ADVERT ID 254926
Principal Teacher
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MAIN DETAILS
Status:
Active
Level:
Primary
Date Posted:
Wed Jun 10 2026
Application Closing Date:
Wed Jun 24 2026
Commencement Date:
Tue Sep 1 2026
Status of Post:
Permanent
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SCHOOL DETAILS
School Type:
Special School
School Structure:
Vertical
Gender:
Co-Educational
School Patronage:
Catholic
Total No. of Teaching Staff:
13
Current Enrolment:
87
Droichead school:
Yes
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POST DETAILS
Panel of Applicants:
An internal panel of suitable applicants may be set up to fill vacancies which may occur within a specific time period (four months for teacher posts and the duration of the school year for SNA posts) from the date on which the Board approves the successful candidate.
Additional Information:
The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s Special School invites applications for the position of Principal Teacher. This permanent appointment will be made via open competition, with a commencement date of 1st September 2026.
St. Joseph’s is a Catholic special school under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Dublin, catering for students aged 5 to 18 years with a Mild General Learning Difficulty and Autistic students with a range of learning needs.
The school has an established In-School Management team comprising an Administrative Deputy Principal and 3 Assistant Principal II (APII) post holders. The wider staff team currently comprises 13 Special Class Teachers, 4 supernumerary Specialist Subject Teachers/Tutors (Art, Home Economics, ICT, and Woodwork), 1 exceptional hours' teacher, and 26 Special Needs Assistants operating across 12 classes (3 Primary classes, 5 Post-Primary classes, and 4 Autism classes).
The school provides an individualised, diverse curriculum spanning the Primary School Curriculum, Junior Cycle (Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes / L1LP & L2LP), the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), and Senior Cycle pathways. More information about the school's profile and activities can be found at https://sjss.ie.
The roles and responsibilities of the post are determined by the four domains of Leadership and Management as set out in Department of Education Circular 0044/2019:
• Leading Teaching and Learning
• Managing the Organisation
• Leading School Development
• Developing Leadership Capacity
Key Requirements:
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
• A high level of teaching experience in Special Education.
• An understanding of, and a commitment to, the Catholic ethos of the school. Applicants must hold the necessary qualifications to teach Religious Education, or give a commitment to obtaining a recognised Certificate in Religious Education within two years of appointment.
• Deep knowledge and experience across the diverse curriculum frameworks offered in the school, including primary, L1LP/L2LP, and LCA.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Evidence of continuous and relevant professional development.
• Proven leadership skills with evidential experience of leadership and management.
• Experience in the development, implementation, operation, and evaluation of innovative school-based initiatives, as well as experience in policy development.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be fully registered with the Teaching Council under Route 1 (Primary), Route 2 (Post-Primary), or Route 4 (Other), and have a minimum of five years’ recognised teaching service, two of which must be in a recognised primary or post-primary school within the Republic of Ireland.
Appointment will be subject to, but not limited to: satisfactory professional references; current and continuing Teaching Council registration; current vetting requirements; and occupational health screening.
Application Instructions:
Please submit a letter of application along with the Standard Application for Principalship/Deputy Principalship via post to:
FAO Chairperson: Principal Application 2026
St. Joseph’s Special School
Castletymon Road
Balrothery
Tallaght
D24 ND34
St. Joseph’s is a Catholic special school under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Dublin, catering for students aged 5 to 18 years with a Mild General Learning Difficulty and Autistic students with a range of learning needs.
The school has an established In-School Management team comprising an Administrative Deputy Principal and 3 Assistant Principal II (APII) post holders. The wider staff team currently comprises 13 Special Class Teachers, 4 supernumerary Specialist Subject Teachers/Tutors (Art, Home Economics, ICT, and Woodwork), 1 exceptional hours' teacher, and 26 Special Needs Assistants operating across 12 classes (3 Primary classes, 5 Post-Primary classes, and 4 Autism classes).
The school provides an individualised, diverse curriculum spanning the Primary School Curriculum, Junior Cycle (Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes / L1LP & L2LP), the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), and Senior Cycle pathways. More information about the school's profile and activities can be found at https://sjss.ie.
The roles and responsibilities of the post are determined by the four domains of Leadership and Management as set out in Department of Education Circular 0044/2019:
• Leading Teaching and Learning
• Managing the Organisation
• Leading School Development
• Developing Leadership Capacity
Key Requirements:
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
• A high level of teaching experience in Special Education.
• An understanding of, and a commitment to, the Catholic ethos of the school. Applicants must hold the necessary qualifications to teach Religious Education, or give a commitment to obtaining a recognised Certificate in Religious Education within two years of appointment.
• Deep knowledge and experience across the diverse curriculum frameworks offered in the school, including primary, L1LP/L2LP, and LCA.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Evidence of continuous and relevant professional development.
• Proven leadership skills with evidential experience of leadership and management.
• Experience in the development, implementation, operation, and evaluation of innovative school-based initiatives, as well as experience in policy development.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be fully registered with the Teaching Council under Route 1 (Primary), Route 2 (Post-Primary), or Route 4 (Other), and have a minimum of five years’ recognised teaching service, two of which must be in a recognised primary or post-primary school within the Republic of Ireland.
Appointment will be subject to, but not limited to: satisfactory professional references; current and continuing Teaching Council registration; current vetting requirements; and occupational health screening.
Application Instructions:
Please submit a letter of application along with the Standard Application for Principalship/Deputy Principalship via post to:
FAO Chairperson: Principal Application 2026
St. Joseph’s Special School
Castletymon Road
Balrothery
Tallaght
D24 ND34
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APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
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Applications may be submitted by
- Post
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Roll Number:
19520H
Apply To:
FAO Chairperson: Principal Application 2026
St. Joseph’s Special School
Castletymon Road
Balrothery,
Tallaght
Dublin
D24
St. Joseph’s Special School
Castletymon Road
Balrothery,
Tallaght
Dublin
D24
County:
Dublin
Postal District:
Dublin 24
Enquiries To:
Website:
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