The Department of Education issued Circular 0011/2025 in February. the following are its key provisions.
Circular 0011/2025 outlines the staffing arrangements for primary schools in the 2025/26 school year and includes the primary staffing schedules for ordinary schools, Gaelscoileanna, Gaeltacht and DEIS Urban Band One schools.
Frequently Asked Questions on Circular 0011/2025 Staffing Arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2025/26 school year
Staffing Schedules for Schools
Staffing Schedule for 2025-2026 Appendix A – Schedule of Enrolment of Pupils Governing the Appointment and Retention of Mainstream Class Teachers in Ordinary Schools, Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht National Schools for the 2025/26 school year
The new enrolment thresholds for principals and deputy principals are set out in Appendix B of this circular.
Special Education Teacher posts
Circular 0011/2025 also includes information on the allocation of special education hours at Circular 0011/2025 Appendix C. Further information on this can be found in the separate Circular 0004/2025.
Circular 0011/2025 Appendix C – SEN allocations
Form SET cluster 2025/26 (Appendix D) – Special Education Teacher Post (Shared) 2025/26
Schools can for the first time cluster Principal Release hours with Special Education Teaching hours to create a full-time post (25 hours)
Key Dates
Members should note Tuesday, 11 March 2025 as a key date for staffing arrangements in primary schools for the 2024/25 school year.
Main Panel
The Main Redeployment Panels are expected to be published after Easter 2025 for schools to appoint teachers from the panels to vacancies.
Main Panel Update Form: This form is used to update the Department of Education where a teacher takes up a teaching position from the main panel or is deferring their panel rights.
For further information about how the Main Panel operates see here.
It is important that all schools participate in the redeployment process to ensure that teachers are redeployed as early as possible.
Staffing Appeals
The Staffing Appeals Board will meet again in October 2025.
Applications for the March Staffing Appeals Board should be on the correct form from Staffing Appeals Form Appendix F – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year. The categories include:
- Exceptional Accommodation Difficulties Appendix F (a) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- Additional Enrolments in October 2024 Appendix F (b) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- Developing Post based on Additional Enrolments after 30 September 2024 (for October Staffing Appeals Board) Appendix F (c) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- English as an Additional Language (EAL) Teaching Posts Appendix F (d) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- Small Schools Appendix F (e) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- School losing 3 or more Posts Appendix F (f) – Application to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board for the 2025/26 School Year
- Alleviating some of the pressure on class sizes at infants level Appendix F (g) – Ap
Contracts of Indefinite Duration
For comprehensive information regarding Contracts of Indefinite Duration and the Application Process see our website here.
Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) Forms contained in Circular 0011/2025 include
- Declaration by a school for the 2025/26 school year where a teacher has acquired a CID under Part A1 or A2 of Circular 0023/2015 – Circular 0011/2025 Appendix G
- Application for department sanction for the award to a teacher, of a contract of indefinite duration (CID) in the 2024/25 school year in accordance with Circular 0023/2015 –Circular 0011/2025 Appendix H
Supports for Teaching Principals
Circular 0011/2025 retains one leadership and management day a week, secured by this union for every teaching principal. Schools with one special class will continue to have four additional release days in the 2025/26 school year. This scheme has proven to be successful in supporting teaching principals with an increased workload, while ensuring consistent access to a teacher for their class.
Principal Release hours can be clustered with Special Education Teaching Time to create full-time positions.
Applications for new Principal Release Clusters should be made to the Primary Allocations Section of the Department of Education on Principal Release Post Cluster Form 2025/26
Substitute Teacher Supply Panels
The supply panels will continue in 2025/26 school year. The current level of posts in supply panel areas will be reviewed at the end of the current school year. Base schools will be notified of supply panel allocations for next year at that time.
Page updated 23 July 2025
