Guidance documents
National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE)
Higher Education System Performance, Institutional and Sectoral Profiles 2016/17 A report by the Higher Education Authority (October 2019). This is the seventh in a series of reports from the Higher Education Authority. These profiles, developed in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills and the higher education institutions, have proved invaluable in supporting strategic planning at institutional and system levels. Click here to view the full report.
2020 Survey of post-primary guidance counsellors Continuing Professional Developement (CPD) needs
NCGE is conducting a survey to facilitate a review of the recently completed 'NCGE Webinar Series' and to gather information on School Guidance Counsellors’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs.This survey will inform the development of NCGE’s CPD programme for the next academic year (2020/2021).
It will only take approximately 3-5 minutes to complete and all submissions are anonymous.
If you are a Guidance Counsellor in a post-primary school and / or if you attended one of the recent NCGE webinars please click the link below
2018 Survey of post-primary guidance counsellors Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs. The aim of the survey was to establish guidance counsellors' professional development needs in order to inform the planning, design, development and delivery of NCGE's CPD programme for 2019 onwards. Initial feedback and a full report of the findings can be found here.
Survey on the Continuing Professional Development needs of guidance counsellors working in second level schools. Report of Findings was published in May 2014. The aim of the survey was to establish the needs of guidance counsellors in relation to CPD and to establish the best modes and delivery time frames for CPD.
Circular Letter 0058/2019 - Advice on the use of assessment instruments/tests for Guidance or for additional and special educational needs (SEN) in post-primary schools - this revises Circular Letter 0035/2017 and has been informed by the work of the Advisory Committee on Psychometric Testing. The Circular highlights good practice in relation to the selection, administration, interpretation and retention of assessment related information and the provision of feedback to students.
Circular Letter 0035-2017 - Assessment Instruments (including tests and web-based resources) approved for use for guidance and/or learning support in post-primary schools which has been informed by the work of the Advisory Committee on Psychometric Testing. The Circular highlights good practice in relation to the selection, administration, interpretation and retention of assessment related information and the provision of feedback to students.
DES Approved Allocation of Teaching Posts:
School Year 2019/2020: Details regarding the DES approved relevant guidance allocation is on page 4 of each document - The table presents the PTR reduction to restore guidance provision. Appendix 3 provides additional information on guidance provision in post-primary schools.
The purpose of this circular is to inform all post primary school management and staff of the staffing arrangements for post primary schools for the 2012/13 school year including, in particular, the requirement to manage guidance from within the standard allocation.
Circular 0009/2012.
English.
Staffing arrangements in post-primary schools for the 2012/13 school year
Gaeilge.
Eagair foirne i scoileanna iarbhunoideachais don scoilbhliain 2012/13
Research on the practice of counselling by guidance counsellors in post primary schools (2011)
The research findings and recommendations provide stakeholders with information on the nature, scope and context of counselling within the guidance programme in post-primary schools. The findings can contribute to and encourage further dialogue on policy, delivery, supports, training and continuing professional development in the area of counselling within guidance provision.
Department of Education & Skills - Response to: Research on the practice of counselling by guidance counsellors in post primary schools (2011)
A Curriculum Framework for Guidance in Post-primary Education: Disucssion Paper, (2007)
The objective of this curriculum framework is to delineate curricular experiences in the inter-related areas of Personal Guidance, Educational Guidance, and Career Development. Central to this objective is the development in learners of self-management skills that will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives.
Review of Guidance in Second-level Schools (2006)
This report is based on the findings from the four strands of a "top to bottom" review of guidance in second-level schools in Ireland, carried out between the autumn of 2003 and the spring of 2005. The final chapter identifies a set of issues for further consideration in relation to improving the quality of the guidance service in second-level schools.
Guidance Plan - Template
The template take account of three support documents published by the National Centre for Guidance in Education, the School Development Planning Initiative and the Department of Education and Skills respectively. These three documents are available below.
Planning the School Guidance Programme, National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE), (2004)
Planning the School Guidance Plan, School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI), (2004)
Guidelines for Second-Level Schools on the Implications of Section 9 (c) of the Education Act 1998, relating to students' access to appropriate guidance, Inspectorate, (2005) English / Gaeilge