Leadership+ Issue 117 February 2021

ISSUE 117 / FEBRUARY 2021

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

A lot done

more to do SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ISSUE

ALLIANZ - YOUR LOCAL SERVICE & SUPPORT We have a Local Personal Service for all Schools insured directly with Allianz - Your Local Allianz Representative is always available and ready to assist you.

CONTACTING YOUR INSURER MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE FIRST THING ON YOUR MIND, BUT REST ASSURED WE ARE HERE TO HELP. HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE AREAS WE CAN ASSIST YOUR SCHOOL

An incident or an injury that may lead to a claim

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YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES CONTACT DETAILS Shane Mooney ACII – West 087 – 9190428 Shane.Mooney@allianz.ie

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Children in the care of the state

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What is happening to these children in our schools? The answer is that we just don’t know.

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The Magic of the Special School

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Geraldine Connolly gives us an insight into running a Special School for Pupils with a Moderate or Severe/ Profound Intellectual Disability.

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Leading with Wellness Noel Reilly explores the Wellbeing Support Systems for Primary School Principals in Ireland

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The European Perspective

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Brendan Doody looks at how education systems across Europe grapple with many of the same inclusionrelated questions that Ireland faces.

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Early Intervention Classes

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THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

Louise Tobin on running Early Intervention Classes in her mainstream primary school.

All History is Local

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+ Leadership

Seán Horgan on why schools should look at the rich history of their locality.

Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co. Cork • 1890 21 22 23 • www.ippn.ie n n

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Editor: Geraldine D’Arcy Editorial Team: Geraldine D’Arcy, Páiric Clerkin and Damian White Comments to: editor@ippn.ie Advertising: adverts@ippn.ie ISSN: 1649-5888 Design: Brosna Press

The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of IPPN

Signposts ISSUE 117 / FEBRUARY 2021

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A lot done

more to do Almost 20 years ago, the famous political slogan ‘a lot done, more to do’ was coined by an equally famous spin doctor, charged with producing a memorable phrase designed to reassure the electorate that the government party was on the right path, but with promises yet to be fulfilled. It has been used by everyone from politicians, business leaders and sports managers since, to contextualise expectations or to appeal for more time to fulfil potential. It was also a time when, in the wake of the 1998 Education Act, and in the midst of much subsequent legislation, proper attention was at last being focussed on the supports necessary for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) to access the curriculum in a way that was of most benefit to them, both educationally and emotionally. Since those heady days in the early years of the 21st century, much of note has been achieved. However, there are significant measures still to be taken to reduce the ‘to do’ list and to bring the provision of proper supports to children with SEN. This was evident last month when the government sought to prioritise the reopening of schools for pupils with SEN as a top priority.

Special Classes The role of the NCSE in advising the minister is crucial to the success, or otherwise, of our provision of the necessary supports to pupils with SEN. Through SENOs, the NCSE has a picture of the situation in every school in the country and the capacity to appraise the Department of the facts as regards the current needs, and through their engagement with pre-schools, the future SEN needs of pupils and schools.

We are asking the NCSE to support our assertion that enrolment for special classes be managed through the admissions process, rather than through the current designation process. All children should be able to access schooling locally if at all possible, and if appropriate to their needs.

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training for the safety and welfare of all pupils and staff.

PÁIRIC CLERKIN AND DAMIAN WHITE Several small schools (four mainstream classes or less) around the country have been asked to open ASD units in their schools. If a school Board of Management agrees to open a unit, the principal should be given administrative status as soon as it is in place. Catering to the needs of up to 12 children with complex special needs, as well as leading a school while still teaching full-time, is not possible without consequences for the welfare of all, particularly the principal.

Many schools that open special units are pressurised into opening before the necessary infrastructure, accommodation and supports are in place. Before enrolment of pupils in special classes, the proper supports should be already in place to meet their needs.

Special Schools The 1993 SERC report continues to provide a basis for special education and practice. The intervening 27 years have seen multiple changes in education and society, and a review of SERC is needed to reflect this. All special school principals should be administrative and deputy principals should be administrative when the school reaches six classroom teachers. Other deputies should have administrative days available to them on a pro rata basis.

Restricted practices present an enormous challenge, and are in need of underpinning by clear policy and

For special schools, the management of bus escorts is amongst the greatest challenges on a daily basis. It is an area requiring dedicated resources, including out of hours work. One principal recently reported that between her school and their sister special school next door, they managed 80 bus escorts. It is simply not possible for a school leader in a special school to have to manage such logistics, morning and evening, while leading the learning in such complex and challenging circumstances.

Consultation Consultation in relation to key aspects has happened, but could be better served by casting a wider net to inform key decisions. While many teaching principals and deputy principals work as SEN teachers, or manage the provision of extra supports to children with SEN, the thoughts and practical advice of practitioners throughout the system should also be sought when addressing SEN issues at system level. This increases the likelihood of acceptance and buy-in when they are launched and rolled out.

IPPN are always happy to support the consultation process through our network of members in this regard. This was clearly highlighted when practitioners in special schools and schools with special classes were not consulted about the practicalities of reopening in January amid the ongoing health and safety risks for everyone in the school community.

Appeals Any application process that is used to determine a fair and sufficient allocation of SNAs to schools should be streamlined to ensure that: ■ only relevant information is sought ■ a decision is issued in a timely fashion and ■ any appeals process is time bound and is in keeping with the principles of fair procedures.

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EDITORIAL The exceptional review process as it is currently operated falls short on all counts. The exclusion of the local SENO from the consideration of a school’s application weakens the process, as the local SENO should have an intimate working knowledge of the school and its profile of children with additional care needs. That knowledge and understanding of context is crucial to a fair and equitable allocation being determined.

On foot of an appeal by the school, if a visit by a SENO team is deemed necessary for the allocation to be determined, it seems reasonable to assume that any SENO who was involved in making the original decision, which the school is appealing, would not be involved in that school visit.

If a school has completed a process of exceptional review and new or emerging needs become apparent, it seems a poor use of the school’s and NCSE’s resources, for that school to have to undergo a further process of exceptional review to determine if any further increase to its allocation is warranted. It would seem more logical that a school in such circumstances (within a six-month period of the most recent exceptional review) should only have to provide details of those new or emerging needs.

primary schools. Jennifer Doran of NCSE shares information from a recent special education research conference.

From IPPN Supports and Services, Dónal Kerins gives details of resource bundles relevant to IPPN available from our website, as well as how schools can develop a policy on Dignity and Respect in the School Community.

If a school has completed a process of exceptional review and new or emerging needs become apparent, it seems a poor use of the school’s and NCSE’s resources, for that school to have to undergo a further process of exceptional review to determine if any further increase to its allocation is warranted.

school leaders and teachers, our own understanding of the learning, physical, and emotional needs of these children continues to expand through worked experience, quality CPD and a range of guidance and resources. It is vital for these children that we continue to learn how best to support them and to apply best practice. It is also essential that SEN be funded in a way that sees the necessary personnel, equipment and supports in place, to smooth the journey for our most vulnerable pupils.

Those who appeal to the NCSE for extra support do so only for the right reasons.

There is nothing to be gained for the school leader in these cases, other than the knowledge that the rough path facing children with SEN has been smoothed a little. Much has been done thus far to support SEN pupils. There is however, much more still to do.

The first 20 years of the 21st century have seen substantial changes to how children with special educational needs are prioritised and supported. As

Special edition In this special edition of Leadership+, we hear from the Department of Education on the proposed new model for SNA allocation and the Inspectorate on international best practice. Dr Patsy Daly (Mary I - retired) and Camilla Marks (NCSE) both address behaviours of concern. IPPN board member Louise Tobin writes on the establishment of ASD pre-schools. Geraldine Connolly outlines the issues facing special schools, while Rhodri Mears shares his experience with ASD special classes and shares recommendations from a recent survey. Anne McCluskey looks at the issue of supporting children in care. Clodagh Dougherty shares the results of her study on the impact of teachers on student teachers’ attitudes towards SEN. Prof. Selina McCoy (ESRI) shares details of her study on special classes in primary and post3

IPPN

CPD Events

As we are all staying at home to keep ourselves and each other safe, communicating with each other has never been more important. During this time, when support and communication is more important than ever, IPPN will continue to keep in touch with you via the website, E-scéal, Networking, webinars, online events and publications.

This year due to Covid-19 restrictions IPPN has had to make a number of changes to our CPD calendar. This means that, for the duration of the academic year, IPPN will deliver all our CPD events virtually.

These events offer an opportunity to hear fresh thinking from national and international figures in education, participate in stimulating workshops and network with colleagues. We know nothing replaces face-to-face when it comes to building relationships and networking with peers. However, we endeavour to deliver a host of virtual events in the year ahead enabling us to reach members across Ireland.

IPPN CONFERENCE 2021

LEADERSHIP FOR AN IMPERFECT WORLD The IPPN Annual Principals’ Conference and Education Expo will now take place on Friday 7th May and will be a one-day virtual event.

Planning for the event is well underway and will include a number of seminars, break activities, a virtual exhibition hall and keynote speakers, including Steve Munby, an expert in improving school leadership who leads a UK education trust (a charity) and who will address the topic ‘Imperfect leadership in imperfect times’ – not to be missed!

Steve Munby

We look forward to seeing you virtually over the coming weeks and in person in 2022.

Note: Registration will open soon (February 2021). Please visit ippn.ie and see your weekly E-scéal for further information.

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Frontloading Model for allocating SNAs into mainstream classes in primary schools KENNY NOONAN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

A core recommendation of the National Council for Special Education’s (NCSE) Review of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary and post primary schools. The Review called for the greater proportion of SNAs in these classes to be allocated on the basis of an educational profile of each school before the commencement of the school year in a similar manner to the allocation of special education teachers (SETs).

With the frontloaded model of SNA allocation, schools will have discretion, greater autonomy and greater flexibility in how their SNA allocation is deployed to meet the needs of students with additional care needs.

The frontloaded allocation model is intended to ensure that SNA posts are in schools and available immediately to students upon their arrival, reducing delays in accessing support. It eliminates the need for individual applications and professional assessments in order to access resources, moving to a needsbased model of support and ending the requirement for parents to secure a formal diagnosis to gain access to resources.

With the frontloaded model of SNA allocation, schools will have discretion, greater autonomy and greater flexibility in how their SNA allocation is deployed to meet the needs of students with additional care needs. However, there is no change in SNA duties. In recommending the frontloaded model, the NCSE recommended that the SET allocations, based on school profiles,

provides the strongest predictor of the level of care needs in a school to base the frontloaded allocations for mainstream SNA allocations.

It had been planned that the frontloaded model of allocation for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year. However, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the closure of school buildings in March 2020, it was decided that the introduction of the model would be deferred for one year i.e. to the start of the 2021/22 school year. This will allow time for the necessary planning and training for schools.

As an interim step, SNA allocations were frozen at their current levels for 2020/21 with provision for additionality where necessary.

Department Circular 30/2020 sets out the arrangements for SNA allocations for the 2020/21 school year. Schools were advised in the first instance to review and reprioritise deployment of all SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources on the basis that those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014. SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

It is anticipated that information sessions and workshops for national rollout of the frontloaded model will be held before the end of this school year to support schools with implementation for the 2021/22 school year.

BENEFITS OF A NEW FRONTLOADED ALLOCATION MODEL There are a number of key benefits a new allocation model for SNA provision will offer: ■ Schools, parents and SNAs have increased certainty

It had been planned that the frontloaded model of allocation for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year.

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Parents will not be required to secure a professional or medical report in order to access SNA support – the link between diagnosis and resources will be broken SNA provision will be available in schools before children begin school, thereby reducing delays The administrative burden on schools will be reduced as the current application process will be eliminated It will provide a fairer, more equitable and needs-based system based on a schools’ education profile, an approach schools are already familiar with under the reformed Special Education Teacher model, which was successfully introduced nationally in 2017.

SCHOOL INCLUSION MODEL A new model of in-school therapy support is currently being developed in 74 schools in the HSE CHO7 area. It is planned to extend the pilot to two other areas later this year. The pilot, which is being led by the NCSE, aims to improve outcomes for children.

It involves the provision of therapies including speech and language, occupational therapy, increased NEPS support, behavioural practitioner support and the provision of more professional development for both teachers and SNAs. Flexibility and certainty regarding SNA support is also a feature. This pilot which is being evaluated will inform future policy making on the provision of in-school and other supports to all schools.

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Leading the inclusive school

the European perspective BRENDAN DOODY ASSISTANT CHIEF INSPECTOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION AND A BOARD MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

As school leaders and policy makers in education, we recognise the range of benefits that come from networking or engaging with others in similar positions. For example, effective networking shows us, frequently, that the challenges we encounter can be similar to those faced by other school leaders and education systems. At one level, this can bring a measure of reassurance, and it brings the possibility of new learning from our peers. However, in seeking improvements, we also need to recognise that no two schools or education systems are the same. Ultimately, school or system development occurs most effectively where those schools or systems take account of the specific contexts within which they operate.

This allows for the development of bespoke, though informed, responses to identified areas for development.

Education systems and schools across Europe grapple with many of the same inclusion-related questions that Ireland faces.

Ireland is represented on the board of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (EASNIE) and this provides the opportunity to engage regularly with policy-makers and inclusion agencies across the thirty-one member countries. Education systems and schools across Europe grapple with many of the same inclusion-related questions that Ireland faces. For example, a regular topic of discussion at national and international meetings and conferences is the challenge of ensuring that education systems align with the various commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

The challenge of developing, fostering and sustaining 6

inclusive leadership practices in schools is a current area of focus for all countries, including Ireland.

Ireland is one of four countries participating in an EASNIE project entitled Supporting Inclusive School Leadership (SISL); the other participant countries are Hungary, Malta and Sweden. The project is managed and supported by EASNIE staff. The Irish project team includes high level representation from the Centre for School Leadership in Ireland and from the Department of Education Inspectorate. [Anna Mai Rooney, Deputy Director Primary, CSL, and Brendan Doody, Assistant Chief Inspector comprise the Irish Project Team.] The main thrust of the work to date has been in contributing to the development of a policy framework for inclusive school leadership. The policy framework, as currently drafted, is intended for use at national, regional and school levels.

There are three main purposes to the framework. It is intended to: 1. contribute to and offer a basis for the development of new policies relating to leadership of inclusive practices 2. support a review and further development of existing inclusion-related leadership policies and policy frameworks, and 3. facilitate reflection on the role of the inclusive school leader.

The second major element of the project is the development of a reflective tool, which aims to assist and guide school leaders and the leadership teams in their schools to reflect on their practices. The tool is designed as a stimulus for professional dialogue and collaborative policy development within and across schools. Currently in draft form, the tool will be trialled in a number of schools across participant countries, including Ireland, before being

Ireland is one of four countries participating in an EASNIE project entitled Supporting Inclusive School Leadership (SISL); the other participant countries are Hungary, Malta and Sweden. finalised for use across Europe. It is important to recognise that the availability of the reflective tool will not create inclusive leaders on its own. It is envisaged, however, that it will, at least, support school leaders in recognising areas which need to be developed. The trialling of the reflective tool presents Irish school leaders with a great opportunity to contribute to the development of a practical support for their work.

The Department of Education will liaise with IPPN to seek volunteers to trial and provide feedback on the suitability of this resource for the Irish context.

If you would like to contact Brendan in relation to this article, you can email him at Brendan_Doody@education. gov.ie.

Webinars: The CPD/Events -> Webinars page on www.ippn.ie hosts all available webinar recordings and the schedule of forthcoming seminars LINK

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What does the evidence on

special classes tell us?

PROFESSOR SELINA McCOY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE Special classes have been a part of the Irish education system since the 1970s, but it is only in the last decade that there has been increased focus on them; reflecting a rapid rise in the numbers of classes opening each year, particularly for children with Autism. In 2020 alone, 126 new special classes were opened at primary level.

Longitudinal research undertaken by the ESRI and Trinity College Dublin provides evidence on the role of special classes in primary schools and insights on how students experience these settings. The evidence shows that schools take varied approaches to establishing and operating special classes, and overall, principals who adopt a positive whole-school approach to inclusion, and teachers who have appropriate skills, are most likely to create an environment where students with special educational needs can thrive.

Principals have varied ideas of the purpose of a special class. In some schools, a special class is seen as a ‘safe haven’ and in others, it is seen as an opportunity to bring students up-to-speed when required. Schools also have differing approaches to integrating special classes with mainstream classes, and to moving students into, and out of, special classes. Overall, the results show that, across many special class settings, students stay together for most if not all of the school day, and a considerable proportion remain together as a group across school years. Allocation to a special class appears to be a relatively permanent arrangement in many schools. The evidence points to the need for schools to be encouraged and facilitated in allowing greater flexibility in frequency and opportunity for children to transition into, and out of, special class settings according to their needs. At system level, greater flexibility in the number of students required to maintain a special class would increase mobility

into, and out of the class as required, reducing stigma.

The diverse nature and ability of students with special educational needs makes any discussion around student outcomes difficult. The potential benefits of additional supports for students can be measured using data on attendance, retention, and the numbers achieving formal qualifications. But this only tells half the story. Our research shows that success in school for students with special educational needs is often based on more subtle measures of social and academic achievement for an increasingly diverse population. Students in classes designated for children with autism reported the most positive experience. These students often have tailored lesson plans, integration with students in mainstream classes, teachers who emphasise social development, in addition to strong parental involvement.

Hence, a common theme is the need for teachers to differentiate the learning goals and outcomes to meet students’ individual needs.

Hence, a common theme is the need for teachers to differentiate the learning goals and outcomes to meet students’ individual needs.

This tailored approach to teaching is clearly linked to the type of school leadership and, in turn, the extent to which teachers have specialist expertise. In order for teachers in special classes to meet students’ needs, it is critical that they be supported within the school context itself, through professional development, and through positive teacher-parent relations. The research shows that teachers assigned to

special classes do not always have relevant experience or qualifications; some teachers reported feeling illequipped to meet the needs of their students, particularly where there was no whole-school approach to inclusion. Access to training, both prior to teaching a special class and on an ongoing basis, is critical to enhancing teacher ability and confidence. Increased support from colleagues in mainstream classes would also support integration and reduce the isolation felt by teachers.

At a broader policy level, it is also suggested that financial incentives may increase the appeal of teaching special classes, and promote a higher regard for the position.

Difficulties around student transitions from special classes in both primary and post-primary school were highlighted in the research. In particular, responsibility seemed to fall on individual teachers for ensuring a smooth transition and monitoring a student’s progress after the transition is made. Formal transition structures or guidelines for schools, including the introduction of Education Passports for students transitioning from primary to postprimary schools, should help to ensure that responsibility for a successful transition is at the school level.

Overall, developing strong school leadership and teacher capacity is pivotal to improving social and educational outcomes for students in special classes. Given the recent increase in the number of special classes, it is an opportune time to apply the evidence to ensure that special classes act as a valuable and effective resource for children and young people in Ireland.

If you would like to contact Selina in relation to this article, you can email her at Selina.McCoy@esri.ie.

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Children in the care of the state

ANNE McCLUSKEY RETIRED PRINCIPAL OF OUR LADY OF THE WAYSIDE NS, BLUEBELL, DUBLIN 12

What is happening to these children in our schools? The answer is, is that we just don’t know.

According to Tusla’s 2019 annual report, there were just under 6,000 children in the care of the state, of whom 91% are in foster care with almost a third being in the care of relatives. While this is lower than previous years, it this is not necessarily a good sign, as school leaders will understand better than most. Child protection and welfare concerns certainly have not diminished, and Tusla also reports increased difficulties in the recruiting and training of new foster carers.

It has been well documented in the UK, Australia, the USA and in northern Europe, that children and young people in state care have particular vulnerabilities in education…

It has been well documented in the UK, Australia, the USA and in northern Europe, that children and young people in state care have particular vulnerabilities in education, and there are targeted responses and specific strategies to address that, such as the virtual school system and attachment awareness training in the UK, special education welfare officers in Australia, and Trauma Informed Schools in many states in the USA. Tuasla’s Education Support Service will be offered as a priority to children and young people in care, but may only come to their attention when they have been referred to it. What about those children who have several placements during their school years and have changed schools? Whose responsibility is it to seek and provide assessments and therapeutic interventions for these children: school, Tusla’s social worker 8

or the foster family? Does the school understand that foster carers may not have guardianship rights for some years after placement and therefore, may have no rights to sign consent forms for assessments, medicals or even school trips? That foster carers may not receive the end of year school report?

Neither the Primary Online Database (POD) nor the post-primary databases gather specific data on children in state care. As a former school principal, I was often frustrated by the seemingly complete lack of appreciation in social work reports, or child-in-care reviews, for the role teachers play in a child’s life and for the huge significance of education in their life course. A primary school teacher may spend more waking hours with a child than any other adult, including foster carers or parents. They have intense contact and a very influential, and hopefully positive, relationship with the child.

This is a highly significant relationship, but trust and appropriate dependence may be difficult, especially for a child who may have experienced seriously ruptured relationships with other important adults. These are among the most vulnerable pupils in our schools.

There is no systematic data gathered by the Department of Education on these very vulnerable children.

Social workers can, perhaps, draw information from individual (often heart-breaking) case files of children in the care system, but the gathering of this data, in a confidential manner, through the POD and PPOD, does not happen. We know from other countries that they are more vulnerable to school exclusion than other children, to interruptions in their schooling and to poor outcomes. We know this only anecdotally in Ireland, and dishearteningly from the Irish Penal Reform Trust reports, which highlight the over-representation of young adults who have been through the care system, who then come into

the Irish prison system. As adults, will these care leavers question how they were treated in the education system?

What answers will we, as their school principals, have?

As a former school principal, I was often frustrated by the seemingly complete lack of appreciation in social work reports, or child-incare reviews, for the role teachers play in a child’s life and for the huge significance of education in their life course.

In 2013, then Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, called for the gathering of data on the educational experiences of and the outcomes for children and young people in care. This is long overdue and vitally important if evidence-based policy is to be formulated, and for targeted resources and appropriate training to be directed to the schools, which will influence life course of the child or young person in question.

Note on author: Anne has been a foster carer since 2004 and is an active member of the Irish Foster Care Association. Together with child psychotherapist Christina Enright, she has developed CPD training and supports for teachers in being attachment aware/ trauma informed, which is delivered through Dublin West Education Centre.

If you would like to contact Anne in relation to this article, you can email her at McCluskey.Anne24@gmail.com.

Ireland’s most widely used website dedicated to EDUCATION RECRUITMENT Visit EducationPosts.ie for all your education-related advertising requirements: l Approved by the DES – Circular 0062/2008 (Primary) and Circular 0020/2012 (Post Primary), compliant with DES circular 44/2019 l 17,000 education related job posts advertised annually l Over 3,000 registered Job Advertisers l Up to 120,000 email alerts issued daily to Job Seekers l All Education related job posts - teacher, SNA, school leader, secretary, caretaker, chaplain, guidance counsellor, learning support / resource teacher, substitute / panel of substitute teachers and tutor posts l Adverts across all levels - Pre-school, primary, post-primary, higher & further education, other education and international job posts l Save a copy of your adverts Visit www.educationposts.ie now Contact us on info@educationposts.ie Follow us on social media for regular updates

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Small Changes to the Environment

to Help Manage Behaviour DR. PATRICIA DALY SENIOR LECTURER EMERITA, MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE Behaviours that interfere with the learning of the child or peers is communication, particularly if the child in question has a diagnosis.

Children with diagnoses that impact learning frequently use behaviour to communicate particular messages.

Understanding these messages is the start of any plan to prevent the behaviours and to promote learning and engagement.

What are these messages? Typically, there are four. Consider some scenarios first: 1. Jim has dyslexia. Whenever he is given a writing activity to complete, he persistently asks the teacher for help with each piece.

Also, whenever the teacher is likely to ask children to read aloud, Jim becomes the class entertainer, cracking jokes with his peers and making funny faces. What is Jim telling the teacher by his behaviours?

2. Sorcha has Autism and has good oral language. When the children push their chairs in to form lines for exiting the classroom, she covers her ears with her hands and cries loudly. She also refuses to use the class mini white boards and markers. What messages is she giving through her behaviours?

In these scenarios, you do not have enough information to be sure of your interpretation. However, you could see some of the four key messages below being communicated: It is likely Jim is avoiding writing tasks because of his difficulties with them.

He is probably avoiding reading aloud for the same reason. Avoidance and escape are strong explanations for behaviours that interfere with learning.

Sorcha has sensory differences and finds the noise of the chairs moving on the floor intolerable. She wants to escape this noise. She also may have a sensitivity to using smooth surfaces that may squeak when she writes on 10

them, or may find the scent of markers aversive.

Understanding that behaviours serve functions for children does not imply that the children are using them deliberately to get the desired outcome. Their behaviour has been learned and simply works. What can teachers and schools do in these situations? I suggest that looking closely at some aspects of the teaching and learning environment may be very helpful in identifying small changes that schools can make that will improve these situations.

ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT YOU CAN CHANGE There are seven aspects of the environment that can be changed.

Some changes need administrative approval and support. These are listed below with two (bolded) described.

The others are discussed in the book Daly, P. (2019). Small Changes Can Make Big Differences: Behaviour Management through the Lens of Special Educational Needs.

Physical. This includes all seating and instructional arrangements for teaching and learning. It also incorporates the systems used in the class and school for transitions throughout the day. Many aspects of the physical environment can be changed, including where children sit, with whom they sit, whether they are close to walls or

windows, or the door. Perhaps Jimmy’s teacher can seat him with his best friend who can prompt and support him during oral reading lessons. Jimmy can also be prepared for his ‘read aloud’ by knowing which sentences he will get so he can practice them.

Sensory. All children have sensory preferences and sensitivities. More than 80% of children with autism will have sensitivity differences – they will over- or under-respond to sounds, sights or other sensory inputs. Knowing individual sensitivities allows teachers to better manage these. For example, ear-defenders can be used to support Sorcha when the chairs are moved. Or the chair legs could have tennis balls added to reduce the sound.

Many aspects of the environment affect children’s behaviours. Prior to resorting to more complex interventions, schools might consider making small changes to the various aspects of their teaching and learning environments.

Making changes to prevent reactions that interfere with learning can be empowering for teachers and schools.

Patricia was previously Head of the Department of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education there. If you would like to get in touch with her in relation to this article, you can email Patricia.Daly@ mic.ul.ie.

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Bláthú Going above and beyond for pupils in ASD classes

RHODRI MEARS PRINCIPAL, MIDLETON EDUCATE TOGETHER NATIONAL SCHOOL, MIDLETON, CO CORK

‘While the Challenges are great, so are the opportunities’ Bill Ford

Schools are an integral place for the development of children with additional needs. In the best of times, we face daily challenges managing scarce resources; in the current Covid-19 environment, our staff members are continuously called on to go above and beyond to meet the needs we encounter within our school communities. The first lockdown posed novel complications in supporting pupils, be it mainstream pupils or our students within Special Classes.

Learning remotely was problematic enough for pupils without a learning difficulty; we had to particularly ask ourselves how pupils with added needs would fare. Following the first ‘lockdown’, welcoming our pupils back to the physical school buildings in September 2020 was a special moment for us all, but again came the question as to what measures would need to be put in place for our children with Autism.

Bláthú (our special classes for children with Autism) is a hive of energy. On any given day, our work stations are buzzing, children in our sensory areas are bouncing with glee, and our staff members are grinning with pride at what is being achieved when pupils in the correct setting are meeting their goals. It is by no means like this every minute of every day, but very often, my contact with the Bláthú classes seems to catch everyone at an opportune and exciting time.

Placed in the correct setting, pupils diagnosed with Autism can be given opportunities that make the journey toward independence that little bit easier. The right setting allows goals to be achieved in a more realistic and manageable time frame. Integration opportunities become more realistic when managed from the correct setting. Schools should be inclusive environments, and an opportunity for

a pupil from Bláthú to participate in an English lesson or a Maths lesson, illustrates what we are enabling our pupils to achieve.

pupils in the morning, and that our parents are prepared for the evening ahead as our students return from school. It is a team effort. It has to be.

The Covid restrictions have, in some measure, aided integration for our Autistic children with regard to yard time, as the restrictions have put a little extra structure on what is usually a fast-paced and busy environment. A daily highlight is seeing a few Special Class pupils playing ‘tag/catch’ with their integrated class at Sos and lón.

The smiles on their faces, the social and communication skills that have been worked upon to participate equally, is a daily celebration.

Much of what we work towards is based on what we observe and experience daily, and what is written in the diagnostic documents. Our pupils are dependent on provision of aid in Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and psychological support to guide their home and school development. Unfortunately, we are all far too familiar with the ongoing deficits in the availability of support.

The lack of appropriate and available school placements has presented one of the greatest challenges over the past 8-10 years. The lack of support is a challenge in and of itself, but also represents an opportunity cost for a busy principal’s time management - a great deal of time that could be better used is spent chasing supports.

On any given day, our work stations are buzzing, children in our sensory areas are bouncing with glee, and our staff members are grinning with pride at what is being achieved when pupils in the correct setting are meeting their goals.

It has taken a while for our new Early Intervention pupils to settle and to familiarise themselves with the new structures, but there are ongoing measures offering a route to progress for pupils with needs that range from the non-verbal to verbal. Within Bláthú, for example, we have six individual pupils following six individual visual timetables (PECS).

As schools, the relationship we build with our families is a key component in the progress a pupil makes.

Communication via Seesaw, Aladdin Connect, and an occasional email, enables us to ensure that we are prepared in school to receive our

The recent survey Invisible Children, a survey on School Absence Withdrawal in Ireland’s Autism Community carried out by Asiam, highlights many of the ongoing challenges facing children with Autism.

Cork’s ASD Principals’ Network regularly discusses the real challenges that are ongoing within our schools.

We can easily dwell on and be consumed by the challenges, but the opportunities that stare at us on a daily basis are something that must be embraced by the collective school community. Of course it is not easy, but we are grateful for the chance to make a difference.

If you would like to contact Rhodri in relation to this article, you can email him at Rhodri.Mears@midletonet.com.

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SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Early Intervention Classes in Mainstream School

LOUISE TOBIN PRINCIPAL OF ST. JOSEPH’S PRIMARY, TIPPERARY TOWN AND A MEMBER OF THE IPPN BOARD OF DIRECTORS

You might recall that, in 2011, primary education endured a period of staff and capitation cutbacks. I had gone from Administrative Principal back to Teaching Principal and, as a result of all this, things were a little downbeat in our school. There was, however, no Early Intervention class in our town at this time, so I began piecing this project together, and we opened our first such class in September 2013.

We created a lovely space for the EI classroom, with an adjoining toilet block and entrance hall, all within the confines of our 1965-built school.

A converted cloakroom became a sensory playroom and, during this time, I became the Administrative Principal again. We committed ourselves to opening a second EI class once the need arose, and this indeed happened in January 2019.

While our first year with the preschoolers was a challenge, things only got better. Parents are thrilled to have a specialised setting for their 3 to 5 year olds in their town. Our preschoolers (currently 5 little girls and 7 little boys) love their school, and indeed our 145 mainstream girls adore

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them, the ‘Joseph Beags’, as they are called.

The changes and improvements in the pre-schoolers’ behaviour is probably the biggest positive in this whole story.

To see these very young children with a diagnosis of Autism, settling into a mainstream school environment and managing so many of their fears, challenges and sensory issues, is truly amazing.

The modelling of expected behaviour is key for all children, and particularly for our EI pupils. Every day, as they make the 140-metre round trip to the school hall for music and gross motor activities, they have the opportunity to witness the behaviour of other children. They also meet and greet other members of staff and pupils en route, all of which benefits their social skills and interactions.

Any pre-schoolers who have transferred to our mainstream classes have done so with great success.

Our teachers would point to the following - the same building, the same playground, the same sights and sounds - as huge factors in enabling

these children to adapt and settle so readily. I know our transfers to other school settings have been relatively smooth, again due to the benefits of early intervention.

For the whole school, the learning that has taken place for all, in understanding and living with Autism, is another great positive. Of course, our staff numbers increased and our building was adapted and modified, and no doubt these positives all contributed to staff morale and job satisfaction.

It is, however, the staff in these two classes who deserve most credit, as they work tirelessly to create so many opportunities to settle, guide, persuade and build a bond of trust, to enable our pre-schoolers to face their challenges and develop their life skills. Early Intervention is vital to do this, and in our school, St. Joseph’s Primary in Tipperary Town, it has been a hugely positive experience for all.

If you would like to contact Louise in relation to this article, you can email her at LouiseTobin16@gmail.com.

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SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

The 3 Rs

when Responding to and Planning for Behaviours of Concern CAMILLA MARKS SPECIALIST LEAD BEHAVIOUR, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

Children who present with behaviours of concern are often attempting to communicate a hidden message to us. There may be many reasons in a child’s background and current circumstances as to why this message is being communicated. These reasons may include the presence of a special educational need, a history of adverse childhood experiences, difficulties with emotional regulation in busy educational environments, or a combination of all three. It is always worth remembering the power of the three Rs as some first principles when responding to Behaviours of Concern.

RELATIONSHIPS What happened next was also determined by the existing relationship that had been established between Mr Brennan and the child in question. He had developed this relationship by identifying what the child’s special interests were. He ensured that he met with him daily, to chat about those interests. In this specific case, he had identified that Manchester United was an area of special interest. Mr Brennan could refer to his favourite player and ask him in a playful tone to think about what ‘that player’ might do next in a similar situation.

RESPONSES What we (the adults) do when presented with an instance of Behaviour of Concern will determine what happens next. Remember that in such an instance, all the people involved (children included) will be in a heightened emotional state. Our job as the adult is not to pour oil on the fire. I remember so well as a rookie teacher in the early days of my teaching career, observing with awe how a more senior staff member (Mr Brennan) handled very heightened situations. He always approached students with a sense of humour, a lightness of tone, and a humorous demeanour. He made sure that he kept words to a minimum and he ensured that he physically reduced himself to the same height as the child he was responding to.

RULES, ROUTINES AND EXPECTATIONS Referring to well established rules, routines and expectations with the least amount of verbal input possible is also crucial when attempting to turn down the emotional volume in the midst of an incident. The following factors are worth considering when thinking about Rules, Routines and Expectations: 1. Review the current whole-school system for rules, routines and expectations 2. Consult with staff and students to develop no more than five clearly labelled rules stated in clear language (‘We keep our hands to ourselves’, ‘We walk in the corridor’, ‘We use kind words’) 3. Reinforce these rules regularly

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by implementing a whole-school reward system 4. Consider where the ‘hot spots’ are in the school environment.

Do you have more behavioural incidents in the corridors or during transitions to the playground?

5. Regular reminders using visual prompts throughout the school building are a great way to nonverbally refer to whole-school rules routines and expectations, (similar to how public health messages have been promoted during Covid-19 with the use of visual prompts in high traffic situations).

Managing and responding to Behaviours of Concern may be challenging and sometimes stressful, so remember to be kind to yourself, ask for help when needed, learn from every event and seek advice and support when necessary. The NCSE offers a wide range of Positive Behaviour Seminars and School Support.

If you would like to get in touch with the NCSE, the best approach is to use the contact form on the website https://ncse.ie/contact-us-2.

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SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

NCSE

Annual Research Conference JENNIFER DORAN HEAD OF FINANCE, GOVERNANCE & RESEARCH AT THE NCSE The National Council for Special Education hosts an annual research conference on relevant topics in the area of special education and inclusion, to disseminate the latest evidence in international research as well as the NCSE’s own research outputs.

The theme of the 2020 conference was very topical; inclusion and online learning for students with special educational needs. The conference is normally attended by over 200 delegates, but took place online this year, and as a result reached almost 500 delegates on the day.

The theme of the 2020 conference was very topical; inclusion and online learning for students with special educational needs.

James Basham, University of Kansas, opened the conference and examined the evidence base and outcomes for students from online learning.

He highlighted that students with disabilities can benefit from the move to online learning as it provides greater access to content and personalised learning, which lead to greater than anticipated gains in academic progress. He outlined how teachers can prepare for learner-centred approaches to education, based on a Universal Design to Learning approach. He signposted a collection of free resources available from his agency – www.learningdesigned.org.

Mary Rice, University of New Mexico, gave a very practical presentation on inclusive online pedagogy, which appealed to our teacher audience. She outlined the importance of knowing who your learners are, and how to discover their strengths and needs to help educators prepare programmes and approaches to best serve their

students. She then outlined more practical tips about how to apply these approaches.

Mary McGrath from the NCSE, highlighted the way in which the NCSE shifted their mode of delivery of supports to schools and parents during the pandemic. Access to our Support Service and Teacher Professional Learning continued via remote means. An extensive suite of practical resources and activities to support remote teaching and learning, including summer and back to school resources, were also published on our website and are still available.

Practical resources were produced for parents too and for students who cannot engage in online learning. All can be found at www.ncse.ie.

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Roger Slee, University of Leeds, concluded the conference with his perspective on the future for inclusive education in the context of the

Mary McGrath from the NCSE, highlighted the way in which the NCSE shifted their mode of delivery of supports to schools and parents during the pandemic. pandemic. This thought-provoking presentation challenged us to consider how we might think differently about pedagogy, assessment and curriculum in our new world. The challenges it has created provide a unique opportunity to assess what we do, to try new methods and try again to improve the educational experience for our students.

All the materials from the conference including the video recordings are stored at https://ncse.ie/researchconference.

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SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

The Mystery, the Myths, and the Magic of the Special School

GERALDINE CONNOLLY PRINCIPAL OF ST MICHAEL’S SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR PUPILS WITH A MODERATE OR SEVERE/PROFOUND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, ROSCOMMON For many, special education appears to be so different from mainstream provision that it becomes shrouded in mystery. A teacher in this special school was asked, (in hushed, perplexed tones) ‘Tell me… what do you do all day?’ Visitors to the school comment in surprise, it’s just like a school’. Also, colleagues sometimes express a lack of confidence in their ability to teach in a special school.

Declan’s story both epitomises and solves this mystery. Twenty years ago, as a newly-appointed principal, I took a moment to admire Declan performing a sequence of wellpracticed tasks. With limited mobility, a profound intellectual disability, Autism and Down’s syndrome, this non-verbal teenager experienced complex challenges. However, he independently went to the school kitchen and painstakingly unloaded the dishwasher. This task demanded intense concentration and Declan’s reward was to carry his snack tray back to class to enjoy his break. On the way, however, someone hurriedly scooted across in front of him. The interruption was disastrous. He could not continue his routine and could have reacted very negatively. However, Declan turned back and methodically removed the items from his tray. He then proceeded to replace them and resume his journey back to class.

Declan’s competence demonstrated effort, application and achievement that far exceeded the task being performed. It is this unique quality of

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learning that encapsulates the mystery of special education. The elusive, but invaluable, distinction between knowing and generalising is vividly illuminated for teachers in a special school. It establishes aspirations that both inspire and challenge.

The expectations of teachers and principals cultivate student success.

Teachers in special education witness the delicate tension between vital life and social skills with the less imperative, but arguably more important, values of holistic education. Special schools refute the myth that limited ability will automatically limit options. The temptation to make excuses is a slippery slope. It is easy to assert that the national science competition is irrelevant, or the student is not able to attend hurling lessons. Instead, the commitment that no child should lose out by coming to this special school is sustained by exceptional levels of teacher ingenuity and creativity.

In many schools, progress is expected rather than celebrated. There is a myth that development is somehow lesser in a special school. For children with an intellectual disability, the teacher becomes a sleuth, constantly watching for evidence of interest or understanding or spontaneity. These opportunities are fleeting, and the teacher is challenged to be relentlessly alert to grasp the moment. However, in a special school everyone has the same focus. This creates a uniquely fertile environment for interaction

and collaboration to flourish. A young boy with complex needs is helped with technology to use his eyes to communicate. A teenager with Autism and an exceptional singing voice can achieve her leaving certificate music exam. Teachers are supported, individually and collectively, to maximise opportunities for the realisation of student potential.

Responsiveness to individual needs is very high in special schools. This includes critical placement review that is not so common in a mainstream setting. Students who are doing particularly well may be supported to attend part-time in local mainstream primary or post-primary schools. The co-operation of mainstream schools for dual placement is evidence of the professionalism and inclusivity of their teachers. Pupils struggling in mainstream may have their placements extended by availing of shared enrolment. This is a testament to the magic and the mystery of our special schools. It is the intricate weaving together of a concoction of responses, approaches and strategies that conjures up a powerful and exclusive learning environment for students, a spellbinding endeavour for teachers and an enthralling experience for this school principal.

If you would like to get in touch with Geraldine in relation to this article, you can email her at MaryGeraldineConnolly@gmail.com.

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SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Student Teacher Efficacy in relation to SEN How labels attached to children, and the way in which this information is shared, affect a student-teacher’s sense of efficacy on school placement CLODAGH DOUGHERTY MAINSTREAM CLASS TEACHER, ST. ANDREW’S NS, MALAHIDE, CO. DUBLIN

During the final year of my B.Ed, I conducted research with the aim of identifying how labels attached to children are presented to studentteachers on school placement, and the effect that this presentation can have on student-teachers’ efficacy for the inclusion of these children.

This research idea initially arose from my own experiences of encountering deficit-focused mindsets towards children with Special Educational Needs (SENs) whilst on school placement. As a student-teacher, I often found that introductory discussions with class-teachers centred upon presenting the labelled children to me from a deficit-based perspective. Within the early stages of my B.Ed, the resulting effect of these discussions had a significant impact upon my approach to teaching these children, as I was solely focused upon their labels rather than who they were as individuals.

I often found that introductory discussions with class-teachers centred upon presenting the labelled children to me from a deficit-based perspective.

However, through personal reflection and discussions with my peer group, I became aware that over the course of our school placement experiences, there was a shift in our attitudes towards teaching labelled children whereby some studentteachers described themselves as being no longer worried when labels were presented to them on school placement. From this, I began to question the nature of how this change in attitude for some student-teachers regarding the teaching of labelled children had occurred.

Through conducting numerous interviews with student-teachers and 18

NQTs who had graduated in the last two years, I was enabled to collect and analyse a range of data which led to the rise of two main conclusions.

POSITIVE SIGNS OF STUDENTTEACHERS’ EFFECTIVENESS FOR INCLUSION One prominent finding from my research was that student-teachers are emerging as successful, inclusive educators. The participants acknowledged that experiences over the course of their school placements assisted in promoting their strong efficacy beliefs regarding inclusion, thus leading to confident experimentation with inclusive approaches in order to deliver effective learning experiences to each individual child. NQT participants added that they had carried forward the benefits of their Initial Teacher Education (ITE) regarding inclusion to their own classrooms, in order to provide labelled children with effective programmes of learning.

Considering the results that were described by the NQT participants regarding inclusion in their own classrooms, it is important that NQTs feel supported in implementing their inclusive approaches on a wholeschool level, so as not to discourage new teachers from continuously developing their inclusive practices as they progress through their teaching careers.

STUDENT-TEACHERS’ EFFICACY FOR INCLUSION Another interesting finding was that student-teachers’ confidence in their teaching capabilities for labelled children increased as they gained more experience across their school placements. This suggests that experience of teaching labelled children raises a teacher’s efficacy for inclusion. However, it was discovered that most of the practising-teachers encountered by the student-teachers on their placements did not share their

efficacy beliefs for inclusion, often seeming to present with low levels of efficacy.

One prominent finding from my research was that student-teachers are emerging as successful, inclusive educators.

Due to the participants’ confidence regarding their abilities to teach labelled children effectively, it could be worthwhile for collaboration to be emphasised within the practisingteacher/student-teacher relationship during school placement. Studentteachers could demonstrate to the practising-teachers how they have approached the inclusion of labelled children in order to create a reflective dialogue in which the class-teacher discovers possible methods of inclusion, whilst the student-teacher gains opportunities for constructive support to improve upon their practices accordingly.

Through this approach, valuable learning opportunities would be made available for both the class-teacher and student-teacher, in regards to their learning of inclusive practices.

Through exploring this topic, it was pleasing to discover that studentteachers are not being influenced by the predominately negative presentation of children’s labels on their placements, but rather are emerging as successful inclusive educators with high levels of efficacy for inclusion. This is a very promising result as it indicates that all children across Irish classrooms will benefit from the high standard of inclusive education being implemented by this generation of teachers.

If you would like to contact Clodagh in relation to this article, you can email her at ClodaghDougherty@gmail.com.

SEN

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Resource Bundle

Resource Bundles Relevant to SEN DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

IPPN presently has n Eleven Resource Bundles (RBs), of which: l Seven have been newlypublished within the past two years l Three have been completely revised within the past two years l One has been revised with minor changes within the past two years n Two ‘Live’ RBs, specifically dealing with issues related to the COVID-19 emergency l One is currently live and regularly updated l One was ‘archived’ in September 2020, but is still available on the IPPN website.

The purpose of resource bundles is to provide an up-to-date précis on the theory of the topic in question and a synopsis of current best practice, while incorporating a wide range of supporting resources within the one publication.

The goal of a child happily integrating into the school community and making friends is emphasised, as challenging behaviour often leads to social isolation for the child concerned.

RB: BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN The purpose of this RB is to briefly outline current theory and best practice in relation to modifying behaviours of concern and to provide a guide as to where relevant further resources may be found. It was written with the co-operation and input of Dr Patricia Daly of MICE, who has done remarkable work in the field.

The RB is subtitled ‘Challenging Relationships in the School Community’ and explores how school leaders might deal with challenging behaviours in the context of the school’s relationships with the children concerned, and with their parents and teachers. Managing these relationships is often the key to helping a child modify their behaviour. The goal of a child happily integrating into the school community and making friends is emphasised, as challenging behaviour often leads to social isolation for the child concerned.

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RB: COMMUNICATION – THE LIFEBLOOD OF LEADERSHIP Sometimes the parents of children with SEN express their frustration with the educational system, which they may perceive as not adequately addressing their child’s needs, through conflict and criticism. Many school leaders find it difficult to cope with the resulting conversations. This RB addresses communication issues and, in particular, presents a structured method of addressing difficult conversations such as these.

the policy, which mandates that every member of the school community be treated with dignity and respect.

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RB: CHILD PROTECTION Child protection is at the heart of everything that schools do in providing a safe place for children to play and learn. Children with SEN can be at increased risk of abuse. This RB clearly defines the four types of abuse and the indicators associated with them.

It succinctly outlines the steps to be followed, and the documentation to be retained, where a school leader is made aware of a concern by either a mandated person or another member of the school community.

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Child protection is at the heart of everything that schools do in providing a safe place for children to play and learn. Children with SEN can be at increased risk of abuse.

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RB: DIGNITY AND RESPECT IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY This RB outlines a process, led by school leaders, towards producing a Dignity at Work Policy. This policy would be adopted by the BoM and applied throughout the school community.

Its benefits would be to regulate the sometimes fraught interactions by members of the school community (teachers, SNAs, ancillary staff, parents, BoM etc.) in relation to issues of SEN. The policy developed as a result of following the guidelines in the RB will provide school leaders with a means of calling out unacceptable behaviour and requesting offenders to consider their actions and attitudes in light of

OTHER SEN ISSUES ADDRESSED BY RESOURCE BUNDLES Assigning roles and responsibilities for SEN, e.g. SEN coordinator, are addressed in a number of RBs dealing with the appointment of DP, API and APII post-holders. There are also RBs on Data Protection, Parental Separation and Admissions which have a bearing on SEN. All of the above resource bundles can be accessed on the IPPN website under the Resources/Resource Bundles tab.

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Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie.

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LEGAL DIARY

DAVID RUDDY BL

New Year’s Resolutions for School Leaders A new year brings opportunity and challenges for us all, with school leaders being no exception. One of the better ways to deal with challenges is to try to prepare for issues that are foreseeable.

Here are some suggestions that might help you do an assessment, which in turn could mitigate a particular risk in your school.

SOCIAL MEDIA (1) Does your school have a policy on social media for pupils and staff?

(2) Have you communicated the policy to pupils, parents and staff?

Why bother? Social media is everpresent in all our lives, and that includes our school communities. In all cases, it is better to be proactive rather than having to try to react under pressure to issues when they arise (and they will). If your pupils and staff know what is expected of them, you are in a better position to manage and justify the school response, to include disciplinary action if required.

MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR/BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN (1) Do you have a policy?

(2) What is physical intervention? Is it lawful?

(3) Has your staff ever discussed what constitutes a ‘crisis’?

(4) Does your school have a reporting system if a physical intervention is required?

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Our schools accommodate many students with special educational needs. Some of these students can exhibit challenging behaviours. Codes of Behaviour are not always the answer in the first instance. However, the Code of Behaviour can be more easily justifiable in suspension and expulsion cases, when it is demonstrated that the school has done everything possible to manage the challenging behaviour.

Equally, the new Admission legislation has significantly changed previous practices where admission may sometimes have been refused because of health and safety concerns arising from those challenging behaviours.

The Department of Education may this year commence one of the last outstanding pieces of the Admissions legislation, allowing the National Council for Special Education and Tusla to designate schools to accept individual students, including students with challenging behaviours.

Section 29 Appeals (1) Are you familiar with Circular 0069/2020?

(2) In particular, are Boards of Management familiar with the Review Procedures and accompanying timeframes, in relation to refusal of admission and in particular the BoM R1 Request Form?

PROTECTING THE SCHOOL LEADER Being a leader can be a lonely position at times. In November 2020, separate surveys conducted by IPPN and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), in association with Mason Hayes & Curran LLP, found that 85% and 71% respectively of school leaders did not feel confident in managing underperformance. One of the reasons for this lack of confidence is that underperforming staff members allege that they are being bullied by the school leader. Appropriately managing underperformance is never bullying.

There is a statutory basis for school leaders to manage schools on behalf of Boards of Management.

Your time is precious. Mitigating risk can reduce stress and allow you spend more time leading teaching and learning. Consider the above four examples in relation to your own school context and prioritise those that need urgent attention. Having the requisite policies in place will empower you and your Board of Management to deal with challenges in a considered and timely fashion.

If you wish to query any issue raised in this article, you can contact David Ruddy at druddy@mhc.ie.

THE PRESIDENT’S PEN

Learning and Teaching for love

DAMIAN WHITE IPPN PRESIDENT As children of the 1970s, my fellow graduates from 1987 and I have both seen and experienced the dramatic changes to how children with SEN have been supported in schools. While we began school in time to benefit from the child-centred curriculum of 1971, some of the radical new thinking behind the most seismic document in Irish education took time to filter to all teachers. Hence, we would have witnessed children with various learning, physical and emotional difficulties having to learn for fear of the bata rather than for love of the lesson. Classes were enormous and there was a body of work to be transferred from grey books through the resistant skulls of scarified scholars.

Many teachers still remained from when the Primary Cert was a passport to second level, and scholarships were sought after and fought over. During that time of unrelenting awfulness up to the late 1960s, those for whom rote learning came easy, rhymed off lists with one eye on the WMD at the teachers’ disposal, while others sat quietly praying for early July and a happy release to jobs with more modest expectations. There were very few complaints as that was how things had been when parents and grandparents had gone to school.

When Minister for Education John Boland TD banned corporal punishment in 1983, we welcomed it but privately cussed that it was just a few years too late for us. In hindsight, we were probably amongst the lucky ones - those who could learn by rote if needed.

The system we have today came far too late for those in their early to mid-50s who shared classrooms with us. Many who suffered would have thrived in today’s schools, where the true meaning of ‘child-centred’ is now evident, and where there is scaffolding protecting the struggling child on all sides. Placing a teacher who was closing in on 65 in 1971 in today’s

classroom, would be akin to placing the Wright Brothers on the Space Shuttle.

Almost 20 years ago, Professor Tom Collins of Maynooth University said at the IPPN Conference that ‘the greatest social change in the past 40 years has been the ‘civilisation’ of the primary school teacher’. Most of the principals in attendance would have understood perfectly, some from experience, what he meant.

For people of my generation, for whom learning was relatively straightforward, our memories of school, in spite of the odd ‘sweetener’ for careless handwriting, are positive.

For people of my generation, for whom learning was relatively straightforward, our memories of school, in spite of the odd ‘sweetener’ for careless handwriting, are positive.

Indeed, luckily, the two-teacher school of my youth was led by a very enlightened and empathetic principal.

There are those of my age and older, however, who retain nothing but dread of the memory of school. Many of those people went on to have lives of great achievement in business, construction, retail, entertainment and other fields. The narrow focus of education and the lens through which a pupil’s talents were judged, meant that their skills and abilities only took sail when school was over. For others, the confidence and wellbeing we seek to embed in every child today was never developed or encouraged, and life didn’t get any kinder afterwards.

‘Differentiation’ is not a word I remember hearing or using in Mary Immaculate, though I may have missed the lecture. Some of my classmates

may put me right on this. However, differentiation today defines how we approach every child’s educational pathway. We may occasionally look at drawing up IEPs, filling Pupil Personal Profiles and completing educational passports, as excessively demanding paperwork. Perhaps it is overdone in places. But for the child we teach, it makes us reflect deeply on their talents and educational and social needs. If they can’t learn by rote, there are other, more enlightened ways.

If they struggle to learn at all, we support them through our SEN team.

At every opportunity, we encourage their confidence. If they are a child for whom English is a new language, a child from an ethnic or religious minority, or a child with a physical or intellectual disability, we, every day, seek to give them the best education and support we can in a happy and encouraging atmosphere.

A smiling child will learn for love, not fear. Perhaps it’s the greatest discovery of the late 20th century.

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LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

Dignity and Respect in the School Community DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM

IPPN is currently working on a new resource bundle relating to Dignity and Respect in the School Community. It will address a growing trend of various members of the school community being treated with a lack of respect and dignity. It has become more pronounced during the COVID-19 emergency as school staffs become more acutely aware of the school as a workplace.

Conflicts are inevitable. They are part of all relationships between individuals who work together. By better understanding the factors that contribute to conflict and their impact on each of the parties, we are in a better position to intervene earlier and put in place more effective intervention strategies.

Conflict is internal discord that occurs because of a difference in ideas, values or perceptions or in the interpretation of a situation (Marquid, cited by Kelley, 2006). It is a disagreement expressed between two or more parties because they perceive an incompatibility between common goals or interests, preventing them from achieving their own goals (Wilmot, cited in Sportsman et al., 2007).

This Resource Bundle outlines a process by which school leaders can lead their staffs and school community to develop a Dignity at Work Policy for the benefit and adherence of all – teachers, SNAs, ancillary staff, parents, BoM etc.

Emphasis is put firmly on the process of developing the policy, rather than

simply providing a policy template.

Although a policy template is also provided, the Resource Bundle stresses the advantages of a school staff and community taking the time to work together to develop the policy and to thereby take ownership of it.

The Resource Bundle outlines six suggested workshop sessions for this process. In following these sessions, the staff will address issues such as: ■ The vision and values of the school – their workplace ■ The roles, rights and responsibilities of school community members ■ The type of atmosphere and culture which would make their school a great place to work.

The bundle also outlines the practical steps to be taken by school community members when dealing with unacceptable behaviour. In a school which has embedded within its culture a Dignity at Work Policy, it should be enough to refer an offender to consider the policy to resolve an issue.

The offended person does have the responsibility for calling out the offender and asking them to reflect on their actions. An important measure of success of the policy would be that the offended person would feel safe in confronting the offender.

The ultimate objective of the process is to develop a policy which establishes a school community in which everyone is empowered and enabled to call out unacceptable actions and attitudes. It is similarly important that offenders

will be enabled to recognise that they have caused offence, apologise and move on, thus resolving the issues in a confidentially informal manner between the parties concerned. It is always better to engage with the resolution process informally in the first instance.

Where informal procedures are not sufficient to resolve an issue, the Resource Bundle provides a detailed guide to existing procedures for resolving conflicts between members of the school community. These include: ■ Procedure to Address Staff Difficulties (INTO) ■ Bullying / Harassment Procedure (INTO) ■ Grievance Procedure (INTO) ■ Parental Complaints Procedure (INTO / CPSMA) ■ Circular 49/2018 – Disciplinary Procedures for Teachers and Principals ■ SI 146/2000 – Code of Practice on Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures (for disputes with NonTeaching Staff).

The ultimate aim of the Resource Bundle is that every school will have an active Dignity at Work Policy, properly considered, and having ownership from all sections of the school community, for the protection and benefit of every member of that community.

If you would like to contact Donal in relation to this article, you can email him at Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie.

Changes at the helm IPPN Board of Directors Following the National Council meeting in November, which was held virtually, Council members voted by postal ballot to elect four new members to the Board of Directors. The count took place at Mason Hayes & Curran Solicitors on Friday, December 18th.

The following candidates were elected onto the Board for a three-year term, filling the four vacancies: ■ Bryan Collins, principal of Scoil Naomh Feichin, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth 22 22

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Catríona Donohue, teaching principal of St Michael’s NS, Stradone, Cavan Kathryn Corbett, principal of Bishop Galvin NS, Templeogue, Dublin Louise Tobin, principal of St Joseph’s Primary, Tipperary Town.

We wish them every success in their role as directors of the Board of IPPN.

JI–4th

EDCO HANDWRITING PROGRAMME Handwriting

Class

JI–4th C lass

Explore with Me Edco Handwriting Programme

Created by Mrs Murphy, Edco offers schools the option of pre-cursive or cursive Handwriting from Junior Infants and provides an enjoyable, graded writing experience for children supported by free digital resources

Explore with Me is a vibrant and engaging SESE Programme with History, Geography and Science explored thematically in one integrated textbook, supported by extensive free digital resources and comprehensive teacher supports

NEW

NEW

3rd & 4th Class

JI - 4th Class

2nd–6th

SESE

lass 1st–6th C

Class

NEW Irish Spelling & Grammar

Litriú an Lae

Let’s Talk Literacy

Y M

JI–5th Class

Irish Programme

Bua na Cainte

Award Winning

LEARNER I D

English Literacy Skills

1st–6

th Cl ass

to be Learning r a Learne

My Learner ID

The Educational Company of Ireland

Child-centred Assessment Programme

If you would like any further information on our new programmes or to book a presentation, please contact your local representative, Ph: 01-4500611, Email: info@edco.ie, Website: www.edco.ie

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

School Leaders Aoife Morris McCarthy A Tribute ELAINE BOLGER-CASH PRINCIPAL OF CAMOLIN NS, WEXFORD Aoife was born on 27th February 1981, the youngest child of parents Des and Mary Morris. She attended Tinahely and Annacurra NS and attended St. Mary’s Secondary School, Arklow.

She was an avid member of Carnew Musical Society and participated in many of their productions during her time with them. She also performed with Gorey Musical Society.

Aoife attended St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra from 1999 to 2002, and began her teaching career in Scoil Aonghusa Senior School, Tallaght, where she spent many successful years.

In 2005, Aoife was awarded a Master’s in Education from Dublin City University.

During December 2011, Aoife was offered the position of Principal in Camolin N.S. in Wexford and she took up this position in January 2012, where she remained Principal until her untimely passing in February 2020.

During her time in Camolin N.S., Aoife was a diligent, compassionate and inspiring leader.

She was extremely generous in nature, and the staff in Camolin clearly

remember our first informal meeting with Aoife, just before Christmas 2011, when she treated us all to tasty mince pies and cream! She had won over our hearts (and tummies) from the very beginning!

Aoife’s commitment to her role as teaching principal was ever present, and she embraced the challenges of the dual role with gusto and determination.

She passed her love of drama, singing and musicals on to the pupils in the school and selflessly gave up many hours after school with choir practices and in the involvement of pupils in musical productions.

Saturday 22nd February will long live in our memory as the day our lovely Aoife lost her battle with the illness she had fought so bravely, and she would have been very proud of the enormous turnout from the school community on her funeral day…

Aoife leaves behind her loving husband Thady, along with her parents, sister, brothers and extended family and friends.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

Many of her past pupils, who involved themselves in the various productions Aoife directed, have very fond memories of costume design, stage design, singing, acting, dancing, laughter and merriment.

Aoife accepted her cruel diagnosis in 2017 with her usual dignity and gentleness. She adopted her normal attitude of determination towards it, and faced her illness and associated treatments with supreme bravery and courage. In her own words she just ‘ticked them off one by one’.

Fionnuala Doyle RIP

DAMIAN WHITE IPPN PRESIDENT

Fionnuala Doyle (née Evans) had only recently retired as Deputy Principal in Scoil Bhríde, Croghan in March 2018 when she passed away following a short illness.

Fionnuala’s teaching career was spent in two schools, St. Mary’s NS in her native Edenderry where she taught for several years before moving out the country to Croghan.

Fionnuala was a wonderfully dedicated teacher and a fabulous colleague and friend. She was

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February 2021

we have lost Arthur Fallon RIP THE STAFF OF ST KENNY NS Arthur Fallon worked at St Kenny NS, Kilpatrick, Mullingar, from 1990 to February 25 th 2020. He was principal from 1998 and his sad death sent shockwaves through the local and wider community. He was an inspirational teacher and leader who guided the school through many changes and developments, all the time ensuring that each child in the school achieved their potential and was happy and contented in school.

His firm belief was that children needed to be secure and happy at school, and until that was achieved, learning and academic progress would not happen.

He looked out for the most vulnerable children, and quietly helped them navigate through any difficulties they might have encountered.

He was an innovative and creative leader, and was always keen to embrace change and development in education. He inspired staff to take on new methodologies and ideas, and kept us all up-to-date with the very latest in teaching ideas. He had a fantastic sense of humour and loved nothing more than to regale the staffroom with stories and jokes, and his infectious laugh would set us all off.

Arthur’s kindness and compassion for all the staff was something we relied

especially kind to all new staff, taking them under her wing and helping them to get settled in. She had a great love of history and maintained a rich family tradition of interest and expertise in the history and lore of Edenderry and surrounding areas. She also inherited her family’s interest in the GAA, and Gaelic football in particular. For many years, she trained highly successful school teams and was a founder member of Edenderry Ladies GAA club.

upon, and he was a true friend to all of us.

ways are fondly remembered among his colleagues in education.

Arthur’s generosity to others also extended to outside of our school.

He willingly shared his expertise with any teacher or principal who needed guidance. He was a mentor to newlyappointed principals and provided them with support and advice, often going beyond the call of duty to help them out. Many principals now bemoan the fact that they have to wade through all the notifications and circulars for themselves in order to find answers, where previously, they could just lift the phone to Arthur and they got the answer straight away!

His funeral took place in the Cathedral of Christ the King and the crowds of mourners could have filled the Cathedral many times over; a testimony to the love and esteem in which he was held. Arthur will be greatly missed here at St Kenny, and amongst his many friends and colleagues all around the country.

Arthur was a larger than life character.

He would energetically work the room at every meeting or conference that he attended, and he would build a rapport with everyone that he met. He loved to attend the local IPPN meetings and never missed an annual conference, where he participated enthusiastically during the daily sessions and chatted and relaxed with colleagues late into the evening.

He was light-hearted and mischievous, and loved to share a joke or funny anecdote. His witty and charming

Fionnuala’s funeral was one which bore testimony to the high regard in which she was held by so many people. To her husband Kieran, her children Ruairí and Emer and their families, her brothers and sisters and her wide circle of friends, we offer our deepest sympathy.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dilís.

Fionnuala was a wonderfully dedicated teacher and a fabulous colleague and friend.

She was especially kind to all new staff, taking them under her wing and helping them to get settled in.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Dr Séamus McGuinness A lasting legacy We were very saddened to hear of the death of Dr Séamus McGuinness.

Séamus was a distinguished and highly esteemed educationalist, who has left a lasting legacy in the Irish education system.

Originally from Sligo, Séamus had served as Academic Director of the M.Sc. and previously as Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Trinity College, Dublin. He served as a member of the Secretariat of the National Education Convention and as chair of a number of Department of Education committees, including The Technical Group on the Establishment of the Teaching Council, The Expert Group on the Allocation of Teachers to Post-Primary Schools, The Education

Sector Performance Verification Group (ESPVG), and the New Schools Establishment Group, set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools. He worked as a consultant for a number of national and international organisations in the areas of system and programme evaluations, and has co-authored a range of related reports.

Séamus was one of five distinguished educationalists to contribute to ‘Towards a Better Future: A review of the Irish school system’, commissioned

by IPPN and NAPD, and published in 2017. He worked with Professor John Coolahan (RIP), Professor Sheelagh Drudy, Dr Pádraig Hogan and Professor Áine Hyland, to produce

CyberSafe Tool for Schools A new, free digital safety self-assessment tool to help schools prepare their children to thrive safely in a digital world.

It will launch on Safer Internet Day, February 9th 2021 and become the national benchmark for Irish primary schools.

Join us by visiting cybersafetoolforschools.ie

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a comprehensive overview and analysis covering contemporary early childhood, primary, and second-level education in Ireland. To their enormous credit, all worked voluntarily on the project.

Séamus worked with IPPN on a number of other projects over the years, including in relation to the Recruitment and Retention of School Principals in 2006, and he spoke at a number of IPPN events.

Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.

This is your chance to be at the

forefront of digital safety

February 2021

All History IS LOCAL

SEÁN HORGAN DIRECTOR OF CORK EDUCATION SUPPORT CENTRE

At the time of writing this article, Christmas 2020, a real hope is emerging in the form of a vaccine for COVID-19 - an illness that has had the most serious consequences for our schools in modern history. Schools closed abruptly on March the 12th, not to open again until the end of August.

One of the many casualties was the annual school tour - the highlight of the year for all children (whatever about the teacher!)

Traditionally, many school tours were history biased, and children piled into buses and trains to be taken to various historical attractions around the country. Recent years saw the introduction of a greater variety in the choice of school tours, with activity play centres often involved in the itinerary. We don’t know yet what COVID-19 restrictions will be in place in May and June, so perhaps it is time to explore a few local options. Several issues such as the age of pupils and the richness of the environment will be a factor. However, if we begin on the basis that all SESE is best rooted in the child’s local environment, we can begin to look at local options.

My experience in delivering local summer courses for teachers over the years has convinced me that teachers have great enthusiasm

for the local environment in their teaching. Taking into account the huge growth in local history projects nationwide, it merits taking a look at a credible and enjoyable alternative to the traditional tour, which may not be possible this year.

There is a local historian in almost every townland in Ireland who would be only too willing to share his/her expertise. They are often involved with local history/heritage societies who have produced scholarly publications on local history. They would be delighted to give an illustrated talk to classes. This could be followed up with a trip to a local historical site if deemed expedient. The relatively recent phenomenon of Grandparent Days in schools has shown us how children are enthralled with stories of school days and pastimes of long ago.

There is a myriad of well-known commercial historical sites and interpretative centres around the country – some may be within striking distance of your school. However, there are many local museums in towns and villages, manned by volunteers, which may be able to have a class visit at little or no cost. These local museums range from purposebuilt accommodation to a corner of

the local library or community centre.

The unique selling point of these little museums is that they contain local antiquities associated with the immediate environment of the children, illustrated with anecdotal stories from the locality. As we are in the midst of the Decade of Centenaries, the opportunity to link local events to the national picture was never more timely.

As someone once said … all politics is local ...certainly all history is local!

Details of all voluntary/commercial museums in Ireland – www.Irishmuseums.org LINK An inexpensive scheme to get a heritage expert to visit schools ( half/full day) – www.heritageinschools.ie LINK Seán is the recently appointed Director of Cork Education Support Centre, on secondment fromSt. Patrick’s Boys’ N.S. Mallow. He is currently Chairperson of Blarney and District Historical Society.

If you would like to get in touch with Seán in relation to this article, you can email him to director@cesc.ie.

27

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Leading With

Wellness

An Exploration of Wellbeing Support Systems for Primary School Principals in Ireland

NOEL REILLY PRINCIPAL OF RUSH & LUSK EDUCATE TOGETHER NS, LUSK, CO. DUBLIN

The purpose of this mixed-methods research study (April & May 2019) was to investigate leading with wellness, with an exploration of wellness support systems for primary school principals in Ireland. The goal in examining the perceptions was to explore the increasing demands faced by educational school leaders within their role, and to investigate the extent to which they are supported and given access to wellbeing support systems specifically tailored to their role. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Sincere thanks to the eighty-two primary principals who participated in a Likert-scale survey, and the five primary principals who were interviewed.

The findings of the research included: ■ The majority of respondents disagreed with the statement ‘In looking after my own wellbeing my own ‘oxygen mask’ is on first in order to promote wellbeing in my school community’.

■ Personal and professional support systems presented as key challenges for school principals, with the importance of promoting wellness in schools in direct conflict with the myriad of initiatives schools are asked to undertake. The establishment of a framework of leadership development programmes for aspiring and ongoing leaders is perceived positively by interviewees. However, neither the interviewees nor survey participants refer to wellness programmes aimed at more experienced primary school principals.

■ Despite primary principals facing challenges in providing time for their own wellbeing, they still valued the importance of their own wellbeing and personal space and felt that it was essential in their role as principal.

■ The importance of emotional intelligence and resilience was 28

reflected in the responses given by interviewees and survey participants. As educational leaders, school principals must learn to understand the context of where any stakeholders are coming from. Resilience is a prominent theme throughout the research study and its findings.

It deeply impacts on primary school principals as many of their social interactions with school stakeholders are charged with varying shades of emotion.

It is recommended that important information/circulars be communicated to principals during the school day, in advance of release to the general public Some of the recommendations from the research include: ■ Many primary principals use more informal support systems, with many commenting about their indebtedness to their deputy principals, colleagues, family and friends, as their main ‘sounding boards’.

■ In relation to ‘The Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice, 2018-2023’ and ‘Wellbeing in Primary Schools’ documents, principals interviewed, and those surveyed, have given mixed opinions about both initiatives. Notably, the wellbeing of principals is not mentioned separately from the wellbeing of teachers. Yet, it is incumbent on the primary school principal to lead the development of best practice as set out in both documents.

■ In some professions such as social work and psychology, employees and managers have a supervisor who they can go to, to discuss the impact of complex caseloads and

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explore best practice with them.

For a primary school principal, all teaching, non-teaching and ancillary staff can go to their principal to debrief, discuss best practice and difficult situations.

Where does the primary school principal go to access the same support?

Evidence suggests that mentoring and coaching provided by the Centre of School Leadership are highly valued. However, there are only six sessions in total with a number of group coaching sessions for a staff team provided upon completion. If coaching is weighed up against the findings in this study and the challenges the role of principalship presents, then the potential long-term benefits of regular supervisory/debriefing sessions for primary school principals should be explored.

The findings of this research study, whilst exploratory, do highlight the importance of wellbeing support systems for principals as leaders of wellness. A Code of Professional Conduct devised exclusively for principals that incorporates principal wellbeing through the ethical values of respect, care, integrity and trust is something to consider based on the research findings.

To conclude: ‘Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first’, it means ‘me too’.

Noel wishes to acknowledge the support of IPPN in circulating this questionnaire and to thank Dr. Gerry Jeffers from Maynooth University for his support throughout this research.

Should anyone wish to clarify references, please contact IPPN by email at editor@ippn.ie.

If you would like to contact Noel in relation to this article, you can email him at NoelFJReilly@gmail.com.

THESIS DOCUMENT

February 2021

www.ippn.ie Latest resources If your school has a policy or plan that is not available on ippn.ie, or which would supplement available resources, we would appreciate if you would submit it for review by email to rachel. hallahan@ippn.ie The following are the new resources available in the different sections of the website:

CPD & EVENTS

WEBINARS The pandemic has provided a shift in the traditional ways that school leaders engage in CPD. An area that was once primarily focused on face-to-face engagements has now been replaced with online learning. In response to this change, CPD courses and seminar delivery options have increased and due to diary arrangements you may not have been able to attend.

IPPN has created a new dedicated webinar section on www.ippn.ie and can be accessed via the ‘CPD & Events’ tab on the menu tool bar. A link to this section is provided in your weekly E-scéal. This section is intended to be a one-stop reference point for all webinars that have taken place and are listed according to date. If there are webinars that you feel should be added to this section, please send them to info@ippn.ie.

REOPENING SCHOOLS

Note: You need to be logged in with your username and password to access this section of the website.

Responsibilities (API) Sample PoR Interview Questions – [API, APII and DP (Internal Competition)] Sample Interview Board Report IPPN Guide to PoR Interviews [API, APII and DP (Internal Competition)] Sequence of Activity for AP and DP(Internal) Recruitment and Appointment Competency and Marking Sheet PoR Report to inform review of PoR Notice of Appeal Form

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REOPENING SCHOOLS RESOURCES Letter templates ■ Chief Medical Officer - Letter to Schools - 16 December - English ■ CMO - Letter to Schools, 16 December DES ■ Updated Ventilation Guidelines (Nov 2020) ■ Updated Ventilation Guidelines (Nov 2020) - Gaeilge ■ Concerts, Singing and Instrument Playing during COVID-19 ■ DES Guidance - End of Term Events (English) LINK

Re-opening Schools- Latest Updates ■ Letter from IPPN President Damian White to School Leaders - 6th January 2021

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PLANNING PROMPTS A new prompt is uploaded each week to this section, and each one is relevant to the time of year.

SUPPORTS

LEADERSHIP+ 2020/21 ■ Issue 116 – December 2020 LINK

RESOURCES

STAFF MANAGEMENT API & APII Posts ■ Template Statement of Roles and Responsibilities ■ Sample Statement of Roles and Responsibilities (APII) ■ Sample Statement of Roles and

E-SCÉALS A new E-scéal is uploaded each week to this section. In recent weeks, E-scéals have been issued more often than once a week to ensure that key information is shared quickly.

LINK

Newly-appointed

Deputy Principals and Principals JACKIE O’REILLY IPPN SUPPORTS & SERVICES

Congratulations to the newly-appointed deputy principals and principals, including the deputies who have stepped up to the role of principal or acting principal this school year. Likewise, if you have made the decision to retire or step back from leadership in 2020/2021, we wish you every happiness and fulfilment in the future.

We are sure you would agree on the importance of any new deputy principal or principal availing of all the supports and services IPPN has to offer in their role. Our challenge is in identifying those being appointed. We have found that the

professional generosity of our network has been the most effective method of acquiring this information.

To assist, please do let us know of any new appointments to the role of deputy or principal. This would be of enormous help to us and I know would be very much appreciated by the new deputy/principal.

Any information that you can provide can be emailed to Jackie at the IPPN Support Office at jackie.oreilly@ippn.ie.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Advocacy & Submissions

GERALDINE D’ARCY ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

As you will have noted from the article of the same name in the December issue, LINK IPPN has advocated on behalf of school leaders on a wide range of issues over the years, and this school year is no different in that respect. There has been a major focus on the supports needed for schools coping with the COVID crisis and remote learning over the past year, and that work continues. Members’ own experience and suggestions have been hugely important in ensuring that our submissions and contributions at meetings are timely, relevant and impactful. Please continue to let us know your thoughts, suggestions and concerns by emailing info@ippn.ie.

In January, there has been considerable work done to highlight the challenges of the proposals around the reopening of special schools and mainstream schools with special classes amid the ongoing health and safety risks and the recent surge and new strains of the virus.

There has been a major focus on the supports needed for schools coping with the COVID crisis and remote learning over the past year, and that work continues.

Consultation Process It is worth noting that the consultation process relating to SSPS below was the seventh such consultation since mid-August 2020. Each submission has its own merits and is important in its own right; each one also takes a considerable amount of effort, if it is to be of value to our members and to the stakeholder that sought the feedback. In most cases, the information required to substantiate the key points in a submission is not readily available.

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To address this, IPPN is seeking a comprehensive approach to such consultations with education stakeholders - the Department and all the education agencies - and has requested that future consultations be brought to the Primary Education Forum in the first instance. This would ensure that there was consideration given to adequate notification, timing, sequencing and prioritisation of all consultation processes across the sector so as to facilitate organisations such as IPPN in engaging with practitioners in schools to gather and present feedback in a planned, coherent manner.

This would also ensure that the feedback and recommendations put forward are comprehensive, reflective of the situation across all types of school, as well as balanced and fair, as it would be less likely to be skewed towards those with a particularly entrenched or negative view of a particular proposal.

Recent Submissions Other recent advocacy work relates to special classes for pupils with Autism and the SSPS pilot inspections. The following is a brief synopsis of the key points included in these submissions, which were submitted in November: Inter-agency Good Practice Guidelines for Schools on Supporting Students with Autism Please note that this submission was via an online form and we were precluded from sharing the guidelines with members, which means we weren’t in a position to address the issues as we would wish.

■ There were a number of very positive points relating to the guidelines - comprehensive, aspirational, excellent templates, strong emphasis on involving the whole school community ■

They present more of an aspirational ‘ideal world’ than

information that will help schools to deal with ‘real world’ contexts and issues.

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There is an assumption that pupils in Mainstream and Special Classes are correctly placed in the context of the current structures/model, and that there is agency support readily available. This is not the reality on the ground.

Of particular concern to IPPN is the feasibility of special classes in small schools led by teaching principals. Due to the enormous additional workload involved in opening (and running) special classes, IPPN does not consider it feasible for a teaching principal to lead schools with special classes. Put simply, administrative status must be afforded to school leaders with special classes – both incumbents and those who agree to set up new classes where the school doesn’t already have one.

There is an assumption that pupils in Mainstream and Special Classes are correctly placed in the context of the current structures/model, and that there is agency support readily available.

This is not the reality on the ground.

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We strongly recommended that the Department and the Special Education Unit take some more time to get feedback on the Guidelines from practitioners who lead schools with special ASD classes and Autism units, so as to tease out the nuances of the guidelines and ensure that the language is appropriate, that all of the issues are addressed satisfactorily.

February 2021

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Another key issue is in relation to resourcing to fully implement the guidelines: l l

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Adequate staffing is crucial Relevant, specific, appropriate and adequate training is essential, for both new and existing staff, including special education teachers (SETs), SNAs and school leaders.

It should take school leaders a very short time to prepare for an SSPS inspection – a quick check with the Lead Worker Representative should suffice.

Specific guidance in relation to best practice in integration with mainstream classes is required Constraints around GDPR More information on how to identify needs is required, as clarity on where guidance is available where needed.

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to committing to these resources UP FRONT, before a school commits to enrolling children.

The role of the SNA is not fully explored There is no indication of how to source and fund training, especially if there is an urgent need to support a child

from the limited consultation we were able to achieve over the past few weeks, that has been the experience of school leaders in the pilot phase to date. This approach is absolutely crucial to the success and acceptance of such inspections in the future.

LINK

Pilot Inspections relating to Supporting the Safe Provision of Schooling (SSPS) ■ The information is helpful, clearly laid out and provides the basis for schools’ understanding of what to expect when they are notified on an inspection.

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Re. placement of pupils with ASD, urgent attention needs to be paid

The guidelines acknowledge the work done by teachers and school leaders and state clearly that the Inspectorate are carrying out these checks in a supportive manner. From what we can gather

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It should take school leaders a very short time to prepare for an SSPS inspection – a quick check with the Lead Worker Representative should suffice.

Reports to date confirm this and that the attitude of the Inspectors has been supportive and helpful.

The positive, supportive approach taken in the pilot inspections to date and encourage its adoption as a model for future inspections.

LINK

All submissions are available in the Advocacy section of www.ippn.ie.

LINK

Geraldine.Darcy@ippn.ie.

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OnYourBehalf

Listed below are some of the projects and advocacy-related engagement that were progressed in the past few months, almost all of it virtually.

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY - VIRTUAL MEETINGS ATTENDED/HOSTED: ■ IPPN Board of Directors meeting took place virtually on 26th November.

■ IPPN National Council meeting took place virtually, also on 26th November.

■ Department of Education COVID-19 Briefings - IPPN continues to engage with the stakeholders at these briefings to ensure that the issues and challenges that present in schools are dealt with as efficiently and as effectively as possible.

■ Tralee Deputy Principal Support Group (newlyestablished group) ■ #GRMA Day - Friday 11 December 2020, a day to show national solidarity and appreciation, and to say thanks and ‘go raibh maith agaibh’ to our school communities.

■ Teaching Council School Placement Guidance consultation ■ CSL Comhrá.

■ NCCA Leading Out Seminar - #4 – Focus on Leadership PUBLIC RELATIONS IPPN president Damian White, CEO Páiric Clerkin and deputy president Brian O’Doherty conducted a number of interviews regarding January 2021 School Reopening.

SCHOOL LEADERS’ PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH IMPORTANT RESEARCH BY IPPN AND MAYNOOTH As part of an increasing focus on Sustainable Leadership, IPPN is working with Dr Jolanta Burke and Dr Majella Dempsey of Maynooth University to undertake deep research into primary school leaders’ health, both physical and emotional.

WHY DO WE NEED SCHOOL LEADERS TO PARTICIPATE? We will need as many school leaders as possible to complete the survey, to ensure that the data is reliable (representative of all school leaders) as well as credible and comprehensive.

The survey results will: ■ allow school leaders to compare their health practices to their peers’ results and see what

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changes they could make to enhance their wellbeing provide evidence-based data that IPPN and other stakeholders will be able to use in our meetings with the DES and others, to best advocate for the changes that need to be made in schools to improve school leaders’ personal health help IPPN to structure the necessary supports and CPD that best meet the needs of school leaders help current and future leaders to shape and streamline their leadership role so that that the education sector and all its stakeholders can ensure sustainable leadership for the future.

You can take the survey here: LINK

Colmcille 1500 Ag comóradh oidhreacht Cholmcille Celebrating the legacy of Columba

GRÁINNE DUGGAN TEACHING PRINCIPAL, RATH DOMHNAILL NS, CO. DONEGAL A year-long commemoration began on December 7th 2020, to mark the birth 1500 years ago of the 6th century St Colmcille or Columba, at Gartan, Co. Donegal.

There are hundreds of schools and clubs in Ireland named after Colmcille / Columba, or indeed, communities and places with an affinity to a Columban or early Christian site or ‘turas’. Many of our ancient wells or sacred places have an older significance, including those ageless trails walked by people over thousands of years. They still endure today.

as a saint across the Christian traditions. The opportunities for schools to involve and engage pupils in cross-curricular approaches are extensive and diverse. Bígí linn agus muid ag comóradh oidhreacht Cholmcille sa bhliain 2020/2021. www.colmcille.net If you would like to get in touch with Gráinne about this article, you can email her at GrainneDuggan@ rathdonnellns.com.

A cornerstone of the commemorations is the development of the ‘Slí Cholmcille’, a twelve-day camino, linking sites in Donegal and Derry.

There was a book, a battle, an exile. Colmcille set sail from Derry in 563 to found his monastery on the Scottish island of Iona. Many adults are familiar with the story of Columba, but how is he relevant to a generation of schoolchildren today?

The rich legacy of Colmcille continues to transcend borders and to inspire cooperation. Colmcille / Columba is cherished 32

LINK

And Finally…

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