Ireland H ello, my name is Shane Cullen. Co. Laois, Ireland and I would like to explain the Irish school system. In Ireland school life begins at the age of 5, were the children are taught first level education for 8 years. They start in Junior Infants, then advance to Senior Infants. The children have learned to read and write by now and have started to speak a second language, Irish.
Children spend a year in each class and after sixth class they go on to secondary school.
School in Ireland is compulsory until one is 16. After first and second year students do their Junior Certificate. After third year students can choose to do fourth year or transition year. Then they progress into fifth and sixth year and at the end of sixth year, students do their Leaving Certificate. The students have to gain a certain amount of points to get into college and each subject has a total value of 100 points.