How do I write a teaching plan? For Irish Primary School Teachers

All primary school teachers must complete recorded preparation (aka planning). Recorded preparation can be presented in any format that suits the teacher e.g. on a tablet/ in mind-map format or handwritten in a teacher planner. Most teachers prefer typed plans as they are faster to complete and can be edited each year if they have the same class level again.

The planning that you do will depend on whether you are a student teacher, newly qualified teacher, mainstream teacher, SET teacher or a special class teacher! Below you will find some general information on the types of plans required in different teaching roles and how to complete them.

For more detailed information on planning, I run a webinar on recorded preparation for teaching and learning. You can see a list of all of my upcoming webinars here. 

Mainstream Class Teachers

Mainstream class teachers need to have long and short-term recorded preparation. Some schools will agree on a specific template or format for planning for teachers to use, but all recorded preparation should have the sections outlined in the Guidance on Preparation for Teaching and Learning (I have templates and sample plans with these sections here). 

For long terms, you can complete it yourself using my free basic template, or edit the sample long term plans for your class level which are available via the class level menu at the top of this webpage. Teachingplans’ long term recorded preparation documents are designed to save teachers countless hours, as the content is already pre-populated, so instead of typing everything from scratch, you can simply edit what’s there to suit your needs!

For short terms, NQTs undergoing Droichead/ probation usually complete weekly plans, and fully qualified teachers complete fortnightly plans (although the sections that are included in the plans for both groups are the same). I have a free blank template for short-term recorded preparation which you can download here. I am currently working on completing sample short term plans that align to my long-term plans for all classes. Have a look under you class level on teachingplans.ie to see what is available so far. 

Class teachers also need to prepare a monthly report called the Cuntas Míosúil, which details what work was actually taught. It should be prepared at the end of month and given to the school principal. The Cuntas Míosúil can be a section that is ticked off or written in on the teacher’s short-terms., although some schools require a separate document. I have a cuntas míosúil template and completed sample for class teachers here. 

Finally, if you have a child in your mainstream class who is experiencing difficulties in any area (academic, behaviour, social skills etc.), you will need to create a Classroom Support Plan. NEPS have a template available for this (just google NEPS School Support File). You can also purchase a sample completed plan and guide on how to create a CSP here.

Children who attend the SET teacher will also need separate plans, and while the class teacher collaborates with the SET on these plans, the SET is responsible for completing them.

Special Education Teachers and Special Class Teachers

Long terms – A SET/ special class teacher will need to complete an individual long-term plan for each child on their caseload/ in their class. The same NEPS template that is used for Classroom Support Plans is used for School Support and School Support Plus plans. I have a comprehensive guide on how to complete long term planning for special ed. teachers, which you can download for free here. I also have sample completed School Support and School Support Plus plans here. Some schools still use an Individual Education Plan (IEP) format for children with a diagnosis. This is acceptable and I have a free IEP template and sample plan available here.

Any child who also receives SNA support will need something called a Personal Pupil Plan (PPP). This is usually completed by the child’s SNA, SET and class teacher. I have a template and sample PPP available here. Planning for how the SNA will support the child can also be incorporated into the Student Support Plan. I have an example of an integrated student support and care needs plan here. 

SETs do not need to have long term plans for each subject, but special class teachers do. I have a separate blog post which outlines the recorded preparation needed for special class teachers and explains this in more detail here. 

Short terms – SET teachers and special class teachers also complete short term recorded preparation. SETs usually complete this weekly. Special class teachers will need to check with their school on whether weekly or fortnightly recorded preparation is required. The sections in the short term recorded preparation are outlined in the Guidance on Preparation for Teaching and Learning and are the same for all teachers regardless of the setting in which they teach. I have a “SET Short Term Plan Template” may be used by SETs. Special class teachers will need to plan for each subject and you can use our “Short Term Recorded Preparation Template” for whole class planning.

A cuntas míosúil is also required for SET and special class teachers. This will either be included as part of the short term recorded preparation, or some schools may ask for a separate document (examples and templates here). 

EAL Teachers

EAL teachers need to complete long term EAL plans for the children on their caseload using the Up and Away Curriculum. The plan will depend on the level of English language proficiency achieved by the child on the Primary School Assessment Kit (PSAK). I have an EAL long term plan that can be edited in minutes to suit children on any level of the PSAK available here.

EAL teachers also need to complete weekly plans. I have short term editable EAL planning for all levels here. 

For more detailed information on EAL planning and resources, you can read this dedicated blog post. 

Student Teachers

Student teachers who are on placement, usually complete lesson plans for each lesson that they teach, along with a weekly scheme detailing the work to be covered in a particular subject that week. The content of the lesson plan is usually very similar to what would be included in a fully qualified teacher’s short-term recorded preparation, although the lesson plan usually would need to have more detail. The exact format and template that the student teacher should use will ordinarily be provided by their college.

I hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below.