they are on the waiting list and how you will be informed of any changes to their place on the list.

If you cannot find a school place for your child, contact Tusla’s Educational Welfare Office in your area.

Read about the length of school terms and the dates of mid-term breaks.

Supports for secondary school students

If you live more than 3.2 km from your local secondary school, you may be eligible for the Secondary school transport scheme.

If you need help with the cost of school uniforms and footwear for your children, you can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA).

You can also visit spunout.ie, a website for teenagers in Ireland that provides mental health supports.