Leadership+ Issue 25 March 2005

I S S U E 2 5 • M A RC H 2 0 0 5

Inside Pivotal Role of the Principal .....2 Minister’s Address .............................3 IPPN Survey - Analysis ...................4 Inspiring Professionalism ............7 Appeals under Section 29 of the Education Act....................8 Address of Archbishop Martin ......................10 IPPN Bursary to Ontario ...........11 Legal Diary .............................................12 Leadership in 21st Century Ireland ...............15 In-career Professional Development...................................16 International Conference ...........17 Diary of meetings ............................18 Dyspraxia ................................................19 An interactive approach to Science Education..................20 Educational Disadvantage .........21 Building Programme 2005 .......22 Letters to the Editor ......................23

“Children need encouragement.

So if a kid gets the answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess.

That way, he develops a good, lucky feeling.” Jack Handley The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network

ISSN: 1649 -5888 Irish Primary Principals’ Network Glounthaune, Co Cork President: Virginia O’Mahony president@ippn.ie Director: Seán Cottrell director@ippn.ie Editor: Larry Fleming editor@ippn.ie Advertising: Damian White office@ippn.ie e: info@ippn.ie l: 1890 21 22 23 t: 353 21 452 4925 f: 353 21 435 5648 w: www.ippn.ie Design and print: Brosna Press

Breacadh Ré Nua do IPPN A Phríomhoide agus a Phríomhoide Thánaistigh, Comhdháil bhliantúil eile thart. Seacht gcéad príomhoidí bailithe le chéile i gcóir chleachtais phroifisiúnta den scoth. Bhí thart ar chaoga aíonna speisialtá ann freisin ar son na bpáirtnéirí oideachasúla agus iad uilig ag éisteacht, ag foghlaim, ag plé agus ag tabhairt aitheantais agus tacaíochta don dea–obair atá ar siúl ag IPPN. Ard moladh tuillte ag gach duine a bhí páirteach ann. Is breacadh ré nua é cinnte.

We can be justifiably proud of the overwhelming success of Conference 2005 the theme of which was ‘Inspiring Professionalism’. The diversity of speakers, quality of debate, high standard of the workshops and especially the superb organisation of the conference certainly inspired professionalism.

This was readily acknowledged and appreciated by the principals who attended and also the many representatives of the education partners, national and international. It was the first IPPN conference attended by any Minister for Education and Science and the positive and encouraging words of Minister Mary Hanafin T.D. in her address is a very significant vote of confidence in the key role of school leaders within the education sector. Much of this raised profile for principals has been accentuated since the formation of IPPN. We will continue, with your support and enthusiasm, to explore these ‘new horizons’.

The launching of the report ‘New Horizons for Smaller Schools and Teaching Principalship in

Ireland’ was a particularly proud moment for the very dedicated IPPN/St. Patrick’s College subcommittee and they deserve our thanks and appreciation for a most comprehensive and thought-provoking report. We urge you to read it and consider what can be done to enhance the quality of education in your school by working in co-operation with other smaller schools in your area. Localised and well-supported clustering needs to be seen as a key professional development opportunity for smaller schools to identify and provide enhanced educational opportunities for the children as well as sharing the workload and breaking the professional isolation experienced by principals and their staffs.

The alternatives of remaining in professional isolation or amalgamation are not enticing prospects for the future survival of smaller schools.

The particular difficulty and anomaly of teaching principalship is also addressed in the report and the urgency of making teaching principalship attractive professionally and financially is stressed for the attention of all the relevant parties. Roll on benchmarking round two!!!

Bígí bródúil as an bhfás agus forbairt atá déanta ag IPPN agus glacaigí páirt sa ‘Ré Nua do Scoileanna Beaga’ agus IPPN. Le gach dea-mhéin, Tomás O Slatara, Uachtarán Tánaisteach, IPPN S. N na Gráinsí, Cluain Meala, Co. Thiobraid Árann

090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie

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Pivotal Role

of the Principal is affirmed The President of IPPN, Ms. Virginia O’Mahony in warmly welcoming the Minister for Education & Science, Ms. Mary Hanafin T.D., to the IPPN Conference, acknowledged the affirmation of school leaders by the Minister for Education and Science as indicative of new thinking and a new way forward.

"It is obvious that Minister Hanafin understands and appreciates the pivotal leadership role of the principal teacher in the school community and IPPN looks forward to working with the Minister and her department in a positive and creative way", she added.

In her keynote address to Conference 2005 Virginia O’Mahony pinpointed Special Needs Education as one of the greatest challenges we face in our schools on a daily basis. She welcomed the establishment of the National Council for Special Education and the appointment of over 70 Special Education Needs Organisers. This development would, she said, "give a more local and hands on focus to resource applications and place it in a whole school context".

Review of Weighted System The President also expressed satisfaction with the proposed review of the weighted model of SEN resource allocation. "Any model based on a ‘quota’ system will not provide the equity that children with Special Education Needs deserve", she stated. She warned that any new system must not create further problems and she cautioned that children with Specific Learning Difficulties and Mild General Learning Disabilities could not be catered for equitably under the quota system as proposed. "A one-size-fits-all approach is not what is needed". The proposed new system must be equitable and must not discriminate between boy's schools, co-educational schools and girl's schools. There must be no anomaly between rural and urban disadvantaged schools and small schools must also get equitable treatment. Above all she stressed that the new approach to resource allocation must be communicated clearly to parents and must be delivered within a reasonable time frame. The President also urged the Minister

to set up a specialist advisory group to draw up appropriate guidelines and procedures to address the growing challenge of emotional and behavioural disturbance, especially with regard to very young children. She reiterated that IPPN would be happy to provide the experience and expertise of principals as a resource to the Minister in ensuring the delivery of a clear equitable and efficient system that actually works.

Educational Disadvantage The IPPN President acknowledged that Educational Disadvantage is a priority area for this present government but she cautioned, that in order to tackle disadvantage effectively it must be approached in the context of an integrated service, delivered on a carefully planned basis within a community setting. Ms. O’Mahony acknowledged the contribution of the Home School Community Liaison Service in addressing serious disadvantage. The challenge now is to face up to the evident demands of societal change in our schools and to counter these challenges with a less fragmented approach to disadvantage. She declared that IPPN would be willing partners in examining models of best practice and evaluating integrated initiatives. Addressing disadvantage in a meaningful way will raise standards, not alone academically, but also in the areas of behaviour and attendance, positively and crucially influencing the child’s self-esteem.

IPPN Proposals Virginia O’ Mahony then outlined in detail the IPPN strategies to further tackle disadvantage, as follows: The development of a national electronic pupil data base The provision of a limited 3-year infant cycle to cater for pupils who are not sufficiently mature to advance to first class.

Further emphasis on Early Childhood Learning, using proven teaching methodologies.

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The further development of parental involvement as partners in education The evaluation of Behavioural Management in schools Appropriate professional development for Principals and Deputy Principals to empower them to manage the delivery of any new initiatives.

"An integrated partnership approach is now required", she added, "and IPPN is ready and willing to participate in a partnership model".

Making a Difference The President concluded by affirming the pivotal leadership role of the principal in the development of our schools." As I reflect on the theme of this year’s conference ‘Inspiring Professionalism’, I see school communities, both rural and urban, guided daily and inspired by the professionalism of their school principal. When children, parents and teachers seek advice they look to the principal for guidance. When the leadership they are given is positive, unerring and professional, the result is the many vibrant, thriving and exciting school communities around the country.

Be assured that your professional contribution as school leader to your school community is immeasurable" Because principals are in a position to make a difference, this should be a challenging and exciting role. We as school leaders enjoy a challenge and are always willing to ‘push out the boat’." The support, encouragement and collegiality we experience in our IPPN Support Groups and County Networks have never been more vital", she stated. "With a vibrant professional organisation supporting us let principals’ voices be heard, wherever they need to be heard, in the professional interest of principals and of the educational communities we lead".

The full text of the President’s address can be accessed on www.ippn.ie

Let’s Recognise Our Principals "Environment that is created in the school is largely down to the leadership of Principals" Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education and Science

The Backbone of Community The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin T.D. acknowledged the pivotal role played by teachers, particularly Principals and their Deputies, throughout rural communities in Ireland, at the annual IPPN Conference held last month in CityWest. That influential role, in quoting Brian McMahon, is akin to "the teacher leaving the track of his/her teeth on a parish for 3 generations". She noted in particular that the efforts of Principals and teachers in small schools towards rural regeneration provide the backbone for a community.

Increasing Demands The Minister said she recognised the huge demands now placed on Principals in a rapidly changing society. Changes in family structures, parental expectations, less compliant independent minded children, multi-culturalism and increased bureaucracy have greatly altered the Principals role in the last 20 years. She acknowledged the role IPPN is playing in working with her department on an ongoing basis, looking at the most practical ways of reducing the burden of bureaucracy on Principals.

Special Education – Emerging Needs The Minister also made reference to the huge difficulties facing Principals in the area of Special Needs, particularly in light of recent

legislation. She accepted that an urgent review of the proposed "weighted system" was an absolute priority and that additional supports needed to be put in place to assist Principals in carrying out their work. The Minister also pointed out that the government has responded to emerging needs in a variety of positive ways such as the provision of 2,500 Resource teachers, 1,550 Learning Support teachers and almost 6,000 Special Needs Assistants. She also noted the recent establishment of the National Council for Special Education. This body would, going forward, provide a positive support for the Principal through the local SENO, who would act as a facilitator for supports and provide a link with outside agencies.

Government Initiatives Minister Hanafin also outlined the huge progress made by the government on the School Building Programme where 493m had been spent on capital projects in 2004. Pupil /Teacher ratio was also being addressed where the average class size has been reduced from 26.6 to 23.6 bringing Ireland more in line with the OECD average of 22. She conceded that more work needs to be done in this area. She also made reference to the government commitment to disadvantage and outlined that 243 schools were now availing of reduced class sizes of between 15 and 20 pupils.

The Minister announced that she was intending to set aside finance for the training of Boards of Management. She was doing so in the belief that "shared leadership" is the way forward in schools. She encouraged Principals PAGE 3

to make use of the skills of middle management to ensure an efficient smooth running school. In relation to First-Time Principals, she announced that Leadership Development for schools would be expanded to cater for an even greater number of Principals in the future.

She paid tribute to IPPN’s involvement in the Misneach programme for newly-appointed Principals.

Practical Support for Principals The Minister said she would examine certain areas over the coming months that have particular relevance to the everyday role of the Principal. Her Department will look at ways in which duplication of information requested by various bodies from Principals can be lessened.

In particular, she outlined her determination to make officials in her Department accessible to Principals at all times. "There is no reason why a Principal can only ring the DES during certain hours" she stated.

The Minister also said she was acutely conscious that many schools work "from blank pages when designing policies". She was supportive of the concept of a "policy template" and she assured the delegates that her Depart-ment would examine ways of supporting schools in devising policies. She also outlined increased DES support for professional development, a fact reflected in Department funding for the IPPN Bursary to Canada in 2005.

The Minister concluded by encouraging Principals to continue to take up the challenge of leadership in the school community. Her own challenge was to work with IPPN in securing successful outcomes.

IPPN Nationwide Survey

An Analysis IPPN is participating in the working group on Principals’ Work Overload set up by the Minister for Education and Science last year and including all the education partners.

In what is the first ever survey of its kind, IPPN has carried out research into Principals’ perception of their workload. Principals cited growing bureaucracy, non-educational tasks and ever increasing legislative demands as the barriers preventing principals from addressing their key responsibilities of leading and managing the teaching and learning in our primary schools. Excess paperwork, the complexities of Special Education Needs provision, lack of secretarial support and unplanned interruptions as just some of the factors which have contributed to a serious work overload highlighted in the IPPN survey of 850 principals which was published at the recent IPPN conference in CityWest, Dublin.

This research confirms the views of our members that professionally, principals are leaders of the teaching and learning in schools and they want to be allowed to return to that fundamental role.

CAUSES OF WORKLOAD Seventy five per cent of respondents felt they were either overloaded or seriously overloaded with work. Among the causes of the work overload highlighted were:

Ratio of applicants per vacant Principalship Year

No. of Applicants

No. of Vacancies

Ratio of A:V

1996* 1998* 2000* 2002** 2004**

921 1027 799 542 710

170 226 204 154 245

5.5 : 1 4.5 : 1 3.9 : 1 3.5 : 1 2.9 : 1

* DES Statistics ** IPPN New Principals Survey

Non-educational tasks Non-educational activities such as the management of school building projects, financial management, fund raising, the organisation of cleaning and the formulation of grant applications have been identified as contributory factors leading to work overload.

When one considers that 73% of all primary Principals are teaching principals then all of the above duties must be carried out outside of class contact time. Most Principals would prefer to delegate all these activities to a qualified professional administrator. They could then focus on leading the teaching and learning in the school, providing support and mentoring for staff and attending to other pupil related responsibilities.

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Paperwork from the Department of Education and Science and other agencies Multiple demands for information from the DES and many other agencies with unrealistic deadlines is another significant stress factor.

The provision of an integrated national electronic pupil database is urgently required to counteract duplication and assist good communication between schools and the DES. The demands of Special Education Needs

It is hoped that the establishment of the National Council for Special Education and the appointment of the Special Education Needs Organisers will minimise the pressure associated with SEN. Many feel that teaching principals should not be denied the opportunity of working in the area of special education in the school.

The conflicting demands on teaching Principals between class teaching and school leadership As teaching Principals prioritise their teaching role, many hours of personal time are consumed by administrative duties. With the ongoing struggle between class teacher responsibilities and school leadership, many Principals feel that the overload can only be addressed by lowering the appointment threshold for administrative principalship.

People management issues including staff under-performance, disruptive pupils, Boards of Management and parents When the issue of underperformance arises in a school, it is a particular cause of stress for the principal and also leads to additional work being taken on by other staff. Many principals called for procedures to deal with underperformance in schools. The management of increasingly challenging pupil behaviour resulting in a lack of time to affirm encourage and mentor staff is a contributing factor to lowering principals’ morale.

Strategies to reduce the workload of Principals

Please assess how well you Board of Management supports you as Principal in carying out your responsibilities.

30%

No support

29% 25%

Porly supported

27% 23%

20%

Fair support 15%

14%

Well supported 10%

Very Well Supported

7% 5%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110 120 130 140

150

160 170 180 0

Releasing Deputy Principals from class-teaching duties

What level of secretarial support do you have?

Appointment of professional school governor/manager for all noneducational management functions and responsibilites

15%

None Part-time

60%

Full-time

Release time for in-school managment team

25% 0

10%

20%

In-School Management Team / Boards of Management Most Principals would see the positive support of their In-School Management team as an essential element in the meaningful distribution of school leadership. There was broad agreement that the In School Management structure is in urgent need of review and renewal in the context of changing school needs. While many Principals find their B.O.M supportive, it was felt that there is a huge need for clear and unambiguous roles and responsibilities for each Board of Management member.

Unavoidable interruptions Unavoidable and unannounced interruptions were identified as a huge cause of frustration and irritation. Principals feel that an awareness campaign needs to be carried out with various agencies to impress on people the importance of making appointments.

Curriculum Implementation Principals see their role in leading the introduction of the revised curriculum as central. However, many felt that the time scale was too short and the timeframe too pressurised. Principals felt they were taking on an excessive proportion of the burden, and release time from teaching duties was advocated as a way to alleviate the problem.

Litigation A factor identified by the survey was the focus on litigation that has resulted in a huge increase in the volume of very detailed records on small incidents being required.

Working Conditions Another burden identified was inadequate accommodation and poor working conditions with 75% of Principals having either part-time or no secretarial support and 45% having no principal’s office. The need for professional secretarial support for every Principal is one of the strongest messages in the survey.

Additional secretarial support 30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

OVERLOAD – HOW THE SCHOOL SUFFERS Urgent tasks get attended to rather than important ones Lack of time to lead the teaching and learning in the school.

Reduced opportunities to build staff morale.

Reduced opportunities for principal to interact with pupils throughout the school Targets are rarely achieved – e.g. Plean Scoile (Cúntas Míosúil) – missed deadlines No time to support and mentor newly qualified teachers Teaching Principals are less effective in their teaching and pupils suffer from constant interruptions.

Record keeping and school maintenance become a great challenge Professional satisfaction of principalship is eroded.

PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES OF WORK OVERLOAD Almost every Principal mentioned stress as a consequence of their workload. While this is inevitable in most jobs, particularly the professions, most Principals say they are suffering far more from stress than at any other time in their career or lives. Some have been advised by their G.P to take sick leave to protect their health. Conditions such as heart problems, depression, insomnia, panic attacks, ulcers, allergies, hypertension and ME were mentioned.

Other Principals listed exhaustion, migraine, and burn out, anxiety, anger, despair and hopelessness as a result of the emotional and physical problems being faced. Many Principals also dislike the changes in their own personality.

Many respondents said they no longer enjoy the job and are looking forward to retirement. Many Principals feel guilty and several said they would love to go back teaching but the loss of status and allowances prevent them doing so. A high proportion of Principals feel their families suffer enormously from the effects of their workload.

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Additional caretaker support

STRATEGIES / RECOMMENDATIONS Having identified the challenges that exist concerning principals’ workload, the survey provides many strategies/recommendations that would help to restore the essence of the role, e.g.

The appointment of a permanent supply teacher for a cluster of schools Additional release days with guaranteed qualified substitute cover.

The appointment of a professional school administrator to attend to non-educational administrative duties.

The appointment of a permanent administrative Principal to a cluster of smaller schools The provision of additional professional secretarial and caretaking support, especially for teaching principals.

The release from teaching duties of Deputy Principals in schools of 16 teachers or more.

Teaching Principals to be able to undertake resource/learning support teaching roles The management of special education needs to be delegated to the Deputy Principal or to an assistant principal where relevant The DES & other relevant agencies to provide dedicated, authoritative e-mail query lines for Principals seeking information or interpretation of circulars, policy documents and procedures Principals to be appointed on a seven/ten year contract as per Green Paper, 1992 Current serving principals to be offered ‘step down’ facility without loss of seniority, salary allowance and related pension benefits. As in the case of early retirement, a quota of places to be allocated following assessment of annual applications.

CONCLUSION The general consensus is that the education partners need to address the issue of principals’ workload urgently and in a meaningful way. The principals who have responded to this survey have put forward practical workable solutions and now hope that the other partners in education will keep faith with them at this crucial time for primary education.

Inspiring Professionalism S E A N COT T R E L L

DIRECTOR OF IPPN, SEÁN COTTRELL, RECEIVED A RAPTUROUS RECEPTION FROM THE 700 ATTENDEES AT THE IPPN CONFERENCE WHEN HE SPOKE IN RESPONSE TO MINISTER HANAFIN'S ADDRESS.

The Director covered a broad range of issues of immediate concern to Principals. At the outset he paid tribute to those involved in the "New Horizons for Small Schools" project, particularly IPPN Deputy President Tomás O’Slatara and Dr. Mark Morgan, St. Patrick’s College of Education. It was a wonderful report and a historical milestone for small schools in Ireland he said.

Principals’ Workload The Director spoke at length on the Principals workload, and the incremental increase in responsibility that has evolved from the establishment of new agencies such as the Special Education Council. The publication of new circulars that contain additional pressures continue unabated. Mr. Cottrell lamented the fact that the DES Working Group on Principals workload established to put in place strategies to reduce the Principals workload does not have provision for an examination of Boards of Management. Boards of Management work fine in theory, but with the decline in volunteerism in Ireland, do not operate as an effective body in practice. The anomalous situation of the Principal being advisor to the Board on one hand and accountable on the other needs to be addressed. Mr. Cottrell also detailed that Middle Management structures and it's in school effectiveness is the subject of a focus group in the DES Working Group of which IPPN is a member.

IPPN Survey Mr. Cottrell outlined the main findings of the IPPN Survey on Principals workload, details of

which are outlined on the IPPN website and summarised elsewhere in this issue. He placed emphasis on a number of issues of concern identified in the survey such as the lack of a structured substitute supply service to schools, a reduction in the cut off point for the appointment of Administrative Principals from 180 to 150 pupils and release time for Deputy Principals. Principals want to be involved in the teaching and learning process in the school and wish to be divested of the bulk of non educational duties, he said. For this to happen Boards of Management and In School Management needs to be working effectively.

Survey returns suggest this is not happening.

“Principals want to be involved in the teaching and learning process in the school and wish to be divested of the bulk of non educational duties” Assessment & Transition Mr. Cottrell noted with relief that the new Minister for Education opposes high stakes testing which could eventually lead to school league tables. He outlined the IPPN vision of a scientific approach to testing where more than literacy and numeracy is assessed. He stated that IPPN would support a system of anonymous sampling of student performance as long as it did not affect the integrity of student teaching and learning.

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The Director then revealed that IPPN, in conjunction with NAPD (National Association of Principals & Deputy Principals) have been working on a draft document encompassing good practice on transition from Primary to Second level. Central to this joint initiative is a Student Transition Form which in addition to detailing academic progress, also focuses on attendance, behaviour, allocation of resources and other non academic aspects of student development. He appealed to the Minister to direct greater resources towards the area of transition.

Whole School Evaluation Whole School Evaluation will be a culture change for schools. Whilst looking at the school in its entirety is a positive thing, the failure to build professional procedures into the evaluation, to deal with underperformance is a retrograde step, said Mr. Cottrell. Whole School Evaluation also increases the Principals workload through a host of additional meetings and the drawing up of countless organisational policies.

The Director reminded the Minister that the Principal is central to the driving forward of the Ministers three main priorities – Special Needs Education, Disadvantage and Class Size.

The time has arrived where the Department of Education and Science should consider IPPN as one of its greatest assets.

P R O F E S S I O N A L

G U I D A N C E

APPEALS under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 A decision by the Board of Management of a school to suspend, permanently exclude or refuse to enrol a student can be appealed by parents (or students, if over 18) to the Secretary General of the DES under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998. The Education Welfare Act 2000 also provides that the National Educational Welfare Board can appeal certain decisions and may also make submissions to appeal hearings.

An increasing number of parents are now challenging decisions by schools to expel, suspend or enrol. The vast majority of these appeals are related to refusal to enrol. Since this legislation became active in December 2000 there have been 521 appeals. Most appeals occur at Post Primary level. Last year there were 162 appeals at Post Primary level compared to 83 at Primary level.

Of these 83 appeals, 79 were refusals to enrol.

Making an Appeal The parent (or student) must appeal an exclusion/suspension/enrolment decision within 42 calendar days from the date the decision was conveyed to them by the Board of Management.

Very exceptional circumstances such as ill health/bereavement etc. will allow for a longer period to be granted.

Appeals must be submitted in writing on the official Section 29 Appeals Application Form to the Appeals Administration Unit in Tullamore.

The Appeals form is a very detailed document.

Information such as grounds on which the decision is being appealed, proceedings to date at local level must be included with the completed appeals form as well as copies of all correspondence relating to the matter. An appeal may be withdrawn at any time by the appellant.

Procedure for Schools The school will receive notification simultaneously of the parent's decision to appeal. In this notification, the school will be informed of

the exact basis of the appeal. The school is asked to furnish copies of all relevant material such as school and medical reports, enrolment policies and minutes of Board Meetings – when the decision was made etc. The school will also be asked to state clearly the reason(s) why the child was expelled / suspended / refused enrolment.

Please note that it is Department procedure to furnish most if not all of the schools documentation to all parents involved in the appeal.

All documentation is strictly confidential.

Prior to the processing and consideration of an appeal, both parties will be asked to consider the matter at local level, to see if an accommodation can be reached. As Section 29 provides that appeals must be concluded within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of the supporting appeal by the Secretary General, the parties to the appeal will be given up to one week in which to determine whether an accommodation can be reached at local level.

Facilitation Process If an accommodation cannot be reached within a week a Facilitator is appointed by the DES Appeals Administration Unit who will contact the school and the parents directly to try and broker a deal. The facilitator is normally a retired civil servant, academic or retired Principal. This Facilitator shall not be a member of the Appeals Committee or a member of the Inspectorate.

The Facilitator will meet with representatives of the school Board and the appellants in quick succession. The Facilitator may enlist the assistance of an Education Welfare Officer in the facilitation process if deemed necessary. If a deal is brokered, the facilitator will provide both parties with a copy of the agreement. Both parties are bound by this agreement. A period of up to one week is allowed for the facilitation process.

The Hearing If the facilitation process ends in failure, a hearing PAGE 8

is arranged at a time and date suitable to all. The hearing is a very intense and formal process. The Appeals Committee at the hearing consists of 4 persons which includes an inspector and 2 other people of acceptable expertise, experience and independence nominated by the Minister for Education/Science. A fourth person may also sit on the Appeals Committee but does not have to contribute. The Committee also have the services of a minutes secretary. Subject to the prior consent of the Appeals Committee, either party to the appeal may be accompanied at the hearing by not more than 2 persons nominated by them for this purpose.

The Hearing can be very intense and a school needs to be very well prepared. The chairperson opens proceedings by introducing his/her colleagues on the Appeals Committee. Both parties to the appeal are then afforded the opportunity to introduce themselves. The chairperson then outlines the procedures to be followed.

The appellants present their case in relation to the suspension/exclusion/refusal to enrol their child The school presents the case for the suspension/exclusion or refusal to enrol Both parties respond and have the right to question each other through the chair The Committee (all members in turn) question both parties and attempt to tease out areas of conflict/confusion When the chairperson is satisfied all avenues have been explored, he concludes the hearing thanking both parties for their contributions The Hearing ususally takes two hours to complete. The Appeals Committee then convene to consider a decision immediately afterwards.

The Appeals Committee issues the determination of the Appeal after one week.

P R O F E S S I O N A L

Points to Ponder Most of the Appeals to date in the Primary sector have been in relation to refusal to enrol. The Department operates to a maximum class size of 30 pupils (Circular 21/99). The Appeals Committee determine refusal to enrol appeals on the basis of a maximum class average of 29. Therefore, the committee would expect that an 8 teacher school should be in a position to accommodate 29 x 8 pupils i.e. 232 pupils. A Principal would be expected to accept a child into a class of 32 pupils if other classes in the school had only 26 or 27 pupils. The onus would be on the school to re-allocate children so that any additional children could be accepted up to the 232 limit. To adequately defend a "refusal to enrol" Appeal a school must Adhere strictly to its Enrolment Policy Issue a copy of the Enrolment Policy to parents on enrolment day Never give parents a reasonable expectation their child will be accepted.

Provide parents with early notification of refusal to enrol. Parents/Guardians should also return Acceptance forms by a specified date or forfeit the place offered.

In formulating enrolment policies, changing demographic patterns and equality issues are factors of growing significance

Appeals Determination The Appeals Committee come to a decision based on all relevant information presented to it and the merits of the cases presented by both parties.

The Committee will take particular account of Established practice within the school for dealing with enrolment or suspension/expulsion The educational interests of the pupil who is the subject of the appeal The educational interests of all the other children in the school The ethos of the school The effective management of the school Resource implications arising from the issues under appeal

How can Schools defend a "Refusal to Enrol" appeal?

Appeals in the past have been determined by the space available in schools. According to DES specifications, the recommended classroom size including en suite is 76m square. That allows an area of 2.6m square per pupil at 29 pupils per class. Any reduction in this space available to children has class management implications.

G U I D A N C E

Health and Safety guidelines have been breached.

At least 11.3 cubic metres must be provided for each person at work in a room at any one time.

The inclusion of children with Special Needs in a class that is subject to an appeal holds great sway with an appeals committee. As additional personnel such as SNA’s and Occupational and Speech and Language therapists may need to be present from time to time, the space available to the teacher and class is severely diminished and an Appeal Tribunal will take account of this mainstream integration.

Section 31 of the "Rules for National Schools" states that 15 square feet should be allowed for each unit of average attendance. If the limit is exceeded the Minister may require that the younger pupils shall be excluded from the school if the limit of average attendance is reached. The Minister may require that pupils under 6 years of age shall be excluded so as to permit the enrolment of pupils over that age who may seek admission of the school. No pupil required to be excluded under this rule can be permitted to be present in the schoolroom during school hours.

Compassionate grounds relating to childminding arrangements and family illness are not sufficiently compelling to tempt an Appeals Board to rule against a school.

Can the School Board Reject Appeal Findings?

A school cannot reject or ignore appeals decisions. Section 29 Education Act 1998 requires an appeals committee which has upheld a complaint against a school and which considers that certain matters need to be addressed to make recommendations to the Secretary General.

The Secretary General is empowered by subsection 7 to give legally binding directions to a Board of Management having regard to the committee's recommendations. Thus a Board is required to comply with the direction of the Secretary General.

Of the 83 appeals lodged with the DES at Primary level, 79 were for refusal to enrol, two were for suspensions and 2 were for expulsion. Only 50 of these cases went to full hearing. The process of facilitation resolved 11 cases and 19 were withdrawn. Three were sorted out at local level.

It is significant to note that of the 50 cases that went to full hearing in 2004, the appeals committee ruled in favour of the parents on no less than 36 occasions — food for thought.

Summary The Appeals Committee take seriously any Health and Safety Concerns which school authorities may have. If a school can clearly show that space constraints represent a danger to children and that adult workers i.e. teacher and/or SNA do not have 4.65 m of floor space (includes area occupied by desk and chair) then

Principals reported mixed reactions to the Appeals process. Some Principals reported that they found the Appeals Committee hostile in some circumstances. One Principal reported that he had to endure a facilitation process in the lobby of a hotel thronged with wedding guests.

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School Ethos, Management and Governance Ireland has had an educational system which has permitted an outstanding link between school and community. The management system helped avoid a great administrative centralisation, placing control in the hands of a powerful educational bureaucracy. A healthy pluralism in the delivery of educational services can be beneficial to all.

Most Rev. Diarmaid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, addressed the conference on the topic "School Ethos, Management and Governance".

He began by reflecting on this own past involvement with schools and the multiplicity of schools within his own Diocese. He is impressed by the human qualities of teachers in primary schools.

He is aware of the fact that the question of the social status of teaching as a profession is one of the most determinant factors in the effective delivery of quality education and that any undermining of that status has seriously negative effects on the effectiveness of any education system.

He referred to the link between school and community – "Where the bond between school and community is strong the school will be better".

He emphasised the centrality of the child in the education system – Education is about children and the potential of children. The three elements of ethos, management and governance must be focused on the good of the child who deserves the best. He stressed how important the social role of the school is.

School should be encountered not just as pupil friendly, but as parent friendly also. This broader social role of the school will become more significant when it reaches out to address the potentially more marginalised groupings in Irish society.

He acknowledged that it is the Principal who manages – with a small ‘m’ – a school where so many different elements and administration are involved – "I know the sentiments of school principals who find themselves without a clear job description but with multiple areas of responsibility". His view is that he job description of the school principal will be very different in the future. "I agree that an educationalist will only be able to take on this position – will be willing to take on such a position - if he or she can be guaranteed the necessary technical back up and support. The principal should be freed to be the driving force of the educational thrust of the school, but that freedom will flourish in proportion to his or her ability to forge coalitions with all the other interested stakeholders. The role of principal demands having specific human qualities, but also requires specific skills training and in-service formation. Like any other profession it should be open to forms of performance evaluation which are typical today of high professionalism".

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“The primary ethos of the school should be an educational one” Addressing the question of ethos, he said that the question of ethos will be receiving more and more attention in the future. He stated that "The primary ethos of the school should be an educational one".

After the family, the school is the primary instrument for socialisation and social integration.

The provision of a plurality of schools can foster better delivery of educational services and respects the diversity of viewpoint which is present in a pluralist democratic State.

The Irish system is unique in that it gives a special role to religious groupings within the educational system. It would be interesting however to carry out a deeper study of what parents mean explicitly when they speak of Catholic school. His clear view is that a Catholic school must however have a defined Catholic ethos which should be verifiable in all its aspects.

He feels that a more robust definition of Catholic school and a more robust concept of religious education is needed. Religious education should be understood as an exciting project which is truly in harmony with a modern pluralist society.

A truly Catholic ethos has shown that it can be welcoming of others and provide a framework within which the school can be a focal point of community for all, without losing its proper identity.

The story of the evolution of ethos, management and governance of our schools is an open-ended book. Changes will come. What the shape of management and governance of our schools will be in the future is not clear.

The challenge to get it truly right is a great one

www.text-a-parent.ie Would you like to be able to send a brief message to the parent in your school at short notice?

Pictured receiving their IPPN Bursary Awards for 2005 from Michael Nolan, Managing Director, Allianz, and Mary Hanafin, TD, Minister for Education and Science are Mary McGarry and Siobhán Carter.

Unpredictable events e.g. enforced school closure no heating etc

IPPN Bursary to Ontario

Last minute timetable change e.g. cancellation of sports day

Congratulations to Siobhán Carter, Gaelscoil na Rithe, Domnach Seachnaill, Meath and Mary McGarry, Our Lady of Good Counsel National School, Mourne Road, Drimnagh, Dublin who are the worthy recipients of the IPPN Bursary Awards for 2005, which were presented at the IPPN Annual Conference in City West, last month. Siobhán and Mary will travel to Canada this summer on a research and study visit.

IPPN wishes to acknowledge the foresight of the new Minister for Education & Science and her officials who were more than eager to be associated with the sponsorship of one of these bursaries. Special thanks also to Allianz and to Michael Nolan and Brian Tobin in

Timetable change e.g. a reminder of early closing for staff meeting Happy announcement e.g. victory in sports final

particular who have enthusiastically supported this initiative from the very beginning. Allianz has been a key support to IPPN since its launch in February 2000. IPPN recognises, that in supporting these bursaries, both the DES and Allianz are showing visionary leadership through providing the opportunity for school leaders to professionally develop themselves beyond these shores.

IPPN would also like to thank Mike Benson and Doug Acton from the Ontario Principals Council who will facilitate this study visit. In a few short years IPPN has developed a strong professional relationship with our counterparts in Canada.

Sink or swim?

Serving Principal, Michael Donegan, Birr entertains attendees at the IPPN Conference 2005 in CityWest Dublin.

PAGE 11

For large schools – reminding staff about a particular event.

How can I use text-a-parent to send messages to the parents in our school?

Arrange for the collection of the parents’ mobile telephone numbers Log on to www.text-a-parent.ie Register your contact details Send cheque to IPPN to purchase "credit" for the cost of the text messages When your cheque is received, a text message will be sent to you informing that your account has been set up and is ready for use Follow the on-screen instructions which enables you to type your short message and specify the mobile telephone numbers to which the message will be sent

Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004

I

n this issue I will examine the above Act and how it will impact on the role of the school Principal. The Act imposes statutory obligations on Principals and Boards of Management. The Act makes 51 specific references to the Principal. This is a record which was not remotely achieved in the Education Act 1998 and is unlikely to be matched by any future legislation. I will focus on the sections which are most relevant to you in the discharge of your obligations. Already you have probably met the face of the New Act, the Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO'S). Principals have been very impressed by the support and expertise of the SENO'S and this bodes well for the future.

AIMS The above act was enacted in July 2004.

It has four main aims; 1) To provide for the education of children with special educational needs 2) That such provision takes place in an inclusive environment 3) That such children will benefit from an appropriate education, as do their peers.

4) To establish the National Council for Special Education

DEFINITION OF "SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS" "Special Educational Needs" means in relation to a person, a restriction in the capacity of the person to participate in and benefit from education on account of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or learning disability, or any other condition, which results in a person learning differently from a person without that condition.

The key word in this definition is "restriction".

The definition of "disability" in the Education Act 1998 has been replaced by the above definition.

The 1998 definition referred to "condition, illness or disease". The term restriction in capacity is more appropriate.

SECTION 3 PREPARATION OF EDUCATION PLAN BY THE SCHOOL Where the Principal has been notified by the parents or indeed takes the view him/herself that the pupil is not benefiting from the regular education programme provided in the school.

The Principal will take such measures as are practicable to meet the educational needs of the student concerned i.e. this might mean the pupil participating in smaller groups for maths or reading or attending learning support.

PAGE 12

If the Principal takes such measures and is of the view that the pupil is still not benefiting from the amended programme and that this is the result of having special needs, the Principal, after consultation with the parents of the student should arrange for an assessment of the student to be carried out within a I month time frame.

After the Principal reaches the opinion that the pupil may have special educational needs, the Principal must ensure that the assessment is completed within a 3-month period.

If the assessment establishes that the student has special educational needs, the Principal within 1 month from the receipt of the assessment will cause an educational plan to be prepared. If the Principal is of the opinion that the arrangement of an educational plan by the school is not within its competence, a request can be made to the National Council for Assistance. Guidelines will be issued to Principals in relation to this matter.

In relation to the preparation of an education plan the Principal shall ensure that the parents of the child, the Special Educational Needs Organiser and such other persons as the Principal considers appropriate are consulted and in the case of the parents of the child, their involvement in the preparation is facilitated.

Guidelines issued by the National Council for Special Educational Needs must be complied with

L E G A L

D I A R Y

unless the Principal decides and gets the consent of the Special Educational Needs Organiser (S.E.N.O) for their not being complied with.

Immediately after an educational plan has been prepared, the Principal of the school shall furnish to the parents of the child concerned and the Special Educational Needs Organiser with responsibility for the school, a notice in writing of that fact, together with a copy of the plan.

Where the Principal of a school is of the opinion that having regard to the nature and the extent of a child’s special educational needs, as established by an assessment under this section, the preparation of an educational plan in accordance with the guidelines will not meet the pupils special educational needs, the Principal will request the Council to prepare an education plan.

An education plan prepared by the Council will supersede any other education plan, and then the Principal or parents can appeal against the refusal to the Appeals Board.

SECTION 5 ASSESSMENT An assessment may include one or more of the following; (a) Psychologist (b) A medical practitioner (c) The Principal of the school or a teacher nominated by the Principal (d) A social worker (e) Therapist NOTE: The act allows for some latitude in relation to who does the assessment. It could allow for in-school assessment by members of the teaching staff in certain circumstances. The Principal shall facilitate the participation by the parents of the children concerned in the carrying out of an assessment. The assessment cannot be undertaken without the consent of the parents in writing.

COURT ORDER DIRECTING AN ASSESSMENT Where a parent fails or refuses to give the requisite consent, the council can apply to the Circuit Court for an order dispensing with the consent. The court can make such an order if it is considered in the best interests of the child to do so.

SECTION 6 APPEALS IN RELATION TO ASSESSMENTS If parents are not happy with the manner in which the assessment is carried out, they can appeal to the Appeals Board. If the appeal is upheld the Principal must arrange for a fresh assessment.

The Principal must comply with any guidelines issued in relation to the new assessment.

SECTION 8 PREPARATION OF EDUCATION PLAN AT DIRECTION OF COUNCIL If the Principal informs the council that a pupil has Special Needs and that the assessment requires an education plan which the school feels

unable to provide, a plan must be prepared by the S.E.N.O. A team will be convened by the S.E.N.O to offer assistance in the preparation of the plan.

The team shall include the parents of the pupil concerned, a psychologist or a teacher nominated by the Principal to be a member of the team.

SECTION 9 CONTENT OF THE EDUCATION PLAN The Principal shall implement an education plan and the school will be provided with the necessary monies and support services.

Where the transfer from one school to another school of a child in respect of whom an education plan has been prepared is proposed, the Principal of the first mentioned school shall consult, before such transfer takes place with the Principal of the second mentioned school for the purpose of (a) Ensuring that the Principal of the second mentioned school is informed of the content of the education plan and (b) Assisting the Principal of the second mentioned school in amending the plan, where such amendments are considered necessary by that Principal having regard to the special educational needs of the child and the operation of that school (which amendment that Principal is authorised to make).

Where it is proposed to amend a child’s education plan, the Principal of the school to which the child is to be transferred shall inform the parents of the child of the proposed amendment and they may request that that Principal consult with the relevant special educational needs organiser and that Principal shall comply with that request.

SECTION 10 DESIGNATION OF A SCHOOL The National Council for Special Education may on its own volition or at the request of the parents, designate a school to whom a pupil with special educational needs may be enrolled. In making such an order the council would have taken account of he capacity of the school to accommodate the child particularly when additional resources are made available to it. The Board of Management may appeal the designation but the burden of proving that the school does not have adequate resources to enable it to meet the needs of the child concerned shall be on the BOM. SECTION 11 REVIEW OF EDUCATION PLAN The Principal of the relevant school shall review or cause to be reviewed at regular intervals, but in any case not less than once a year, the operation of each education plan for children who are attending the school (a) For the purpose of establishing whether or not the child concerned has received the services required as contained in the education plan and is achieving the goals specified in the education plan and (b) With a view to making recommendations in a report for any possible amendment of the plan.

PAGE 13

The Principal shall make a report to the parents of the child concerned and S.E.N.O of the outcome of such a review. The S.E.N.O can reconvene the team or any member of it to consider why goals or targets have not been achieved with a view to review of the content and implementation of the original plan.

If parents are not happy with the progress achieved in relation to an education plan they may request a review after 6 months. The request is made to the Principal and if the Principal considers it appropriate he/she will accede to the request and will carry out the required review. If the Principal refuses the request, a decision and reasons must be given in writing within 2 weeks of the parents making the request. The parents have a 1 month period in which to appeal this refusal. The appeals board must hear and determine the request within a 1 month period. If the appeal is upheld, a direction is given to the Principal requiring the plan to be reviewed. The Principal must comply with the direction of the Appeals Board.

SECTION 8 APPEALS IN RELATION TO EDUCATION PLANS (1) Parents may appeal to the Appeals Board against (a) The discharge by the Council or a Principal of a school of its or his or her duties in relation to (b) Any statement or description of their child’s special educational needs as set out in an education plan, or (c) Any other statement or description appearing in the education plan as initially prepared or as it stands amended for the time being in consequences of a review. (d) On the ground that the statement or description is incorrect or inadequate to meet the child’s special educational needs, or (e) The discharge by a school of its duties with respect to an education plan on the ground that there has been a failure by it to implement any part of the plan.

(2) The Appeals Board shall hear and determine an appeal under this section within 2 months from the making thereof and such a determination may be one either to(a) Allow the appeal and as appropriate, give a direction to the Principal of the relevant school or the Council requiring the Principal or the council to amend the plan in such manner as the Appeals Board considers appropriate and specifies in its direction or give such other direction to the Principal or the Council relating to the child’s education as the Board considers appropriate, or (b) Dismiss the appeal (3) The Principal of the school, or the Council shall comply with a direction given to him or her.

L E G A L

D I A R Y

SECTION 14 BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT The BOM of a school has a duty to ensure full compliance on the part of a school with the provisions of the Act and to co-operate fully with the National Council for Special Education.

The relevant Special Needs Organiser shall give all such advice and assistance as is reasonable to the Principal and teachers of the school concerned in their performance of functions under this Act.

SECTION 15 PLANNING FOR FUTURE EDUCATION NEEDS In preparing or reviewing an education plan, the Principal of the relevant school or relevant Special Educational Needs Organiser shall, from the child’s attaining such age as the Principal or organiser considers appropriate, have regard to the provision which will need to be made to assist the child to continue his or her education. The Principal or the Special Needs Organiser shall ascertain the wishes of the child concerned and of his or her parents.

SECTION 26 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ORGANISERS (S.E.N.O.S) The Board of Management, Principal, teachers and other members of the staff of a school shall give all such assistance as may reasonably be required by the Special Needs Organiser in the performance by him or her of his or her functions.

This section could have relevance in relation to a transfer to secondary school.

CONCLUSION At first glance you might feel intimidated by the provisions of this act but I would like to offer the following reassurance;

SECTION 18 DELEGATIONS OF FUNCTIONS OF PRINCIPALS The Principal of a school may delegate the performance of any of the functions conferred on him or her by this Act to such teacher in the school as the Principal considers appropriate and a function so delegated shall, accordingly, be performable by the teacher concerned.

SECTION 50 QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE Every plan, report and assessment prepared or made under this Act shall, for the purposes of the law of defamation, enjoy qualified privilege.

1) Almost all the Sections I have referred to i.e. the rights Sections 2 – 18 have not commenced yet and will not do so for at least one year.

2) Dates will be given for the commencement of each section of the Act. 3) All sections of the Act must be fully commenced

PAGE 14

within a five year period.

4) This Act enshrines in legislation the rights of children with Special Educational Needs to education and support services.

5) This Act in a comprehensive manner gives clear guidelines as how to deal with concerns regarding children with special educational needs.

6) This Act has hit the ground running unlike the slow pace of progress of the Education Welfare Act 2000.

7) There are 80 S.E.N.O'S in position with the National Council for Special Education having 18 members of staff. A lot of expertise is available to schools.

8) Even though on first reading the principal is referred to all over the Act, Section 18 confers on Principals the right to delegate functions conferred on him/her to an appropriate teacher.

9) If parents unreasonably refuse to allow a child to be assessed, the Circuit Court can direct that such an assessment takes place.

10) The provision of qualified privilege means that education plans can be prepared by teachers without having to worry about defamation legislation.

In summary I feel that, despite increased responsibilities and work load, the gains available to children with Special Educational Needs and the efficiency with which applications will be dealt with will compensate for the frustration endured by these children, their parents, principals and staff.

Leadership in 21st Century Ireland G E R A L D I N E K E N N E DY

Ms. Geraldine Kennedy spoke on the topic "Leadership in the 21st Century Ireland". She began by drawing a parallel between the role of Principal Teacher and that of Newspaper Editor. Both "perform a variety of functions, some of which have very little to do with your experience as a teacher or mine as a reporter". Both are expected to provide inspirational leadership, motivate those around us, play a role as the public face of the organisation, deal with a variety of personnel and human resource issues and all of this is "just before midday on a Monday morning!".

She went on to outline in greater detail the multi-faceted nature of the job of Principal as she sees it. The Principal is at once an administrator, a personnel manager, a caretaker, a social worker, a good psychologist, a guidance counsellor, a nurse and a decision-maker regarding SEN assessments.

Ms. Kennedy referred to the importance of preparation for Principalship. She said that "we ask a huge amount of our school principals and… do little to prepare them for the task". The principal is out there on his or her own without much in the way of support. It is up to the principal to crank up the engine every day – to lead, to inspire, to motivate. But the system, she feels, gives Principals very little support.

She referred to three issues facing the Primary School Principal that might be addressed, as she sees it.

Firstly, the need to make middle management

structures more effective in schools as a back up for Principals. She feels that Deputy and Assistant Principals should be afforded more effective opportunities to gain valuable management experience before being pitched into the Principal’s chair. As it is, we have a situation where the key post of Deputy Principal is held by a full-time teacher.

Secondly, she has the sense that the current Board of Management structure - which has served us so well – may now need to be modernised. We need to move away from a situation where part-time volunteers occupy key management roles in the life of a school and discharge specific legal responsibilities. We need something more professional and more modern to run our larger schools. "I think we can do better than that in a prosperous Republic in 2005".

“we need to ask ourselves, as a society-what is it exactly that we want from our school Principals? ” Thirdly, we need to ask ourselves, as a societywhat is it exactly that we want from our school Principals?

As a parent, she has some idea of what parents want. They want Principals to be the • Head teacher in the school.

• Head of learning, • Person who maintains or raises standards, PAGE 15

• Person who raises expectations among staff, among parents and among the pupils.

• Catalyst for the kind of things we all want - a happy learning environment where children are helped to achieve their potential.

"The international trend, I know, is to empower the Principal Teacher. The trend is to free up Principals.

Administrative supports are put in place and Principals are freed up to focus on the job of education leader and head teacher. It is an example we could usefully follow here".

Referring to the Recruitment of Principals, she highlighted her concern regarding disturbing evidence emerging that the number of applicants for each new Principals post is declining sharply.

More needs to be done to make the post less intimidating and more attractive.

She congratulated all in the IPPN for helping to focus the attention of the public "- and let it be said the attention of the media -" on the role of Principal. She said that too often in the past, the very different needs of the Principal have not been specifically highlighted and she is glad to see that this is changing.

She concluded by seeking support for the wider publication of inspector’s reports on primary schools which she felt – if the High Court case is upheld – would lead to the highlighting of issues such as overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school accommodation. "I think it can only be to your benefit", she concluded.

In-career Professional Development for Boards of Management

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This is a poem that I found very useful when starting a school in-service day – particularly if you are dealing with integration/inclusion.

The child stands facing the teacher, This happens everyday, A small embarrassed creature, Who can’t think what to say.

He gazes up at the ceilng, He stares down hard at the floor, With a hot and flustered feeling, And a question he can’t ignore.

He stands there like the stump of a tree, With a forest of arms around, “It’s easy, Sir, Ask me! Ask me!”

The answer its seems is found.

The child sits down with a lump in his throat, This happens everywhere, And brushes his eyes with the sleeve of his coat.

And huddles in his chair.

The Central Executive Committee of the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education plan to offer regional seminars to address the issues and concerns of Boards of Management in relation to correct interview process and appointment procedure for staff. Changes in employment legislation and in the Department of Education and Science requirement mean that even very experienced Boards of Management have expressed the need for advice in this area.

NABMSE is delighted to have secured two very able speakers on this topic, Maighread Ní Ghallchobhair, O.P. Principal, Benincasa and Maria Spring, Principal, St. Clare’s Primary

School, Harold’s Cross, Dublin. Both of these speakers have wide experience in the delivery of in-career professional development to Boards of Management and will offer an interesting programme.

The range and intricacy of the recruitment process would suggest that it would benefit the whole Board of Management to attend one of these seminars.

The schedule for the seminars is set out below and you may book a place at the venue of your choice by contacting NABMSE, Education Centre Kildare, Friary Road, Kildare Town.

Phone: 045 533753, Fax: 045 533681, Email: nabmse1@eircom.net.

GALWAY

Connemara Coast Hotel

13 April ‘05 7.30pm–9.30pm

DUBLIN

Drumcondra Education Centre 19 April ‘05 7.30pm–9.30pm

MALLOW

Hibernian Hotel Mallow

25 April ‘05 7.30pm–9.30pm

KILKENNY

Kilkenny Education Centre

11 May ‘05

7.30pm–9.30pm

Admission is free to NABMSE members, for non-members the fee is 25 per person.

PAGE 16

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IPPN and its second level counterparts, NAPD, hosted an historic event in Cork from March 7th to 11th. Both Principals’ associations are affiliated to the International Confederation of Principals (ICP) and agreed to host ICP’s International Conference for 2005.

Cork was chosen as the conference venue to coincide with the city’s designation as European Capital of Culture. The ICP Conference, based at the Maryborough Hotel in Douglas, was attended by 60 delegates from 30 countries across 6 Continents.

The Conference consisted of four business sessions, facilitated visits to 35 local primary and second level schools and a one day focused symposium on Wednesday March 9th. The focus of this day was ‘The challenge of recruiting and retaining school leaders’. In addition to the 60 International delegates, 40 local principals and invited guests also participated in the symposium.

The symposium was strategically designed to combine a number of academic inputs from our leading experts, up to date research on views and attitudes towards leadership roles as well as the DES’ current thinking on school leadership.

This stimulating blend of inputs would then lead to reflection by the participating principals and invited guests, challenging them to identify the core issues and strategies required to reverse the universal decline of interest in and satisfaction from the role of principal.

The keynote speakers on the day were Professor John Coolahan, NUI Maynooth, Dr. Seamus McGuinness, TCD and Professor Geraldine McCarthy, Professor of Nursing, UCC. In addition, the symposium was addressed by Ms. Brigid McManus, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science as well as Dr. Paul Ryan, Principal Officer of the Teacher Education Section, DES. The symposium was skillfully facilitated by Mr. Michael Farrell, UCC, who also conducted two workshops engaging participants in a ‘mind mapping’ exercise to illustrate the key issues and strategies required to address the recruitment and retention

7th ICP Convention 2005 Cape Town International Convention Centre CAPETOWN, SOUTH AFRICA The South African Principals Association (SAPA) and the South African Heads of Independent Schools Association (SAHISA) take pleasure in inviting fellow head teachers and educators from around the globe to join us for the 7th World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals (ICP), which is to be held in Cape Town from 10–14 July 2005. South Africa is a spectacular, exotic and affordable destination and the site selected is Cape Town, the city where two oceans meet and recently voted as the Top Tourist Destination in Africa. Our country is Africa’s leading conference destination and tourism is SA’s fastest-growing market sector.

challenge. Ms Geraldine D’Arcy, on behalf of IPPN, presented the key findings of the online survey that was conducted in the two weeks prior to the event. The survey examined the attitudes and aspirations of teachers towards the role of principal with specific attention drawn to the factors that influence teachers to apply or not to apply for the position of principal.

Prof. Coolahan, acting as rapporteur, concluded the symposium with an impressive summary overview of the various inputs, discussions and conclusions. A summary paper will be written by Michael Farrell to include the keynote addresses and presentations. This will be available through www.ippn.ie in due course. IPPN is extremely proud to have organised and hosted this special event in Ireland for the first time.

We are extremely grateful to our keynote speakers, facilitator, sponsors and most importantly to the local organising committee who worked tirelessly for making this such a tremendous success.

Cape Town is regarded as the jewel of Africa and is the country’s leading domestic and international leisure destination. Located at the base of the spectacular Table Mountain, at the tip of Africa, this dynamic and cosmopolitan city is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, golden beaches, and world-renowned wine estates.

Cape Town boasts a World Heritage Site in Robben Island, the island prison that was home to Nelson Mandella for most of his 27 years of imprisonment. The Cape Peninsula National Park, comprising 60% of the Cape Peninsula, is shortly due to be declared a World Heritage Site.

The Convention will be held in the Cape Town Convention Centre which offers state-of-the-art facilities. The layout is ideal for large international conventions and it is more than capable of catering to all the ICP’s requirements. The Trade Exhibition will be located in the same building, and daytime meals will take place in this area. The Convention Centre is within close proximity to the world-famous Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which is a shopper’s paradise, and boasts a range of wonderful hotels and over 40 restaurants (to suit all pockets); the Two Oceans Aquarium; craft markets and an Imax Theatre.

For further information, please see websites at: www.icp2005.com and www.icp2005.org

PAGE 17

JANUARY 2005

Diary of meetings held by IPPN on behalf of Principals

IPPN and Minister Mary Hanafin, T.D., Minister for Education & Science in Dublin IPPN and Ms. Geraldine Kennedy, Editor, The Irish Times in Dublin IPPN Executive Meeting in Portlaoise "New Horizons for Smaller Schools and Teaching Principals in Ireland" Sub Committee Meeting in Kilkenny IPPN and Dr. Diarmaid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, in Dublin.

Meeting between Professor John Coolahan, N.U.I. Maynooth, Dr. Séamus McGuinness, T.C.D. and IPPN in Dublin Minister Mícheál Martin, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, attended a function with members of IPPN Cork, on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the first Principals’ Conference held in Cork in 1994.

Meeting in Dublin with Professor Kathleen Lynch and Dr. Dympna Devine of U.C.D. Meeting in Dublin with Odyssey Internet Portals concerning new IPPN website Meeting in Dublin with Mr. Martin Hanevy, Assistant General Secretary, DES with special responsibility for school accommodation

FEBRUARY 2005 IPPN Conference 2005 in CityWest, Saggart,Co. Dublin Department of Education & Science Working Group on Principals’ Workload and In School Management in Dublin Meeting of CPSMA Standing Committee and IPPN Executive in Portlaoise Meeting of IPPN Executive in Portlaoise IPPN attended an NCCA Seminar on ICT in Dublin Meeting in Dublin of the Leadership Development for Schools Advisory Committee Launch of the Teaching Council, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin Meeting in Dublin with Dr. Paul Ryan, Principal Officer, Teacher Education Section, DES Conference of Principals of Hospital Schools, in conjunction with Coláiste Mhuire Marino, in Durrow, Co. Laois Meeting in Dublin with Odyssey Internet Portals concerning new IPPN website Meeting in Dublin, with officials of Minister Mary Hanafin’s office, concerning the provision of resources for children with Special Education Needs

Whole School Evaluation: Correction

Pictured at the launch of the Teaching Council at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in February.

Deirdre O’Donoghue, Educate Together; Virginia O'Mahony, President, IPPN; Mary Hanafin, TD, Minister for Education and Science and David Ruddy, Legal Advisor, IPPN. PAGE 18

IPPN wishes to acknowledge an error that appeared in an article on Whole School Evaluation in the January issue of Leadership+. In the first column of the article the procedure for meeting with representatives of an affiliated Parents’ Association is outlined and it was suggested that the School Principal could be present at that meeting. We are advised that the meeting with parents is attended by the parent representatives and the inspectors only. The school principal does not attend this meeting, although a record of the main issues discussed at the meeting with parents is provided by the reporting inspector at the post-evaluation meeting with the members of the Board of Management.

DY S P RA X I A Dyspraxia is a little known problem, children with it may present with a wide variety of 'symptoms'. SORCHA REGAN outlines some ideas which may be of practical help in the classroom What do you as a teacher know about Dyspraxia? If the word dyspraxia is alien to you - prepare to be enlightened! While dyslexia has now been recognised as a problem for many people and is a familiar word in every school, dyspraxia remains largely unheard of and therefore untreated.

Dyspraxia comes from the greek word 'praxis' which means, "doing, acting, deed, practice" (Safire, 1989). Dyspraxia is defined as difficulty with thinking out, planning, and carrying out sensory/motor tasks. The child with dyspraxia may have a combination of problems in varying degrees. There are two forms of dyspraxia - motor dyspraxia and oral dyspraxia. Many children with motor dyspraxia also have oral dyspraxia.

Oral dyspraxia means that the acquisition of speech is delayed and children with oral dysprxia need intensive speech therapy over a prolonged period of time. The dyspraxic child in primary school may present with the following 'symptoms': Has very low self-esteem May not be able to run, hop or jump May not be able to learn anything instinctively so needs to be taught basic skills Poor dressing skills Poor pencil grip Difficulty with P.E. Handwriting almost illegible Artwork very immature Anxious and easily distracted Finds it difficult to keep friends or judge how to behave in company Reacts to stimuli without discrimination Unable to remember or follow instructions Difficulty copying from the blackboard Generally poorly organised.

Is it any wonder that teachers find it difficult, if not impossible at times, to deal with these problems? Children with dyspraxia need individual attention and specific remedial resources which are not available at the moment. However, let me outline some practical ideas which may be of some help in the classroom: Providing the child with a copy of what is on the blackboard Allowing the child to do ten 'sums' instead of twenty Have child seated near the teacher Give one instruction at a time to begin with Some children learn more easily by following written instructions Ask child to repeat instructions in his/her own words Have a positive attitude - difficult because dyspraxic children have 'good days' and 'very bad days'.

Allow the child to use a keyboard if writing is illegible A classroom assistant would be very helpful.

In 1995 The Dyspraxia Association was formed by a group of parents of children with Dyspraxia. The association aims to ensure that adequate resources be made available to support the needs of children with dyspraxia. This includes occupational therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy and education.

The Dyspraxia Association can be contacted at: dyspraxiaireland@eircom.net Reproduced with kind permission of Sorcha Regan as appeared in 'Education Today - dealing with difference'

THE DYSPRAXIA ASSOCIATION

9th Annual Conference on Dyspraxia/dcd "Building partnerships" "Local networks towards local services" at the GLEN ROYAL HOTEL, MAYNOOTH, CO. KILDARE Saturday 9th April 2005, 9.00am - 4.30pm

Pictured at the 2005 IPPN Conference

Pictured at the recent meeting between IPPN and CPSMA in Portlaoise are Seán Cottrell, IPPN, Fr. Dan O’Connor, CPSMA, Virginia O’Mahony, IPPN, Sr Geraldine Costello, Canon Frank Kelly, CPSMA, Tomás Ó Slatara, IPPN

Sub-Committee from IPPN and St. Patrick's College at the launch of their report.

Back row: Dolores Corcoran (St. Patrick's College) Third Row: Tomás Ó Slatara (Joint Chairperson, IPPN), Pat Meagher (IPPN), John White (St. Patrick's College), Ray McInerney (IPPN). Second Row: Kathleen Lynch (IPPN), Dominic O'Sullivan (IPPN), Pat Kavanagh (IPPN), Seán Cottrell (Director, IPPN). Front Row: Dr. Mark Morgan, (Joint Chairperson, St. Patrick's College), Virginia O'Mahony, (President, IPPN), Archbishop Diarmaid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, Susan Frawley (IPPN).

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Benefits of an interactive approach to Science Education SUSAN McGRATH BSc. Hons., MEd., FInstP Science2Life@btinternet.com

As Senior Manager with the responsibility for the development and delivery of educational programmes at W5, the interactive science centre at Odyssey, Belfast, I was in the magical position of not only working with a hugely talented and imaginative group of people but also had the money and time to allow us to develop a range of interactive demonstration shows and workshops.

The workshops developed for the pupils turned out to be extremely successful – some argued too successful, as a few teachers just arrived for the workshops and didn’t book into the exhibit areas at all. However, despite the constant requests from teachers for support material, the up take of the in-service programmes on offer for teachers was practically non existent. Why was this the case?

I am fully aware that over the past decade or so, the pressures of time, concerns about safety and in many cases a lack of teachers’ experience seem to have conspired to reduce significantly the amount of exciting science that pupils experience. This is more acutely profound in primary schools, especially in the light of the development of the newly implemented Primary Science Curriculum.

Hands On - Minds On So with this being the case, why were teachers not taking up the opportunity to part take in a course that not only empowered them, but provided them with a ‘toolbox’ of creative techniques and an understanding of how to apply them within the physical science context.

Now, in my new role as the sole employee of ‘Science2Life’, this question becomes even more poignant; I have talked to many teachers hoping to find the answer and basically it comes down to two points: Time and Money.

Schools don’t have the money to pay for a course or a substitute teacher, and senior managers are concerned about the reduction of contact time between the teachers and students and the potential effect this might have on grades.

So why is it so important for schools to employ people like me to ‘add’ to the education of their students and train their teachers?

The Demonstration Shows, which last for about an hour, are spectacular and thought provoking. They not only provide teachers with new ideas, which ultimately enhances their confidence within the subject, but are experiential – that is they centre on students ‘doing’ the concepts or processes being taught.

I focus on the motto ‘hands-on, minds-on’ – that is both should be engaged for optimal learning and retention of knowledge.

I aim to inspire, involve and enthuse so that the end product is enjoyed by all – the students, teachers and myself!

The majority of the equipment used in the shows is obtained from toyshops, superstores such as Tescos, DIY stores and garden centres.

When you want to explain abstract concepts, a physical model or demonstration can often be worth a thousand words – the demonstrations need not be elaborate. Sometimes, even conjuring up a familiar mental image can clarify a difficult concept. Toys and common household appliances and substances make great demonstration tools.

Everyday examples help to illustrate complex ideas making those concepts more tangible, and therefore more accessible, to students and non-science based teachers. They provide them with a break from the fast pace of demanding content, and allow them to PAGE 20

visualise or manipulate the concepts in different ways, which in turn promotes more effective learning.

Both the shows and teacher focused training: develop an understanding of the nature of science; encourage the participants to be more active, reflective and successful learners; sharpen the powers or observation, stimulates questions and help develop new understanding and vocabulary; and fosters the development of critical thinking skills and the use of evidence to make decisions.

Practical Science Science taught in an interactive, inquiryoriented manner which encourages active student involvement helps reinforce and extend what students have read and learnt through book work and discussions. Hands-on science activities supplement the more traditional approach to teaching science.

A huge amount of science can be covered in an hour. The students are exposed to chemical reactions in the form of exploding corn flour, seemingly magical tricks where substances disappear, change colour, fizz and ultimately erupt! The laws of physics are tested. Forces and energy, electricity and magnetism, light and sound are perfect candidates for conjuring tricks – all demos are explained – but generally the students will leave with the memories of the bubbles, the noise and the laughter.

Who do they turn to with the questions?

Parents and teachers? Who do the parents turn to? Teachers. Who do the teachers turn to???

Science2Life officially launches on 1st March. I will be contacting all of the education centres and plan to hopefully work with them so that the shows, training and venues facilitate as

many pupils and teachers as possible. If you have a large assembly hall with a stage then it would be possible for your school to be the central venue, for as many days as required, for your pupils and those from other nearby schools.

The in-service sessions could be given as twilight sessions mid week or on a Saturday morning.

I am currently in the process of negotiating my own sponsorship deal with a large supermarket chain with the aim to pass on the benefits to you! This is on the back of the fact that they supply nearly all of the equipment used in the shows and training sessions. I strongly believe that if a training session is to truly be beneficial to the teachers involved they need to be able to use the ideas and skills practiced as soon as they return to the classroom. By supplying the teacher with their own ‘toolbox’ full of practical equipment and the necessary accompanying handbook they can share their newly acquired knowledge and enthusiasm with their colleagues and students.

You may have a local company that is willing to support an educational programme within your area – or possibly know of grants that we can apply for together? Either way the cost factor of the shows and training can be covered.

Alternatively you can charge the students a few more euros to see the show and use the excess monies to either cover the in-service training or buy science equipment for the school.

Student-driven Learning Constructivism and reflection are two words which over the last few years seem to be thrown into the educational discussion pot.

The amount of content to be covered by your teachers is quite significant. The new emphasis on how children learn and the perspectives on the nature of learning really excites me. I am a kinaesthetic and visual learner, but was taught in a very linguistic and logical way. As an ex teacher I am fully aware of the pros of teachercentred approaches to learning. The main one being a large volume of information can be shared in a short amount of time.

As educators we are all being encouraged to craft our teaching methods so that they are innovative, imaginative, student-driven and responsive to a variety of learning styles. My approach to teaching and training aims to engage all in the learning process by: giving the participants the ownership of knowledge highlighting real life connections promoting active learning fostering critical thinking addressing multiple learning styles.

It is very important that we all become reflective learners this process is made much easier in science if the student can see the relevance in what they are being taught and how it fits in with the activities and actions taking place in their own little world.

EDUCATIONAL DISADVANTAGE The IPPN Perspective The child in today’s disadvantaged community is part of a family.

Traditionally, education dealt with the child in isolation. Today, we must grasp the concept of educating the child as a member of a family. Family units are changing constantly and the education society must acknowledge and respond to this ongoing change. The present Minister for Education and Science has repeatedly stated that tackling educ-ational disadvantage is one of her priorities.

Integrated Service Delivery Recent government initiatives on Disadvantage whilst praiseworthy, have lacked serious thought on planned change.

Some have worked such as the Home-School Community Liaison Scheme. Other Departments such as Health and Justice have had success with Springboard and Extern initiatives. It is clear that the most successful models are those where all agencies and bodies have attempted to integrate service delivery to a targeted audience on a planned delivery basis.

Successful models are the ones which facilitate rather than force change within communities. The Community Employment Scheme is a typical example where parents have embraced the partnership model working side by side with teachers and contributing to changing the culture of education for the entire school community.

IPPN Proposals IPPN advocates and supports the development and maintenance of an electronic national data base which can be used as a basis for future study and evaluation, thus ensuring appropriate targeting and delivery of resources to schools most in need IPPN supports the further involvement parents as partners in education, particularly in reading and numeracy initiatives The planning for appropriate professional development for school leaders to enable full engagement in the process of managing and leading a school community Emphasis on Early Childhood Learning – particularly an examination of a 3 year infant cycle for children whose first experience of failure is the transition from Senior Infants to First Class IPPN strongly advocate the funding of projects intended to reduce the numbers of marginalised parents and enable their children access quality education. The changes IPPN envisage and encourage depend on a culture change within our schools and also within our disadvantaged communities. IPPN recognise the input by government to date and acknowledge what has been done. We believe in the Partnership model – the School Community model – the Parent Teacher model and hopefully the DES– IPPN model.

Professor Michael Fullan Worskshops

Michael Fullan has a rare skill in combining practical and insightful support linked with latest international research on educational leadership and change management. The three workshops will take place:

Due to popular demand and following the success of last years’ workshops, Prof. Michael Fullan has agreed to facilitate three workshops with IPPN in May 2005. The evaluation of last years’ workshops suggests universally high satisfaction from those in attendance.

Mon 9 May, Cork, Springfort Hall, Mallow Tue 10 May, Galway, Corrib Great Southern Hotel Thur 12 May, Dublin, Castleknock Hotel Application forms will be issued later this month.

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Building Programme 2005 Prioritising Projects The Minister for Education and Science, Ms. Mary Hanafin announced in January that she was allocating â‚Ź270m to Primary School building projects in 2005. Eighty nine new Primary School building projects will now go to tender and construction on a rolling basis over the next 18 months.

Band 2 Projects (Absolutely necessary)

Band 3 Projects

Band 2 subdivides into 6 divisions.

(Necessary but not urgent)

Band 2:1 For a project to be classified as a Band 2:1 project there must be a clear deficit of mainstream accommodation which is a significant percentage of the schools overall accommodation needs and clear evidence must be available that the day to day functionality of the school is impaired.

Band 3 subdivides into 5 divisions.

In February the Minister announced details of Devolved Capital Projects which will see a further 184 schools going to tender and construction in 2005. The Summer Work Scheme (SWS) has also recently been announced and 362 Primary Schools nationwide will benefit. Principals who propose to apply for additional accommodation on behalf of their Boards of Management need to be aware of the D.E.S amended criteria for prioritising primary school projects so that the school has a general idea of the likely time frame to commencement of construction.

There must be evidence that a comprehensive maintenance programme or a prolonged Summer Works Scheme would be unlikely to address the deficit and that an extensive refurbishment would be a more cost effective solution subject to technical evaluation. An extensive refurbishment covers an upgrade of all mechanical and electrical systems, door, window, ceiling and floor replace-ment, roof repairs etc.

The project must also be outside the remit of Summer Works Scheme and involve general improvement works.

Band 1 Projects (Top Priority)

Band 2:3 Refers to schools that require an extensive refurbishment outside the scope of Summer Works Scheme (SWS) or a comprehensive maintenance programme.

This Band has 4 sub bands.

Band 1:1 Refers to schools in a rapidly developing area where there is no existing school or where existing provision is unable to cater for demand.

A rapidly developing area could be classed as a growing urban centre, or an area experiencing significant demographic change with clear evidence of sustained pressure for pupil places in all local schools. No school in the immeditate area should be operating below capacity or have significant numbers from outside the immediate area.

Band 1:2 Refers to the provision of special needs accommodation for children with Autism, Speech and Language impairment, severe and profound intellectual disability, etc.

Band 1:3 Caters for schools deemed to be structurally unsound.

Band 2:2 Covers schools where there is a substantial percentage deficit of mainstream accommodation.

Band 2:4 Refers to schools where there is a deficit of accommodation but where the refurbishment required is not as extensive as Bands 2:2 or 2:3.

Band 3:1 This band covers schools where there is no deficit of mainstream accommodation but is a deficit of ancillary accommodation required to support the delivery of special education such as Resource and Learning Support teaching.

Band 3:2 Similar to Band 3:1 but where no general improvement works is required.

Band 3:3 Refers to schools where there is a deficit of ancillary accommodation outside of the ancillary accommodation required in the provision of Special Education. Some improvement works are necessary.

Band 3:4 Similar to Band 3:3 but where no improvement works are necessary.

Band 3:5 Refers to schools where improvement works are necessary but not urgent and where such work cannot be addressed through a comprehensive maintenance programme or SWS.

Band 4 Projects (desirable but not essential)

Band 2:5 There is a deficit of mainstream accommodation that does not represent a substantial proportion of the overall accommodation needs of the school.

Band 4:1 Covers schools whose requests fall outside of the 3 bands listed above.

Band 2:6 Where a technical evaluation deems the school to be in need of a less extensive refurbishment than in Bands 2:3 but where the work required is outside the scope of a comprehensive maintenance programme or a SWS.

Summary The Primary School Building Programme is progressing much more efficiently in the last year.

There are still major concerns that some schools have moved faster than others while many schools have been disappointed that they have not been included in theis year’s SWS Scheme.

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L E T T E R S to the Editor

Smaller schools

Whole School Evaluation

Exemption from the Study of Irish

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the working group that has produced the report on smaller schools, "Breacadh Ré Nua do Scoileanna Beaga." It seems to contain a lot of good ideas and recommendations.

However, one recommendation, while it may sound laudable in theory, appears to me to be unworkable. On page 30, the report states: "Recommendation: Changes need to be introduced in the appointment procedures for administrative principalships. Procedures should require applicants to have managed smaller schools."

While this may seem a reasonable aspiration at first glance, the reality is that there are very few small schools in, for instance, the greater Dublin area. Is the group seriously suggesting that a teacher currently teaching in a large school in Dublin (or other large urban areas) should be required to re-locate, uproot family, etc. so that experience of a teaching principalship could be sought in a small school? She/he would then have to try to move back again to the urban area so that he/she could apply for an administrative principalship? A teacher may have worked all their working lives in the "big school." I would suggest that they could not possibly be blocked from applying for an administrative principalship because of this perceived gap in their CV. The "requirement" outlined in this recommendation would actually discourage even more teachers from applying for administrative principalships than the current situation.

Yours, Kathryn Crowley St. Louise de Marillac Junior Sch, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10

Principals beware! A great deal of extra work has landed on our laps by stealth yet again! It's called WSE. I had the pleasure of experiencing this process before Christmas. It didn't involve much of a change from a Tuairisc Scoile for class teachers but it was a big change for me as principal. My workload was greatly increased as a result of WSE. For me it involved: 3 extra meetings with representatives of the Parents' Association (trying to advise & guide them as they were totally at sea and had no information whatsoever about WSE); 4 extra Board of Management meetings; 3 to 4 hours work to complete the WSE preliminary information form.

The inspector / inspectors were in the school on 7 days (4 full days and 3 half / part days) and I was the liaison officer in terms of setting up meetings, advising BOM,and being available for discussions.

We are a 7 teacher school (incl. Learning Support) and I am a teaching principal. There is no training for Principals, Parents Association or BOM in advance of the process. Please, please bombard the INTO with demands for increased remuneration for this huge increase in our workload. Demand that this claim is brought to arbitration now. Don't be fobbed off again by a mention of benchmarking. We know where that got us!! Please contact the INTO and make this demand now because WSE may be winging its way to you very soon also!!

The good news is - I lived to tell the tale!!!

Margaret Scannell Tarbert National School, Co. Kerry

Dear Editor, Further to your article “Exemption from the Study of Irish” (Leadership+, Issue 23), I would like to make the point that a Primary Principal deciding not to grant an exemption from the Department for a child who falls into the correct categories can, in fact, limit a pupil’s opportunities at third level.

The National Colleges of Ireland will not accept students who only have Foundation Level Irish.

However, they will accept a student who has an exemption from Irish. Therefore even Primary School Principals need to see the “bigger picture” when an exemption is requested by parents and ensure that they are not doing an injustice to their students by closing doors that should remain open.

Yours,Lorraine Doyle

Letters to: editor@ippn.ie or ballinamerens.ias@eircom.net or post to: Letters to the Editor, IPPN, Glounthaune, Co Cork

Following the fantastic response from IPPN Members, O2 are delighted to announce the great success of our exclusive Escéal offer to Primary Deputy Principals. For the coming year ahead, members should watch out for even more great savings to be made, with exclusive mobile offers and deals from O2 Network Power PAGE 23

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