A Guide to the Leadership of Teaching and Learning
Tacaíocht, Spreagadh, Misneach
Supporting School Leadership
Introduction
The leadership of teaching and learning is core to the purpose of school leadership. Empowering the provision of high quality learning experiences that allow children to exercise agency with regard to their learning, and better enable them to achieve their potential, is at the heart of what those with leadership and management roles aspire to do.
As part of our Sustainable Leadership project, IPPN conducted an evidence-informed analysis of the current reality of primary school leadership. There were four elements to the evidence base:
1. The extent to which the workload of school leaders has increased since 2016
2. The nature of that workload with reference to the domains of the Quality Framework for Leadership and Management
3. The impact of the preceding factors on the sustainability of leadership roles
4. The impact on the health & wellbeing of school leaders, as measured by an independent research study.
With reference to the first two elements of the evidence base, our analysis highlighted the following:
n The breadth of tasks and responsibilities ascribed to school leaders has increased considerably since 2016 as each circular, each set of policy guidelines, and each new scheme or initiative is published
n Those tasks and responsibilities demonstrate a significantly disproportionate focus on managing the organisation, with a much lesser focus on the leadership of teaching, learning and school development.
97% of principals agreed that the factor that most undermines the sustainability of their roles is the number of tasks & responsibilities they have to undertake that have nothing to do with their core purpose of leading teaching and learning.
Indeed, in response to a survey of members conducted in 2022, 97% of principals agreed that the factor that most undermines the sustainability of their roles is the number of tasks & responsibilities they have to undertake that have nothing to do with their core purpose of leading teaching and learning.
IPPN is the professional body for primary school leaders in Ireland and we seek to empower the most effective leadership of our schools in order to ensure better outcomes for children. It is in this context that we have developed these guidelines.
To be clear, the guidelines are not offered as a ‘To-do List’, nor do they claim to be definitive or exhaustive. We do hope that schools will use the guidelines to reflect upon and to inform the practice of leadership of teaching and learning in their particular context. We also hope that the guidelines may help to bring about a more balanced practice of leadership in our schools, with a greater focus on our core business of teaching and learning.
Leadership of Teaching and Learning
a shared responsibility
A shared or distributed model of leadership in schools is generally accepted as the most appropriate way of ensuring that our schools are led and managed effectively. It is also recognised that this distributed leadership approach has the potential to enhance the sustainability of senior leadership roles within our schools, while also developing the capacity of those who may be appointed to those roles in the future. Therefore, effective sharing of leadership has a consequential and demonstrable positive impact on school effectiveness and the building of leadership capacity within the team.
In Circular 0070/2018 Leadership and Management in Primary Schools, the Department of Education established the rationale for such an approach to leadership. Circular 0044/2019 provides more detail in explicitly stating that:
‘Assistant Principals occupy positions of strategic importance in the leadership, management and administration of the school. In line with the principles of distributed leadership, Assistant Principals work in teams in collaboration with the Principal and/ or Deputy Principal and have shared responsibility, commensurate with the level of the post, for areas such as:
n learning and teaching
n leading school development (including curriculum development)
n pupil support including wellbeing
n school improvement
n leadership/management and development of individuals and staff teams
n special education and inclusion
n supporting teachers during the induction phase of their career’
This shared responsibility for the leadership and management of the school is also evident in the Quality Framework for Leadership and Management in the revised Looking at our School document published in 2022. There is a clear articulation within the statements of effective and highly effective practice that responsibility for the achievement of the four standards within the domain of Leading teaching and learning is shared by the principal, the deputy principal, other leaders in the school and, where relevant, the Board of Management.
This provides an important reminder that school leaders do not always have to be the most expert person in the room or the person who is best placed to lead on specific aspects of teaching and learning. It is more important that school leaders, in partnership with the wider leadership team, recognise where that expertise and capacity lie and then ensure that the leadership is shared and supported accordingly.
DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
Effective leadership is focused on the development of the team and the building of leadership capacity throughout the organisation. Research indicates that future leaders need to be identified and developed. Sufficient opportunity should be afforded to emerging or aspiring leaders to develop their leadership skills, as a curriculum/ teacher leader, prior to their appointment to a leadership role. The effective sharing of leadership, both with the leadership and management team and the wider staff, will better ensure that meaningful opportunities for the development of individual leadership capacity will present.
Consideration might also be given to the recording of such experiences in a personal Leadership Portfolio, which would offer aspiring leaders a structured way of mapping out their leadership journey. The leadership portfolio could be structured in such a way as to provide aspiring leaders with an opportunity to
n outline their understanding of and vision for leadership
n detail the leadership learning opportunities that they have undertaken
n detail specific instances where they have led or participated in the leadership of a specific activity or initiative in their school
n detail specific instances where they have led or participated in the leadership of a specific activity or initiative in a setting other than their school.
Such a portfolio would also be of enormous help in leadership and management postrecruitment processes.
LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS REFLECTION TOOL
To assist an evidence-informed approach to the effective sharing of leadership in schools, IPPN has developed a Leadership Effectiveness Reflection Tool, based on the domains and standards of the quality framework. It details the tasks/actions associated with the achievement of those standards with a view to establishing who is best placed to undertake such actions. We believe that engagement with this reflection tool will help to move towards greater role clarity and leadership effectiveness. The reflection tool can be accessed here and is also included in Appendix 1.
When engaging with the document, the challenge is to reflect upon and determine what should be the responsibility of the principal, the deputy principal and those involved in the leadership & management of the school. Another is to ascertain who or what structure might be required to address what should not be the responsibility of the principal, the deputy principal and those involved in the leadership & management of the school.
The list of tasks/actions is not exhaustive. There is a range of other tasks/actions that take place on a daily basis in schools, including the management of communications, interactions with parent/guardians, etc. It is impossible to capture the totality of school life and the multiplicity of school contexts, so schools should feel free to add to the document to take account of their specific context. The tool is provided in Word format so it can be tailored to meet the needs of each individual school.
TRACKING ACTIONS WITH REFERENCE TO THE DOMAINS AND STANDARDS
Another tool that leadership and management teams have used effectively is a tracking document that records actions undertaken and into which of the domains and standards those actions fall.
The benefits of such an approach include
n raising awareness of and developing familiarity with the domains and standards
n encouraging reflection on action, both of the leadership and management team but also of the wider staff
n helping the team to reflect on where, and how we were spending our time, with a view to achieving greater balance of focus
n affirming the work undertaken and what has been achieved.
n providing a record of the work undertaken to report to the Board of management and which could also be shared with the Inspectorate or any other stakeholder.
A template tracking document is included as Appendix 2.
School Culture
The Primary Curriculum Framework emphasises the importance of student agency and teacher agency. The dynamic is described as follows:
‘Teachers, as skilful and agentic professionals, enact the curriculum by making decisions about what to teach, when to teach it, and how to sequence and pace learning. This includes decisions about the specific learning experiences to be provided, shaped by the children’s strengths, needs, interests, and individuality.’
Effective teachers create an environment and culture within their classrooms that empower that student agency. ‘Even more important than the physical learning environment is the creation of a respectful, caring, and secure atmosphere that nurtures learning and development.’
Similarly, effective school leaders create an environment in their schools that empowers teacher agency. That same caring, respectful, secure environment will better ensure that teachers, individually and collectively, will have the most positive impact on the personal development of children and, of course, their learning.
Implementation of the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice and the Bí Cineálta Procedures will significantly contribute to and assist the creation and maintenance of such a culture in our schools.
Effective teachers create an environment and culture within their classrooms that empower that student agency.
ORGANISATIONAL ROUTINES
What are organisational routines? Put simply, they are systems, policies or approaches that schools use to organise themselves to deliver quality teaching and learning. They serve to structure practice and enable efficient, co-ordinated action across the school. They also better ensure clarity, a sense of common purpose and can reduce the potential for conflict.
Examples of Organisational Routines
The following are examples of organisational routines used by schools:
n Agreed approaches to the allocation of classes to teachers, and children to classes
n Co-ordination of caseloads for special education teachers
n Individual teacher timetables (mainstream and special education)
n Timetabling of access to shared facilities such as general purpose halls, computer rooms, etc., and to shared resources such as laptops, tablets, science equipment, instruments, etc.
n Agreed approaches to assessment & reporting
n Class group meetings
n SEN team meetings
n Staff meetings
n The code of behaviour.
Leadership considerations
To better ensure the relevance, effectiveness and impact of organisational routines, the following may merit consideration:
n Adapt approaches and organisational routines to suit the school’s context – an approach that works in one school may not be suitable for another
n Involve staff in the design and implementation of the school’s organisational routines – the greater the involvement of staff in making sense of that data and designing the organisational routines, the more likely those routines will be impactful
n Monitor the effectiveness of those organisational routines – while organisational routines can be used to facilitate change, an unintended consequence can be the preservation of a status quo that isn’t necessarily working for the school.
Adapt approaches and organisational routines to suit the school’s context – an approach that works in one school may not be suitable for another
Learning Environment
The physical environment in which teaching and learning take place is a key determinant of the quality of that teaching and learning. It stands to reason that optimal conditions within the physical environment are more likely to lead to more effective learning experiences and better outcomes for children.
Given the significant variance that exists between the age, architecture, etc., of primary school buildings around the country, for the purposes of these guidelines, we will confine our focus to classrooms – mainstream and special education rooms.
Responsibility for reflecting on the set-up and identification of needs or issues within these rooms could and should be shared with mainstream and special education teachers, to ensure that the best possible environment is provided for teaching and for learning.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
Light
A balance between having sufficient natural light and being able to control the amount of natural light in the classroom is important. Too much natural light can make it challenging for children to see whiteboards or interactive panels clearly and may impact on their ability to concentrate. Too little natural light impacts on mood and motivation levels. This is equally a factor for teachers.
Having sufficient artificial light is also important, particularly during winter months. The gold standard would be to have dimmable lighting that is adjustable to avoid glare. At the very least, it would be important that all bulbs are working properly and are replaced promptly when they are not. To avoid the negative impact bulbs that flicker or hum could have on children with sensory challenges, it is particularly important to replace such bulbs promptly. LED lighting is deemed preferable to fluorescent lighting.
Room Size and Allocation
In schools where there are significant variances in the size of classrooms (mainstream and special education settings), it is important to ensure that some thought has been given to what rooms are allocated to what classes or groups. There is a range of factors that merit consideration including:
n the physical size of the pupils
n the number of children in the class or group
n the nature of the activities taking place in the room (playful and engaging learning experiences, etc.)
n the need for universal access facilities in cases of mobility issues
n proximity to a lift (where relevant)
n the need to be able to accommodate specialist furniture within the room
n proximity to exits in cases of children who are a flight risk
n the value in having class groups beside each other to better facilitate collaborative approaches.
Allocating rooms to teachers and particular classes or groups before the end of the school year allows for the organisation of what might be needed e.g. furniture and/or specialist resources.
Furniture
At its most basic level, having furniture that is suited to the size and stage of development of the children in the class or group is important. Account must also be taken of the needs of individual children. The standard size of chair and table may not be suited to individual children. Specialist furniture and/or equipment may be required. Details on how to access funding from the DE to acquire such furniture/equipment are available here.
Placement of tables in ‘horseshoe’ shape merits consideration in both mainstream and special education settings, as this promotes greater engagement with the teacher in small group activities.
Classroom Arrangement
Having the right furniture is one thing; arranging it to promote engagement is another. Considerations for the teacher include:
n the children’s ability to see the whiteboard/display panel
n the children’s ability to engage, interact and learn from one another in groups
n the facility to accommodate active learning methodologies
n the need for a basic level of personal space and comfort (for the children and the teacher)
n the need for room to safely move around the classroom (for the children and the teacher).
Heating and Ventilation
As we know from difficult recent experiences, there is a need for balance to ensure that rooms are sufficiently warm during the colder months but also sufficiently ventilated. We know that effective ventilation can improve pupils’ concentration and attainment. We also know that classrooms that are too hot, or lacking in air circulation, pose potential health risks to children and staff.
At the very least, heating systems and radiators need to be fully operational (able to turn them on and off as required) and it must be possible to open classroom windows safely. The CO2 monitors that were distributed to schools during the Covid 19 pandemic can provide an effective means for staff to monitor the quality of air in the classrooms.
Outdoor Spaces
Teaching and learning are not just confined to indoor settings. Outdoor settings provide a range of educational opportunities that complement, enhance or add to those that are provided in indoor settings.
It is important to note the significant variance that exists between schools in terms of the outdoor spaces that are available to them. No matter how limited that outdoor
Digital Resources and Infrastructure
Ensuring that teachers have access to and/or have the capacity to produce the resources they require to deliver high quality learning experiences is an imperative for schools. With specific reference to the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning, schools have developed digital learning plans that focus on specific priorities aimed at addressing the individual needs of children and equipping them with the skills and knowledge to use digital technology effectively so that they can become more active and independent in their own learning.
A key challenge for those with leadership and management roles in the school is to ensure that the digital infrastructure in the school allows for the effective implementation of the school’s digital learning plan. To assist schools in this regard, the Technology in Education section of Oide has developed a Digital Technology Infrastructure (DTI) Guide for schools that is written specifically for school leadership. The purpose of the guide is ‘to present Digital Technology Infrastructure in a non-technical manner and to show how it can support schools in achieving their teaching and learning objectives’.
Developing and maintaining the school’s digital technology infrastructure is crucially important in order to allow teachers to focus on how to embed the use of such technology into teaching, learning and assessment. To assist schools and teachers in this regard, a Digital Learning Framework has also been developed.
A key challenge for those with leadership and management roles in the school is to ensure that the digital infrastructure in the school allows for the effective implementation of the school’s digital learning plan.
Features of a school’s digital learning plan will typically include actions that seek to better ensure:
n the systematic integration of digital technology into the school curriculum
n the provision of ongoing professional development opportunities for staff to foster digital literacy and to ensure the confident use of digital technology in teaching and learning
n the development of a digital learning culture that takes account of the needs of all members of the school community
n the investment in, and the acquisition, deployment and management of all required digital technology infrastructure and resources.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
Key responsibilities for those with leadership and management roles are:
n development of a digital learning plan
n implementation of the digital learning plan
n monitoring and review of the digital learning plan
n facilitation of the sharing of effective classroom practice
n development and maintenance of the school’s digital infrastructure (with technical expertise and support provided by external IT providers)
n adherence to procurement procedures and frameworks for digital infrastructure.
Individual & collaborative planning and preparation for teaching and learning
In 2021, the DE published a resource to inform the process of planning and preparing for teaching and learning – Preparation for Teaching and Learning - Guidance for All Primary and Special Schools. The guidance highlights that ‘Preparation for teaching and learning is best understood as an ongoing process which evolves as we continuously learn new information about the children, their needs, their interests and their abilities. In this way, all preparation for teaching and learning should be understood as being ongoing and evolving.’
There are three elements to that preparation:
n invisible preparation – ongoing reflection about practice relating to children’s needs and drawing on their experience and beliefs about teaching and learning
n visible preparation – the provision of appropriate learning experiences to support the learning of all children
n recorded preparation – any documentation which supports teachers’ ongoing practice and reflection and can include ‘short-term and long-term documentation, student support plans/IEPs, assessment data, cuntas míosúil, end of year reports, personal notes, documentation from other professionals and outside agencies, etc.’
The following is a useful FAQ document to support teachers’ preparation for teaching and learning: Frequently Asked Questions re Preparation for Teaching & Learning
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To support the process of preparation for teaching and learning by individual teachers and groups of teachers, the following practices may be of benefit:
n promote dialogue and reflection about teaching and learning across the school community
n engage in conversations/meetings with individual teachers about teaching and learning
n engage in conversations/meetings with groups of teachers about teaching and learning
n promote collaborative planning meetings among class groups / SEN team
n reviewing individual teachers’ recorded preparation
n advise in relation to individual teachers’ recorded preparation
n ensure procedures are in place for the systematic passing on of relevant information relating to children
n ensure procedures are in place for the acquisition of relevant information in relation to new children to the school
n ensure ease of access for relevant teachers to assessment data, to end-of-year reports, and to reports from outside agencies/professionals.
…engage in conversations/meetings with groups of teachers about teaching and learning
Individual & collaborative teacher practice
The Quality Framework for Teaching and Learning in Looking at our School (2022) details standards within the domains of Teachers’ individual practice and Teachers’ collective/collaborative practice.
The standards communicate an expectation that teachers will: n have the requisite, training knowledge and skills n plan, prepare and deliver learning experiences to achieve specific outcomes n differentiate those learning experiences to meet individual needs and n appropriately assess the achievement of those outcomes.
The standards also communicate an expectation that teachers will do all of the above in collaboration with other teachers and in keeping with agreed approaches and organisational routines. The Primary Curriculum Framework goes further in identifying teachers as ‘committed, skilful, and agentic professionals.’
It is clear that the recruitment of competent and professional teachers will better ensure the achievement of these standards. However, a teacher’s practice must continue to evolve over time and should be informed by new ideas and new pedagogical approaches.
The process by which we now induct newly-qualified teachers into the profession (Droichead) has introduced a powerful and impactful dynamic to the potential for influencing teachers’ practice. Newly-qualified teachers have the opportunity not only to have their own practice observed by experienced colleagues, but they also have the opportunity to observe the practice of those experienced colleagues. The professional conversations that take place in the aftermath of those observations have afforded not just the newly-qualified teachers, but also the experienced teachers, the opportunity to reflect and develop their practice.
The benefits to the newly-qualified teacher are obvious but the feedback from experienced teachers indicates a positive impact on their own practice, which highlights the potential of this dynamic if it were to be a school-wide practice.
As reflective practitioners, continuing professional development is also key to the ongoing evolution and development of individual and collaborative teacher practice. Such professional learning should ideally have an impact on teachers’ practice, on the learning of the children and it should be mindful of the school context.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To better ensure quality individual and collaborative teacher practice, the following practices may be of benefit:
n identify candidates for interview whose applications detail the highest levels of competence and professionalism
n interrogate that competence and professionalism during the interview
n ensure the Professional Support Team meets its obligations in terms of mentoring and supporting newly-qualified colleagues
n facilitate observation of the practice of the newly-qualified teacher and the followup professional conversations
n facilitate observation of the practice of experienced teachers by the newlyqualified teacher and the follow-up professional conversations
n promote the concept of peer observation as a means of developing practice
n facilitate peer observation and the follow-up professional conversations among those teachers who are willing to engage with the practice
n promote engagement with professional development opportunities that are aligned to the needs of the teacher and the needs of the school
n facilitate the sharing of learnings from those professional development opportunities with other teachers.
The professional conversations that take place in the aftermath of those observations have afforded not just the newly-qualified teachers, but also the experienced teachers, the opportunity to reflect and develop their practice.
Evaluation of pupil outcomes and experiences
As referenced in the previous section, assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. The Primary Curriculum Framework describes it as ‘a process involving children and teachers and, at times, parents and other stakeholders, as they gather, record, interpret, use, and report information about a child’s progress and achievement in developing knowledge, concepts, competencies, skills, and dispositions.’
The framework identifies three types of assessment:
n intuitive assessment – unplanned, unrecorded and ongoing
n planned interactions – more visible, may be recorded and is directly related to learning outcomes/competencies
n assessment events – distinct, visible and recorded.
The data gleaned from assessment is then used by teachers to:
n monitor pupil progress
n inform the planning, preparation and delivery of learning experiences
n evaluate the suitability of approaches / programmes
n identify where needs arise for further support or intervention
n provide informal and formal reports to parents
n inform referrals to other supports and services.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To better ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to assessment in the school, the following practices may be of benefit:
n review the school’s assessment policy, as a staff, to ensure that it details the use of the different types of assessment and to better ensure familiarity with agreed approaches
n monitor the consistent implementation of the school’s assessment policy
n ensure that assessment periodically features as an agenda item at class group, SEN team and staff meetings
n ensure that recorded assessment data is stored and shared appropriately
n facilitate the sharing of new assessment practices and methodologies
n ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for annual standardised testing
n report aggregated data to the DE annually
n report aggregated data to the Board of Management.
Inclusive practice
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) developed an Inclusive Education Framework. It was designed to provide ‘guidance to schools on what constitutes good practice for including pupils with special educational needs and is designed to provide clear signposts to schools on their journey towards inclusion.’
The framework is a reflection tool to be used by schools to develop and enhance inclusive practice and ‘to foster an ongoing individual and organisational commitment to inclusive practices and policies.’
While recognising the critical importance of leadership as a ‘motivating force for change towards models of good practice in educating pupils with special educational needs’, the framework also identifies that this leadership is shared across all members of the school community. Notwithstanding the acknowledgement of this shared responsibility for the leadership of inclusion, the framework does identify the principal as having a pivotal role to play.
Leadership of inclusion on a broader level involves
n the setting of an inclusive culture
n the development of that sense of shared responsibility for inclusion
n the development of a whole school approach to inclusion
n monitoring the impact and outcomes of the school’s inclusive practices and policies.
On a more practical level, the breadth of the tasks and responsibilities in the leadership of inclusion (as detailed below) highlights the urgent need for a shared approach.
The framework is a reflection tool to be used by schools to develop and enhance inclusive practice and ‘to foster an ongoing individual and organisational commitment to inclusive practices and policies.’
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to inclusive practice in the school, those with leadership and management roles should not only seek to ensure that the following tasks are undertaken but should also consider who is best placed to undertake them. This can be part of the leadership reflection process.
n Recruit or allocate teachers with appropriate skillsets and experience to SET roles
n Allocate caseloads to SETs
n Review timetabling of SETs
n Ensure maintenance of student support files
n Ensure logging of frequency and intensity of behaviours of concern
n Ensure the school meets its obligations in relation to the Assessment of Need process
n Meet with parents
n Meet with SENO
n Meet with NEPS Psychologist
n Liaise with NCSE advisors
n Liaise with Visiting Teacher service
n Ensure a systematic approach to internal diagnostic assessment
n Facilitate external assessment
n Review and disseminate professional reports
n Deploy SNAs to meet care needs of children
n Provide confirmation of attendance to SENO
n Provide confirmation of Leavers to SENO
n Make applications for assistive technology
n Make applications for specialist furniture
n Manage applications for exemption from Gaeilge
n Monitor programme implementation
n Ensure identification and procurement of appropriate resources
n Keep abreast of new approaches & strategies.
School self-evaluation and school improvement planning
The latest guidance issued by the DE in relation to school self-evaluation (School Self-Evaluation: Next Steps - September 2022 – June 2026) can be accessed via this link. It identifies school self-evaluation (SSE) ‘as a process of collaborative, internal school review that is focused on school improvement.’ Using evidence-informed approaches to impact positively on the quality of teaching and learning are integral to the process.
With specific reference to schools in the DEIS programme, it is important to note that Circular 0034/2023 stipulates that such schools ‘must engage in systematic action planning for improvement. This planning process should lead to the development and implementation of a three-year improvement plan: the DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This plan is to be reviewed annually. There is no requirement for any additional or separate plan for school self-evaluation (SSE) as the DEIS Action Plan for Improvement is the school improvement plan.’
Critical to the success of SSE/DEIS action planning is a school culture that promotes critical reflection and professional collaboration. Such a culture is underpinned by trust, with research establishing that the most effective schools at collaborating to improve outcomes for students were those that had developed an unusually high degree of relational trust. The implications for school leaders are clear.
Similarly to the leadership of inclusion, the breadth of the tasks and responsibilities in the leadership of SSE (as detailed below) is significant and there are clear opportunities for sharing that leadership across the wider team. When an area of focus and priorities have been agreed, following a process of consultation, it is crucial to recognise and empower the person best placed to lead the school community in pursuing those priorities.
THE P-I-E-W APPROACH
PIEW is a strategic approach to managing school improvement planning using the school self-evaluation (SSE), School Improvement (SIP), and DEIS planning processes.
PIEW empowers school leaders by providing them with a means of managing expectations. It is a structured framework that facilitates collaborative discussion, using the SSE process, to identify the priorities that will significantly impact teaching and learning while also managing staff capacity for further change.
PIEW supports school leaders to control and manage the flow of initiatives into the school by:
n restricting the number of initiatives/priorities established by the school
n ensuring the phased implementation of those initiatives/priorities (ideally over five years) through the completion of the Prioritisation, Implementation, and Embedding phases
n ensuring a focus on the embedding phase which is crucial in terms of achieving long-term impact but is often omitted by schools.
PIEW can also be used as a positive communication tool to promote an understanding amongst parents and staff of the SSE, SIP, and DEIS planning processes and the requirement for effective schools to prioritise/deprioritise. Once the strategic priorities have been agreed upon, all other suggestions are recorded in the W column (The W in PIEW i.e. ‘Not Yet - WAIT). All suggestions are shown respect but must ‘wait’ to be considered as part of the SSE process. The plan is visual, simple to explain, and easily understood by all school community members.
This positive communication tool empowers the leader to hold respectful and positive conversations regarding change with staff and parents. Those making the suggestion(s) concerning school improvement feel listened to and respected. Every reasonable suggestion is considered a good idea when using the PIEW framework. However, all suggestions are recorded in the W column for consideration at a later stage as part of the SSE process.
Ensure that a combined School Self-Evaluation Report and School Improvement Plan / DEIS Action is prepared/reviewed each year, and that a summary of the plan is communicated to the whole school community annually.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to school self-evaluation in the school, those with leadership and management roles should not only seek to ensure that the following tasks are undertaken but should also consider who is best placed to undertake them. This can also be part of the leadership reflection process.
n Initiate consultation to establish areas of focus
n Facilitate consultation to identify priorities within the area of focus
n Ensure data is gathered and analysed
n Ensure tasks and targets are formulated
n Ensure school improvement plan is devised
n Ensure school improvement plan is implemented
n Ensure that a combined School Self-Evaluation Report and School Improvement Plan / DEIS Action is prepared/reviewed each year, and that a summary of the plan is communicated to the whole school community annually.
Evidence-informed practice
Evidence-informed practice is a term used, in the context of schools, to describe how schools use data, research and practitioner insights and experiences to inform the way learning experiences are planned, delivered and evaluated. An evidence-informed approach can also be used to inform decision-making about agreed pedagogical approaches, programmes, policies and organisational routines.
An important point to emphasise is that evidence is broader than research and more than just data. It is also informed by professional judgement and experience as well as being underpinned by the school’s lived values.
There is no absence of data for schools to consider and most of it is quantitative. Much of it is generated through assessment practices and relates specifically to learner outcomes and pupil progress/attainments. Qualitative data in relation to learner experiences is not generated to the same degree. However, whether the data is quantitative or qualitative, the challenge for schools is to make sense of it and to use appropriately to guard against automatic judgements and to ensure more informed action.
There is also much to be gained from schools and teachers being research-engaged so that they are both consumers and producers of research. Engagement with the research of others means teachers and schools can keep abreast of developments and evolving perspectives in relation to pedagogical approaches and programmes. Research undertaken within the school, however, has the potential to have a profound impact on teaching and learning as it is more likely to be relevant to the context of the school.
It is worth noting that that the Teaching Council has a research bursary scheme for teachers which offers support to teachers wishing to carry out new research which supports shared learning and enhances practice. Further information is available via the following link
In summary, an evidence-informed approach is more likely to assist the school in raising questions and providing answers about practice as well as the achievement of consensus with regard to approaches, policies and procedures being more likely.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To promote evidence-informed practice in the school, those with leadership and management roles could seek to:
n guide professional conversations in relation to the use of evidence
n model the use of evidence to inform decisions
n cultivate teacher buy-in to an evidence-informed approach
n use the school self-evaluation process to embed such an approach
n identify what supports might be needed to assist staff in making sense of data
n promote engagement with research
n facilitate the sharing of learnings from research
n encourage teachers to undertake research aligned to the needs of the school and its context
n support them through the research process
n ensure that research findings are considered in terms of their implications for practice.
It is worth noting that that the Teaching Council has a research bursary scheme for teachers which offers support to teachers wishing to carry out new research which supports shared learning and enhances practice.
Pupil participation in matters relating to their learning
Empowering pupil participation in matters relating to their learning has twin benefits. Firstly, it leads to greater levels of engagement. The Primary Curriculum Framework describes the dynamic as follows: ‘Providing children with regular time to talk about their learning and to identify and reflect on their next steps contributes to their selfidentity as learners, while peer assessment and other collaborative learning enable children to support and extend each other’s learning.’
The second benefit derives from the fact that children experience the classroom in a fundamentally different way to teachers. Therefore, the differing perspectives captured thorough the ‘learner lens’ can contribute to teachers’ reflection on practice and the nature of the learning experiences planned and delivered. So by ensuring the student voice is captured, both teaching and learning are enhanced.
This is not without challenge in the primary school setting, as children need to be ‘scaffolded’ and empowered to be able to form and articulate their perspectives. Learning experiences that provide them with opportunities for decision-making, creativity, and collaboration will better equip them to demonstrate agency and enhance their ‘capacity to act independently and to make choices about and in their learning.’
Looking at our School (2022), when identifying the importance of pupil participation, makes reference to the Lundy model of child participation which includes four aspects:
n Space: children must be given safe, inclusive opportunities to form and express their view
n Voice: children must be facilitated to express their view
n Audience: the view must be listened to
n Influence: the view must be acted on as appropriate.
Further detail on the Lundy model is provided in the DE’s Student Participation in the DE Implementation Plan 2024-2026. It is clear that such an approach is also likely to be fundamental to efforts to enhance student wellbeing.
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS FRAMEWORK
This is a flexible framework with the core objective of promoting positive and collaborative relationships among all school community members. Partnership Schools is a ready-made, flexible model to ensure all stakeholders in the school community setting are heard, included, and involved in the school’s work. The objective is to support the leadership team’s work and help achieve the goals set out in the school SIP / P-I-E-W plan. The requirement to only focus on the SIP / P-I-E-W plan is to achieve reduced workload rather than an increase.
The Partnership Schools committee includes staff, students, parents, and community members. It gives voice to all school community members, thereby achieving many of the objectives in LAOS and the Student and Parent Charter (Bill 2019). The Department of Education has identified Partnership Schools as a practical and impactful framework for promoting student voice.
More detail on the framework is available in the Partnership Schools Information Leaflet.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To develop and embed a culture in which the participation of pupils is facilitated and valued, those with leadership and management roles could:
n engage with students as key stakeholders in the same way as is done in other aspects of their lives
n give consideration to the use of the Lundy model to facilitate such participation
n facilitate peer interaction / student collaboration to develop skills and competencies
n provide opportunities and explicitly teach the skills required for students to be able to give feedback effectively
n ensure consultation with students as part of the school self-evaluation process
n use the data gleaned from such consultation to gain deeper insights into learners’ experiences
n democratise aspects of classroom life, including feeding into classroom charters, making choices about activities
n establish formal school-wide structures that facilitate the student voice, such as a student council.
Parent participation in matters relating to their children’s learning
Reference is often made to the fact that the Constitution identifies parents as the primary educators of their children and that parents should be embraced by schools as parents in the education process. What does (or perhaps should) this look like in practice and how can it enhance the quality of leaching and learning in the school?
The National Parents’ Council (NPC) published its research document Parental Involvement, Engagement and Partnership in their Children’s Education during the Primary School Years. It highlights the fact that ‘Extensive international research shows that children do better when their parents are actively involved with their education’ and contends that maximising ‘opportunities for bridging communication between children’s home and school may be a significant factor in children’s educational outcomes.’
As schools, in our Parents as Partners policies, we encourage parents to become actively involved in the life of the school. However, we need to be mindful of the difference between parents being involved in school-related activities and the sort of parental engagement that makes a difference to the educational outcomes of their children.
The NPC research concedes that consensus has yet to be reached as to what that parental engagement should look like but it does conclude that the ‘most effective examples of how parents are encouraged and supported by schools to become involved and engaged in their children’s learning, during their primary school years, focus on proactive relationship building with parents and families’.
The research also clearly identifies the significant role to be played by those with responsibility for leadership and management roles in the school. It concludes that ‘approaches to parental involvement, engagement and partnership are more likely to be successful when principals display a ‘side by side’ rather than a ‘top down’ approach to management of school relationships, and when they actively and explicitly prioritise relationships between home and school.’
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS FRAMEWORK
Similarly to the manner in which the student voice can be empowered, the Partnership Schools Framework offers a structured approach to the meaningful involvement of and engagement with parents.
As described in the previous section, Partnership Schools is a ready-made flexible model to ensure all stakeholders in the school community setting are heard, included, and involved in the school’s work. The Partnership Schools committee includes staff, students, parents, and community members, thus giving voice to all.
LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS
To develop and embed a culture in which parental engagement is facilitated and valued, those with leadership and management roles could:
n promote the importance of relationships with parents that are characterised by trust, openness and respect
n identify activities and events that have the potential to enhance such engagement
n ensure regular and clear communication with parents both by teachers and by school leaders
n remain cognisant of the difficulties some parents may have in processing such communication
n ensure that parents have the opportunity to share as well as receive information in relation their children’s learning
n ensure meaningful consultation with parents in relation to school policies and procedures
n ensure consultation with parents as part of the school self-evaluation process
n use the data gleaned from such consultation to gain deeper insights into learners’ experiences
n involve parents in decision-making on all relevant issues
n ensure meaningful collaboration and engagement with the parent association in the school.
Appendix 1 Leadership Effectiveness Reflection Tool
n This reflection tool seeks to assist the exploration of the practice of school leadership with reference to the Quality Framework for Leadership & Management (LAOS 2022). It is envisaged that the tool would be used by school leaders and those involved in the leadership and management of a school in order to reflect on current leadership practice
n IPPN fully accepts that there are leadership and management dimensions to all school leadership roles and that their needs to be a balanced focus on both dimensions.
n In the tables below,
l the first column details the standards within each domain of the quality framework
l the second column details how that standard might be achieved and
l the third column details the tasks/actions that are undertaken in schools relating to those domains and standards
l the fourth column can be used to identify who, if anyone, is currently undertaking the task/ actions detailed in column 3.
l the fifth column can be used to identify who might be better placed and/or capable of undertaking the task/actions detailed in column 3
n When engaging with the tool, it is important to bear in mind that there may be tasks currently being undertaken by someone or some structure/body other than the principal, the deputy principal and those involved in the leadership & management of the school. It is also important to bear in mind that there may be tasks currently being undertaken by the principal, the deputy principal or those involved in the leadership & management of the school that could or should be undertaken by someone else or some other structure/body.
n The list of tasks/actions in column 3 is not exhaustive. There is a range of other tasks/actions that take place on a daily basis in schools including the management of communications, interactions with parent/guardians, etc. It is impossible to capture the totality of school life and the multiplicity of school contexts, so schools should feel free to add to the tool to take account of their specific context.
Standards How?
Promote a culture of reflection, improvement, collaboration, innovation and creativity in learning, teaching and assessment
n Create an environment that empowers teacher agency
n Promote a culture of reflective practice
n Promote collaborative practice
n Strive to achieve improved outcomes
n Promote the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning
n Promote and celebrate innovative and creative practice
Curriculum
n Ensure the development of a school plan
n Ensure that it is regularly reviewed and updated.
n Monitor planning and preparation for teaching and learning
n Ensure varied, differentiated and ageappropriate teaching approaches are used
n Ensure a systematic approach to the assessment of pupil learning and that modes of assessment are varied and age-appropriate
Foster a commitment to inclusion, equality of opportunity and the holistic development of each pupil
Manage the planning and implementation of the school curriculum
n Ensure that a broad curriculum and varied learning opportunities are provided
n Promote a culture of inclusion that is reflected in all school policies
n Ensure all staff support an ethos of equality of opportunity
n Ensure a consultative and sensitive approach to the provision of additional support for pupils
n Ensure pupil progress is monitored
n Ensure that preparation for teaching and learning reflects a broad curriculum
n Ensure that preparation for teaching and learning is systematic
n Ensure that valuable learning experiences are planned and delivered
Foster teacher professional learning that enriches teachers’ and pupils’ learning
n Promote the importance of relevant continuous professional
n Identify and facilitate participation in relevant professional development opportunities
n Promote and facilitate teachers’ participation in communities of practice
n Ensure assessment information is used to inform learning experiences and teaching approaches
n Facilitate collaborative planning meetings
n Ensure professional conversations about teaching and learning feature on the agendas of staff meetings
n Ensure ongoing review of curriculum policy statements
n Plan and provide targeted professional development
n Avail of external supports through Oide
n Ensure staff remain informed of developments in the area of curriculum and assessment
Inclusion
n Allocate caseloads to SETs
n Review timetabling of SETs
n Ensure maintenance of student support files
n Ensure logging of frequency and intensity of behaviours of concern
n Ensure school meets its obligations in relation to the Assessment of Need process
n Meet with parents
n Meet with SENO
n Meet with NEPS Psychologist
n Liaise with NCSE advisors
n Liaise with Visiting Teacher service
n Ensure systematic approach to internal diagnostic assessment
n Facilitate external assessment
n Review and disseminate professional reports
Standards
DOMAIN 1 – LEADERSHIP OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
n Deploy SNAs to meet care needs of children
n Provide confirmation of attendance to SENO
n Provide confirmation of Leavers to SENO
n Make applications for assistive technology
n Make applications for specialist furniture
n Manage applications for exemption from Gaeilge
l Process application forms
l Determine whether child meets the criteria
l Communicate outcome of application to parent
l Issue certificate of exemption to parent
l Record exemption details on POD and on school’s information management system
n Monitor programme implementation
n Ensure identification and procurement of appropriate resources
n Keep abreast of new approaches & strategies
Standardised Testing
n Ensure literacy and numeracy tests are administered annually
n Collate scores from class groups
n Return scores for the relevant class groups via ESINET to DE
n Analyse test scores and monitor trends from year to year
n Include key information on pupils annual reports
n Use information to inform teaching and learning plans
Professional Development
n Promote an engagement with ongoing professional development among all staff
n Facilitate the sharing of learnings from engagement with professional development among all staff
Create and maintain a positive school culture and a safe, healthy and purposeful learning environment, and sustain it through effective communication
n Ensure all required policies are in place and reviewed systematically
n Seek to maintain a safe and secure environment underpinned by respect for all
n Ensure child protection procedures are followed
n Ensure health & safety obligations are met
n Establish effective ways of communicating with all members of the school community
School Culture
n Ensure the existence and maintenance of a culture that encourages respect, trust, care, consideration and support for others
n Ensure the existence and maintenance of a culture that is welcoming of difference and diversity and fosters inclusivity
n Recognise the importance of respectful relationships across the school community
n Ensure that a child-centred approach is adopted to all of the work of the school
n Ensure the characteristic spirit (ethos) of the school is upheld
Manage the school’s human, physical and financial resources so as to create and maintain a learning organisation
Manage challenging and complex situations in a manner that demonstrates equality, fairness and justice
n Establish and maintain effective organizational routines
n Ensure that resources are used efficiently and in an accountable manner
n Ensure the strategic deployment of school staff in the best interests of pupils
n Ensure the building and grounds are kept in good order
n Ensure equitable availability of teaching aids and resources.
n Ensure meaningful consultation with stakeholders
n Ensure a shared understanding of the need for positive, productive and professional relationships
n Challenge behaviours that undermine such relationships and seek solutions where interpersonal conflicts arise
n Ensure appropriate procedures are in place that offer due process to all
n Ensure the development and implementation of a Code of Behaviour that has been drawn up and published in accordance with current guidelines.
n Ensure the development and implementation of a Dignity at Work policy
n Ensure the development and implementation of protected disclosures procedures
n Ensure fidelity to the agreed procedures for managing complaints, grievances, etc.
Child Protection
n Ensure Child Protection safeguarding statement is updated, disseminated and displayed
n Ensure Child Protection risk assessment is updated, disseminated and displayed
n Ensure vetting is in place for all adults who interact with the children
n Process vetting applications
n Organise child protection training for staff
n Ensure that the school’s reporting procedure is followed, so that child protection and welfare concerns are referred promptly to Tusla.
n Receive child protection and welfare concerns and consider if reasonable grounds for reporting to Tusla exist.
Standards
Develop and implement a system to promote professional responsibility and accountability
n Promote individual reflection on practice
n Promote and facilitate collaborative reflection on practice
n Support staff who are experiencing challenge
n Consult informally with a Tusla Duty Social Worker through the Dedicated Contact Point, if necessary.
n Where appropriate, make a formal report of a child protection or welfare concern to Tusla using the Tusla Web Portal.
n Inform the child’s parents/ guardians that a report is to be submitted to Tusla or the Garda Síochána
n Liaise with social workers working with children and families in the school
n Participate in case conferences
n Ensure proper maintenance of all files
n Comply with DE inspections
Anti-Bullying
n Ensure that the school has an appropriate AntiBullying Policy in place
n Ensure that the procedures outlined in the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools and associated Circular 0045/2013 are adhered to when dealing with allegations and incidents of bullying
n Ensure that the school’s anti-bullying policy is available to the school community
n Ensure that an annual review of the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy and its implementation by the school is undertaken
n Ensure that, at least once in every school term, the BOM is provided with a report in relation to bullying
n Ensure that written confirmation that the annual review has been carried out is communicated to the school community
n Promote tolerance and understanding amongst all members of the school community both in school and out of school
n Raise awareness amongst the entire school community that bullying is unacceptable behaviour
n Ensure pupils are encouraged to disclose and discuss bullying behaviour in a non-threatening environment
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
n Ensure the implementation of a range of education and prevention strategies to raise awareness of and address bullying
n Ensure comprehensive supervision and monitoring of all aspects of school activity
n Ensure a range of education and prevention strategies are in place to explicitly deal with the issue of cyber-bullying and identitybased bullying
Health & Safety
n Ensure the school has a safety statement in place to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of its employees and those who are in anyway affected by the work activities of the school
n Conduct risk assessments
n Ensure regular fire drills
n Ensure safety checks on equipment
n Issue permits to work
n Maintain register of concerns
n Provide training for Staff
n Cater for children with medical conditions
n Establish First Aid Protocols and ensure they are observed and regularly reviewed
n Complete and file incident reports
n Notify illness/injury to parents
n Ensure infection control procedures are followed for notifiable conditions
n Maintain records
Finance
n Ensure that funding provided for specific purposes must be used only for the purpose for which it is granted
n Ensure appropriate inperson and online banking procedures are followed
n Facilitate payment of relevant employees through a payroll system
n Prepare annual budget
n Make Revenue returns
n Ensure accounts are maintained
n Complete monthly bank reconciliation
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
n Prepare finance reports for BOM
n Prepare finance report AGM of PA
n Liaise with auditors / accountants
n Take account of FSSU advisories
n Make VAT returns
n Notify contracts for RCT to Revenue
n Notification of payments to contractors for RCT
n Make payments of RCT to revenue
n Submit accounts to FSSU
n Submission accounts to Patron
n Identify potential need for fundraising
HR & Staffing
n Recruit staff in accordance with agreed procedures and schedules
n Allocate teaching roles to staff in accordance with agreed policy
n Complete and return the Change of Staff form annually
n Process Career Break applications
n Process Job-sharing applications
n Process CID applications
n Ensure consultation re the needs of the school for Leadership & Management posts
n Ensure Leadership & Management appointments are made in accordance with agreed procedures
n Deal with interpersonal conflict between staff members
n Ensure adherence to professional standards of conduct
n Manage staff absence
n Liaise with other schools to facilitate the operation of the supply panel
Buildings
& Grounds
n Ensure systematic cleaning arrangements are in place
n Procure consumables
n Ensure disposal of waste
n Ensure general maintenance of buildings
n Ensure upkeep of grounds (grass cutting, tree surgery, etc)
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
n Ensure appropriate works are planned, applied for (where relevant) and completed (Minor, Summer & Emergency – see Building Works)
n Address issues related to the grounds (yard surfaces)
n Ensure the school is winter ready
n Treat surfaces as required
Digital Learning
n Invest in development of infrastructure
n Arrange for maintenance of hardware and networks
n Follow procurement procedures for hardware
n Implement the Digital Learning strategy
n Meet staff CPD needs
n Timetable access to laptops / tablets, shared resources
n Ensure availability of printer cartridges/toner
n Renew/review leasing agreements for photocopiers / printers
n Maintain the security of the school’s database
n Renew/review volume licensing agreements
n Ensure procurement of relevant software
n Ensure the development and review of the school’s Acceptable Use Policy
Completion of Works / Building Projects
n Procure consultant to complete the report required to accompany the application for works
n Facilitate site visit for reporting consultant
n Liaise with consultant re completion of report
n Complete application to DE for devolved works
n Initiate tendering process for consultant to design/ oversee the devolved works
n Facilitate site visits from prospective tenderers
n Analyse and evaluate submitted tenders
n Communicate the outcome to preferred consultant and unsuccessful tenderers
n Respond to feedback requests
n Return completed Form of Agreement to DE
n Liaise with consultant re design or spec for works
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
n Liaise with consultant with regard to applications for planning permission, should such planning permission be required
n Liaise with consultant re tendering process for contractor
n Consider the Tender Report compiled by the consultant
n Liaise with consultant on communication to preferred contractor and unsuccessful tenderer
n Revert to DE if lowest tender is in excess of the amount sanctioned for the project/works
n Register contract with Revenue
n Inform insurer of planned works
n Liaise with consultant and contractor re schedule of works
n Draw down first instalment of grant from DE after works have commenced
n Complete reportage to DE as required
n Ensure that the works undertaken are in keeping with the scope of the works that was sanctioned
n Respond to queries and requests from contractor and consultant
n Notify payments to Revenue
n Deduct RCT as directed
n Make payments to contractor
n Make VAT and RCT returns to Revenue
n Liaise with consultant re Certificate of Substantial Completion
n Liaise with consultant re Certificate of Compliance on Completion
n Ensure Safety File has been prepared and received
n Provide written confirmation that appropriate retention amount has been withheld
n Ensure all documentation relating to the project is filed and retained for possible future audit.
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
OTHER AREAS THAT LOCATE THEMSELVES WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF MANAGING THE ORGANISATION BUT ARE NOT REPRESENTED WITHIN THE STANDARDS
Admissions
n Ensure Admissions policy is on school website
n Ensure annual admissions notice is published
n Oversee enrolment process annually
n Apply criteria stipulated in policy
n Communicate outcome of applications
Pupil Online Database
n Ensure pupil data is entered and updated
n Facilitate transfers of pupils to and from other schools
n Do end-of-year progressions
n Record details of all exemptions granted
Esinet / OLCS
n Ensure that all of the following are entered on the system and approved as appropriate:
l School closure dates
l Staff details
l Staff leave
l All claims for substitute cover
l All claims for substitution are approved
l Statements of absence printed and given to staff
l Referrals to Medmark
n Ensure that medical certificates and forms relating to approved leave are retained
Pupil Files
n Ensure the appropriate maintenance and retention of
l Enrolment forms
l School reports
l Professional reports (where relevant)
l IEPs/IPLPs (where relevant)
l Pupil personal plans (where relevant)
l Correspondence relating to the child
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
Data Protection
n Ensure the school has a Data Protection policy
n Ensure that the policy and procedures are communicated to staff
n Obtain and process personal data lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
n Ensure it is used only for one or more specified and explicit lawful purpose(s)
n Ensure it is processed only in ways compatible with the purpose for which it was given initially
n Keep data accurate and relevant
n Ensure that the data is retained no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes
n Keep personal data safe and secure
n Respond to data access requests within specified timeframes
Annual Census Return
n Ensure that POD is up to date before completing the annual census
n Input all required information on pupil numbers, classes, those availing of support teaching, complex needs, etc.
n Submit census figures
n Complete declaration form
n Arrange for signature of Chairperson and post to DE Information Management Systems
n Register all pupils
n Maintain contact details of parents/guardians
n Maintain records of additional support provided
Attendance
n Ensure that attendance and reasons for absence are entered and recorded by all classroom teachers on a daily basis
n Ensure monthly reports are generated
n Ensure attendance returns are made to Tusla
n Ensure referrals are made where there are concerns re attendance
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
Recruitment
In conjunction with the Chairperson of the BoM:
n Confirm existence of post
n Advertise post
n Arrange date(s) for interviews
n Secure an independent assessor
n Convene a meeting of the selection committee
n Shortlist candidates for interview
n Issue invitations for interview
n Devise format for interview
n Prepare marking sheets for interview
n Ensure appropriate arrangements for interviews
n Conduct interviews
n Identify preferred candidate(s)
n Check references of preferred candidate(s)
n Issue report to BoM from selection committee
n Request approval of preferred candidate from Patron
n Communicate result of interview process to all interviewees
n Ensure garda vetting, medical fitness and registration with Teaching Council are in place
n Prepare and furnish appointee with relevant contract
n Complete and return appointment form to DE
n Retain all records for stipulated period
n Ensure list detailing the seniority of staff is maintained
Free School Book Scheme
n Compile booklist received from each individual class teacher and related classroom resources required for each class
n Establish, and list, the total number of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks that need to be purchased
n Establish budget breakdown
n Determine what related classroom resources will be covered by the grant
n Adhere to public procurement guidelines including seeking the required number of quotes
Standards
DOMAIN 2 – MANAGING THE ORGANISATION
from schoolbook shops and suppliers and adhering to advertising and tendering requirements where applicable
n Decide on a supplier for schoolbooks, workbooks, copybooks and any related classroom resources being provided and place order/s
n Liaise with shops and suppliers in relation to any issues
n Check all invoices against orders
n Check stock delivered against orders/invoices
n Arrange a suitable place to store stock
n Arrange for payment to issue to shops and suppliers in a timely manner
n Arrange for a cover to the placed on schoolbooks to help extend their lifespan
n Ensure that there is an adequate system in place to catalogue schoolbooks e.g. label/barcode/scanner system
n Sort books and related classroom resources by class grouping and within classes as appropriate
n Ensure all the necessary teaching resources/ copyrights are provided by the relevant publishers
n Maintain financial records
n Communicate with parents
n Cooperate with the Department if selected to participate in the evaluation of the scheme
n As required during the year, order additional stock (both schoolbooks and related classroom resources)
n Organise for the return of schoolbooks from pupils at the end of each year
Extra-curricular activities
n Processing applications from providers of activities
n Ensure licensing agreements are in place
n Ensure all providers have Garda Vetting
n Arrange venues/rooms for activities
n Ensure payments for rental of facilities are received
DOMAIN
Standards
Secretary to BOM
n Set the Agenda for meetings in consultation with the Chairperson.
n Issue notice of meeting and agenda to Board members.
n Record the minutes of Board meetings - to include issues discussed, decisions taken, including the numbers of those voting for or against a motion, and actions to be taken.
n Communicate Board decisions to relevant parties and follow up appropriately.
n Keep minutes of each meeting in an appropriate form and in a safe place.
n Deal with Board of Management correspondence.
n Liaise with Chairperson between meetings.
n Provide information to members concerning Board of Management rights and responsibilities
n Liaise with school management authorities on behalf of BOM and apprise BOM members of advice and guidance received.
n Advance development of school policies
Miscellaneous
n Maintain the school’s registration on the Register of Charities
n Submit an Annual Report to the Charities Regulator
n Complete and file annual report on energy usage directly to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
n Liaise with external agencies
n Facilitate school placement
n Facilitate the School Meals Scheme
n Facilitate school vaccination programme
n Facilitate vision & hearing screening
n Facilitate dental scheme
n Facilitate participation in inter-school activities
n Facilitate work experience
Standards
Communicate the guiding vision for the school and lead its realisation
DOMAIN 3 – LEADING SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
n Ensure that there is a shared guiding vision for the school
n Ensure that vision is communicated to all
n Work towards the realization of that vision
Lead the school’s engagement in a continuous process of self-evaluation
n Proactively engage with the school selfevaluation process
n Develop school improvement plans
n Implement school improvement plans
n Evaluate their impact
Mission Statement and Values
n Ensure regular reflection on and review of the school’s mission statement and values
n Ensure all members of the school community are involved in such processes
n Ensure that all activities promote the realisation of the school’s mission are and underpinned by agreed values
SSE
n Initiate consultation to establish areas of focus
Build and maintain relationships with parents, with other schools, and with the wider community
Manage, lead and mediate change to respond to the evolving needs of the school and to changes in education
n Foster positive relationships with parents as partners
n Support the work of the Parent Association
n Engage positively with other schools and education providers
n Develop and maintain positive relationships with the wider community
n Adapt and respond to changes in education policy
n Adapt and respond to changes in the school’s needs and context
n Keep abreast of developments within the education sector
n Facilitate consultation to identify priorities with the area of focus
n Ensure data is gathered and analysed
n Ensure tasks and targets are formulated
n Ensure school improvement plan is devised
n Ensure school improvement plan is implemented
n Ensure that a combined School Self-Evaluation Report and School Improvement Plan is prepared each year, and that a summary of the plan is communicated to the whole school community annually.
Parents
n Identify opportunities for meaningful and appropriate involvement of parents in school activities
n Ensure that there are appropriate arrangements for parent/teacher meetings
n Attend PA committee meetings
n Meet with officers of the PA
n Assist the organisation of PA events
n Attend such events
n Co-ordinate fundraising with the PA
n Consult the parent body re policy development/review
n Ensure delivery of BOM report to PA
Standards
Critique their practice as leaders and develop their understanding of effective and sustainable leadership
Empower staff to take on and carry out leadership roles
n Reflect on own leadership practice and identify areas for improvement
n Remain mindful of own wellbeing and that of others
n Remain mindful of importance of emotional intelligence
n Establish systems and structures to remain focused on identified priorities
n Recognise the importance of effective leadership
n Recognise the importance of sharing leadership
n Create teams to facilitate the sharing of leadership
n Ensure mentoring/ induction of teachers in new roles
Leadership Reflection
n Self-evaluate leadership practice against quality framework
n Identify priority areas for development
n Consider engagement with professional coaching
Sharing of leadership
n Ensure the adoption of a co-leadership or partnership approach between principal and deputy principal
n Meet regularly as a senior leadership team
n Develop and embed a culture of shared leadership within the wider Leadership & Management Team
n Meet regularly as a Leadership & Management Team
n Collate reports from the Leadership & Management Team to the BOM
Promote and facilitate the development of pupil participation, pupil leadership and parent participation
Build professional networks with other school leaders
n Recognise pupils and parents as important voices / key stakeholders
n Establish a forum to capture and promote the student voice
n Ensure the student and parent voice is heard in the SSE process
n Engage with/ participate in leadership networks/ communities of practice
n Avail of services and supports from professional bodies
n Afford opportunities to staff members outside of the Leadership & Management Team to take on leadership roles
Induction / Mentoring
n Ensure the formation of the Professional Support Team
n Engage in collaborative planning for Droichead process
n Facilitate the NQT’s observation of peers
n Facilitate observation of the practice of the NQT
n Facilitate professional conversations following observations
n Arrange one to one meetings with NQT’s
n Make determinations with regard to the NQT’s engagement with the process
Policy Development
n Develop initial drafts
n Ensure consultation process involving all stakeholders
n Refine drafts on basis of consultation
n Seek ratification by Board
n Ensure implementation of policy
Student Councils
n Facilitate appropriate arrangements for the election of a Student Council
n Facilitate the Student Council’s engagement with and involvement in appropriate issues
n Seek opportunities to highlight the work of the Student Council
Engagement with professional networks/bodies
n Encourage and facilitate the principal, deputy principal and assistant principals in developing and effectively exercising their leadership role in the school
n Seek engagement with school leaders in other schools
n Participate in local leadership support groups or fora
n Consider membership of relevant professional bodies
n Avail of supports and services provided by such bodies
Appendix 2 Tracking Actions with reference to the Domains and Standards
Looking at Our School 2022: A Quality Framework for Primary Schools - Dimension: Leadership and Management
Domains and Standards
Leading learning and teaching School leaders:
n promote a culture of reflection, improvement, collaboration, innovation and creativity in learning, teaching and assessment
n foster a commitment to inclusion, equality of opportunity and the holistic development of each pupil
n manage the planning and implementation of the curriculum
n foster teacher professional learning that enriches teachers’ and pupils’ learning
Managing the organisation School leaders:
n create and maintain a positive school culture and a safe, healthy and purposeful learning environment and sustain it through effective
n manage the school’s human, physical and financial resources so as to create and maintain a learning organisation
n manage challenging and complex situations in a manner that demonstrates equality, fairness and justice
n develop and implement a system to promote professional responsibility and accountability
Leading school development School leaders:
n communicate the guiding vision for the school and lead its realisation
n lead the school’s engagement in a continuous process of self-evaluation
n build and maintain relationships with parents, with other schools, and with the wider community,
n manage, lead and mediate change to respond to the evolving needs of the school and to changes in education
Developing leadership capacity School leaders:
n critique their practice as leaders and develop their understanding of effective and sustainable leadership
n empower staff to take on and carry out leadership roles
n promote and facilitate the development of pupil participation, pupil leadership and parent participation
n build professional networks with other school leaders
Actions Undertaken
CONTACT US
We are keen to hear from school leaders and any other stakeholders who share our vision for primary education. You can contact us through one of the media below.
General Enquiries
+353 21 4824070
1800 21 22 23
info@ippn.ie
www.ippn.ie
@IPPN @IPPN_Education
IPPN National Support Office
Glounthaune
Co. Cork
T45 P406
More information about IPPN and the supports and services we offer to school leaders is available on our website www.ippn.ie.
Charitable Status
IPPN is a non-profit organisation and a registered charity with CHY number 17221