A Message from the Director

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope you all enjoyed a restful and happy Easter with family and friends. As we return refreshed, I am struck once again by the energy and commitment that defines our school communities across our Cork catchment area.

Cork ESC advocates for and provides leadership and support to local schools across our catchment, grounded in our shared vision of high quality, contextual professional learning at local, regional and national level. In this era of significant curricular and policy reform, that work has never felt more important. Through it, we aim to inspire and equip educators to create inclusive, engaging and future focused learning environments for every learner, underpinned by our commitment to lifelong learning, professional growth and educational excellence.

As W.B. Yeats reminded us, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." That is what drives us here at Cork ESC every day.

I am truly delighted to announce the launch of our Summer Courses 2026, going live on Monday 13th April at 9.00am. Our programme offers a wide range of EPV approved Teacher Professional Learning courses designed to inspire creative and practical teaching and learning. Places are limited and early booking is strongly recommended. https://www.cesc.ie/cpd-courses/search-result.html?category_id=7&layout=table 

We are proud to introduce three new courses this summer to the centre. Everyday Autism Strategies for Schools with Claire Droney M.Ed offers essential practical guidance for schools supporting autism. MFL Spanish with Julia Collins responds to the introduction of Modern Foreign Languages under the new Primary Curriculum Framework, equipping teachers to bring Spanish to life in schools. Leading Gaelic Games in the Primary School is a blended GAA course delivered through the GAA TOBAR portal, across three online days and two days at a Cork City GAA venue.

The full course list went live on our website and social media at 9.00am today. I encourage every primary teacher in our catchment to explore the programme and book early.

Thank you, as always, for the dedication you bring to the children and communities you serve. It is a privilege to walk alongside you in that work.

With warm wishes,

Edmond Hussey,

Director, Cork Education Support Centre

Call Out for Creative Practitioners

Teacher Artist Partnership+ 2026/27

Announcing a wonderful opportunity for creative practitioners of all disciplines to broaden their practice through the Teacher Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) professional development and in-school residency initiative. TAP+ is a creativity rich national initiative where creative practitioners train and collaborate alongside primary and special school teachers, developing shared approaches to creativity, wellbeing, and partnership in schools.

TAP+ supports creative practitioners to work collaboratively with teachers and students, developing creative partnerships that enhance the creative potential of every student. Each course is delivered by trained Teacher–Artist tutor pairs and includes both professional development and practical experience.

Develop creative partnerships with teachers and students. Receive funded training and residencies that bring creativity and the arts into schools across Ireland through TAP+, an initiative of Creative Youth 2023–27 under Creative Ireland and led by the Department of Education and Youth and Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI).

Closing date for applications: Friday, 5th June 2026 at 5pm.

Creative Practitioner Application Form apply here: https://forms.office.com/e/nHeq8bdkW4

Structure and Overview

TAP+ Summer Course is delivered 1st to 7th July 2026 (excluding weekend)

• Delivered in your local full-time Education Support Centre (esci.ie)
• Fully paid training for creative practitioners wishing to work in primary and special schools

TAP+ In-School Residencies

• Bringing learning into practice through creative partnership with teachers and students
• Fully funded 20-hour residencies during the 2026/27 school year
• Eligible for inclusion on the BLAST Register of creative practitioners

Eligibility to Apply

You are eligible to apply for TAP+ if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a creative practitioner, working in any art form, discipline or creative practice (examples: boat maker, jeweller, computer programmer, horticulturist, engineer, drama, musician, etc), who is committed to sharing their practice with students and teachers in primary and special schools
• You have a minimum of three years’ experience in your creative (Applicants will be asked to provide evidence within the application form.)
• You have an interest in working with primary and special schools.
• You can attend the TAP+ Summer Course in your nearest full-time Education Support
• You are willing to collaborate with teachers and students as part of a school-based residency.

Please note: Willingness/ability to practise through Irish is recorded to partner practitioners with Irish-medium schools and schools seeking to enhance their use of the Irish Language. Practitioners of all language abilities through Irish (and none) are welcome to apply.

Requirements for Successful Applicants (Post-Selection)

Applicants who are selected must:

• Complete the TAP+ Summer Course
• Complete the TAP+ in-school residency during the school year 2026/2027
• Provide required documentation to their local ESC (e.g. Tax Clearance Certificate)
• Complete Tusla’s Children First E-Learning Programme
• Undergo Garda vetting before taking up project placements
• Engage fully in partnership-based approaches with a teacher partner

Supports and Fees

• Training allowance of €150 per day over the 5-day summer course training (€750 in total), plus travel and lunch provided.
• Guaranteed paid follow-up in-school residency within a local primary or special school (€1,100 fee inclusive of €200 travel) to carry out a 20-hour residency (14 contact hours plus 6 hours planning, preparation and evaluation) in partnership with your teacher partner during the school year 2026/2027
• Professional development through partnerships and creative, collaborative relationships with teachers, in schools committed to creativity and arts in learning, practice and community
• TAP+ trained creative practitioners are also eligible to participate in BLAST in-school residencies. We invite successful TAP+ creative practitioners to join the BLAST register and where possible to deliver BLAST residencies. See here for further details: BLAST information

Assessment and Scoring

Applications will be assessed and scored by the local Education Support Centre using the following criteria:

Four Criteria (20 marks each)

1. Professional Creative Practice and Experience (Q 13, Q 7–10.)
2. Motivation to Participate in TAP+ (Q 14)
3. TAP+ as a Professional Learning Experience (Q 15)
4. Vision of Creativity and the Arts in Education (Q 16)

Other Scoring (20 marks)

Overall quality of application including identified areas of need within Creative Youth and ESC catchment area.

Total Scoring (Total 100 Marks)

Places on this Creative Youth initiative are limited to four creative practitioners per full-time Education Support Centre area. Please ensure that it will be possible for you to meet all programme requirements before applying. Final decisions on offers of places will be taken by the Director of the local Education Support Centre. Any queries related to TAP+ should be directed to your local full-time Education Support Centre.

Application Link & Preview of Questions 2026

Creative Practitioner Application Form apply here: https://forms.office.com/e/nHeq8bdkW4 Closing 5pm on Friday 5th June 2026.

Please note only online applications through the link above will be accepted. Form questions outlined below:

1. Email address
2. Local full-time Education Support Centre
3. Name
4. Address, County and Postcode/Eircode
5. Email
6. Contact Number
7. Creative Practice-Briefly outline your professional creative practice / genre (e.g. Visual Artist working with textiles and natural materials, Digital creativity and robotics )
8. Qualifications-Briefly outline your qualifications in creative practice and / or length of professional experience
9. Link to Creative Practice-Please insert a link to examples of your professional work where
10. Previous in-school creative initiatives
    • First time to engage with schools through creativity: Artist in Schools; Creative Clusters; Creative Engagement; Creative Schools; Digital Arts; Virtually There; Creative Connections; Other
11. Child Protection-Please note that compliance with child protection procedures is mandatory for all practitioners working with children and young people in I am willing to undergo Garda Vetting with my local full-time Education Support Centre.
    • Yes /No
12. The Irish Language -Willing to practise through Irish
    • Yes / No
13. Professional Creative Practice and Experience - Please outline your professional creative practice:
    • Ensure that your response gives a clear outline of the breadth and depth of your creative
    • Outlining the type of practice and different contexts in which you have worked
    • Give detail of any professional or organisational collaborations you have undertaken
14. Motivation to participate in TAP+ - Please outline your motivation to participate in TAP+ and your passion and interest for working in education and working in partnership with educators, children, young people and school communities.
15. TAP+ as a Professional Learning Experience -Please outline the learning outcomes you hope to achieve in your professional learning through TAP+. Please consider the importance of learning, shared learning and collaboration in partnership with teachers and children in your response.
16. Vision of Creativity and the Arts in Education - Please outline your vision for creativity and the arts in In your response, please outline why it is important in your professional role that creatives work in educational spaces and that children experience high quality arts experiences through curriculum and through partnerships.

The Department of Education and Youth is pleased to announce BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 applications are now open

BLAST Creativity and Arts in Education Residency 2026/2027 apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The closing date for receipt of applications is 20th April 2026.

Please contact your local full-time Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Eligibility:

All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education and Youth or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.

Schools participating in Creative Clusters, Creative Schools, Creative Connections, I am Creative or TAP+ can apply for BLAST.

Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST.

BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education and Youth, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland.

BLAST Application Form Link: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

A Message from the Director

As we approach the Easter holidays, I would like to take a moment to welcome you to the latest edition of the Cork Education Support Centre newsletter.

This term has been filled with valuable learning opportunities, collaboration and continued professional growth across our education community.

The Easter break offers a well-earned pause for reflection and renewal and I hope it provides you with time to rest and recharge. 

We are pleased to share that the BLAST Arts & Creativity in Education Residency 2026/2027 is now open for applications. Schools can apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq. The closing date for receipt of applications is 20th April 2026.

I would like to remind you also that the Creative Clusters application window is currently open, with a closing date of April 20th. Further details and application information can be found here: https://www.cesc.ie/projects-cesc/395-creative-clusters-2026-2028-applications-now-open-2.html

Please find below the list of upcoming courses to bring us up to the Easter holidays.

Thank you, as always, for your commitment and engagement. I look forward to continuing our work together in the term ahead.

Warm regards,
Edmond Hussey
Director
Cork Education Support Centre