Tipperary ETB hosts survey for parents to have say on primary education

Tipperary Education and Training Board is asking parents in the county to participate in the Primary Schools Survey and have their say on the future of primary education.

The release of a nationwide survey to all parents of children aged 0-12 by the Department of Education and Youth has been welcomed by Tipperary ETB.

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The survey, available on the Department website at www.bit.ly/survey-primary, aims to assess the demand amongst parents for multi-denominational, co-educational and Irish-medium education at primary level.

The short survey asks parents of current and future primary school children three short questions about their preferences for co-educational or single-sex schooling, denominational or multi-denominational education, and whether they would prefer the school to operate primarily through the English or Irish language.

Education and Training Boards are encouraging all parents of children within this cohort, as well as school staff and boards of management to participate in the survey and ensure that their views inform the direction of primary education in Ireland.

Currently, 1% of Tipperary pupils attend multi-denominational primary schools.

In the 2022 Census, 31% of people in Ireland said they do not identify as Catholic, with over 14% identifying as non-religious and significant increases in other religious beliefs.

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Tipperary ETB is the Patron of the county’s only multi-denominational primary school, Nenagh Community National School, which opened for the 2022/23 academic year.

Ireland’s 16 ETBs are patrons of Community National Schools and Community Colleges across the country, which are state-funded, co-educational, multi-denominational primary and post-primary schools, and the largest provider of education through the medium of Irish.

Chief Executive of Tipperary ETB, Clodagh Kelly, encouraged parents to have their say: “This is an important opportunity to inform the future educational landscape across Ireland. It’s a chance to ensure our schools, in the future, reflect the diverse society we now live in. We would encourage parents, school staff, and boards of management to take time to complete the survey, and to access the resources and information provided by the Department.

“While people are naturally cautious about change, it’s important to note that when a school changes to become, for example, a Community National School under the patronage of their local ETB, lots of the great things that are already in place remain the same. The curriculum, the staff, and extra-curricular activities all remain as they were. The main thing that changes is that the ethos in a Community National School includes all children and their families equally throughout the school day, rather than prioritising any one faith.

“Instead of doing Catholic religion classes only, for example, children learn about different religious and non-religious world views, and the religions and beliefs of their classmates. For families who are Catholic, there is still the option for children to make their First Holy Communion or their Confirmation. The only difference is that preparation for the sacraments happens outside of the regular school day.”

The survey is available on the Department of Education and Youth website at www.bit.ly/survey-primary until Tuesday, December 16, 2025, and requires the use of a valid Eircode.