Leadership+ Issue 120 - December 2021 by Irish Primary Principals’ Network

ISSUE 120 / DECEMBER 2021

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

Ongoing Challenges

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Leadership in an Imperfect World

Giving School Leaders a Head Start Angela Lynch talks about the IPPN Headstart Programme for newly-appointed principals.

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Read the address of Harold Hislop, the Chief Inspector at the Department of Education, from the Deputy Principals’ Conference 2021.

Managing inclusion

Janet Twigg discusses managing inclusion in a multi-grade infant classroom and the challeneges that arise.

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As the professional body for school leaders, IPPN provides supports and services that empower school leaders to be as effective as they can be in their role.

School Placement

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THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

IPPN Strategic Priorities 2021-2025

Séamie Ó Néill discusses how school placements are highly regarded by student teachers as a key part of their professional development.

Cosán

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+ Leadership

Carmel Kearns of the Teaching Council explains that Cosán is a flexible framework that can help principals develop and sustain reflective learning cultures, where teachers chart their own learning. 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 Brian O’Doherty 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 120 / DECEMBER 2021

E T A D E THE

SAV

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE 2022

Will be held on May 19th & 20th 2022 in Citywest Hotel & Convention Centre See your weekly E-scéal, ippn.ie and social media for further information in the coming weeks. www.ippn.ie | info@ippn.ie a @IPPN_Education • @IPPNExpo | d @IPPN

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IPPN Deputy Principals’ Conference 2021 SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS IPPN sincerely thanks the sponsors of the recent Deputy Principals’ Conference, whose support enables us to provide and expand member services.

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Registered attendees – Please note that you can view any keynote speakers or seminars that you missed on the platform for 12 months from the event date.

December 2021

Ongoing Challenges It seems we were overly optimistic in the last Leadership+ editorial when we hoped for ‘smooth sailing’ ahead, as it was written as the school year was about to start. It quickly became evident that the negative impact of the pandemic on you and your school communities is ongoing and that the acute shortage of substitute teachers has made teacher absences and the implementation of the CLASS supports very challenging and demanding, if not impossible, to manage. The President’s Pen on page 15 considers the matter of substitute cover further and outlines what will happen next in relation to the sustainable leadership project. As always, IPPN has advocated strongly on behalf of primary school leaders in relation to these and other issues that have arisen since the start of the school year. The IPPN Leadership Support Team continues to support the needs of school leaders and is here to help, if you need guidance. BUDGET 2022 IPPN warmly welcomed the granting of administrative status to principals of special schools and to the principals of schools with two or more special classes. We had advocated for this in our submission and directly with the department for several years. While we also welcome the reduced pupil/teacher ratio and the additional SNA and SET allocation, the budget falls far short of what IPPN sought and advocated strongly for with the minister, her senior officials, and key stakeholders. In particular, insufficient commitment has been given to the issue of resourcing of supports for vulnerable children, both in terms of the provision of urgent mental health supports where there has been a severe COVID impact, and also the wider issue of funding to support children with SEN and those at risk of educational disadvantage. As we stated in our submission, there are far too many examples of funding not matching the need in our schools to conclude that the issue is not systemic. We are particularly disappointed that Budget 2022 has not addressed the badly-needed funding of supports to make primary school leadership more sustainable. This could have been achieved by putting one leadership and management day per week for teaching principals on a permanent and statutory footing, increasing middle leadership capacity in larger schools, and establishing teacher supply panels on a permanent footing and increasing their scope to include all schools. Effective school leadership is second only to effective classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning. IPPN aspires to empower school leaders to provide dynamic leadership of their school communities. This aspiration is compromised by an ongoing failure to adequately support school leadership in terms of ensuring that school leaders have the time and space to lead their schools and the requisite supports and resources to do so. This Budget is another missed opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the

EDITORIAL

LEADERSHIP+ EDITORIAL TEAM importance of school leadership and a practical commitment to ensuring its greater sustainability. IPPN will continue to advocate for adequate funding and supports to be made available to enable all school leaders to carry out their leadership and management roles effectively and in a sustainable way. IPPN STRATEGIC PLAN Having consulted with IPPN members, staff and key stakeholders, we are now ready to launch IPPN’s Strategic Plan for 2021-2025. As outlined in the President’s Pen article on page 15, sustainable leadership is at the heart of our strategy and we will structure opportunities for all members to contribute to the project in the coming months. You can read about this on pages 8- 9. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Pat Goff and Finbarr Hurley tell us about the IPPN cluster involved in the Small Schools Clustering Action Research Project. n Seán Delaney, Marino Institute of Education writes about teachers as ‘spontaneous strategists’. n Angela Lynch explains how the IPPN Headstart programme is being expanded to further support new school leaders. n Donal Kerins outlines what is available in the DRaW Toolkit – Dignity and Respect at Work. n We also hear from the NCCA on the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework and from the Teaching Council on the new Cosán framework. n

As we approach the end of the first term, may we wish you all the best for the rest of the school year. Is sinne le meas Leadership+ Editorial Team

Brian O’Doherty

Páiric Clerkin

Geraldine D’Arcy

President

CEO

Editor 3

LEGAL DIARY

Managing Behaviours of Concern DAVID RUDDY BL

Limiting Your Legal Liability

Mainstream schools have experienced a transformation over the last 20 years in providing an education for students with complex special needs. These students would ordinarily have attended special schools in the past. Equally, special schools are accommodating students with highly complex needs who may have only availed of limited schooling, or home schooling in the past. Successive governments have funded this transformation by sanctioning the appointment of large numbers of special education teachers and special needs assistants. The creation of bodies like the National Council for Special Education has also assisted greatly with this accommodation. Unsurprisingly, school leaders feel greatly challenged in dealing with Behaviours of Concern. A poll of participants conducted by Mason, Hayes & Curran during a webinar on ‘Managing Behaviours of Concern’ in September 2021, indicated that

managing challenging behaviour was an issue for 75% of participants, 66% did not feel confident in dealing with these behaviours, and a further 81% did not have a Behaviours of Concern policy.

Schools that have a Behaviour of Concern policy and training are in a much stronger position to limit liability. WHY HAVE A BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN POLICY? The Code of Behaviour on its own may not be enough to protect your school. Section 29 committees and courts hearing appeals against the suspension and expulsion of students look for evidence as to how schools manage these behaviours. Have schools gone over, above and beyond to access supports? Schools that

have a Behaviour of Concern policy and training are in a much stronger position to limit liability. Equally, when there are assaults on staff, a Board of Management with such a policy in place is in much better standing in defending claims than those that do not. WHAT SHOULD A BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN POLICY CONTAIN? In the first instance, the policy needs to define what constitutes a serious and imminent risk. Examples may be of a student physically attacking another or about to, putting themselves in danger, carrying a weapon with intent on using violence, or throwing furniture in close proximity to others. The policy should not be a standalone document. It ought to reference the child safeguarding statement, code of behaviour and health and safety policy. The use of a physical intervention may be necessary in exceptional circumstances to prevent an injury

December 2021

to a student or others. Physical intervention needs to be defined. The protocol for such an intervention should be referenced. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RECORD AND REPORT? What happens when there is a serious incident, or indeed a near miss? One of the essential ingredients of your policy ought to be the recording and reporting of incidents. Reporting can reduce the risk/severity of future incidents by providing information/ data to inform risk assessments and behaviour support plans. Recurring incidents have a negative impact on the student, staff members and school. Reporting provides a clear, factual account of what happened to all stakeholders, including parents and boards of management. It helps safeguard students and staff, and limits liability in the event of a legal challenge. It’s essential to find out what’s going wrong and what can be done to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Reporting can inform the Behaviour Management Plan

One of the essential ingredients of your policy ought to be the recording and reporting of incidents. Reporting can reduce the risk/ severity of future incidents by providing information/data to inform risk assessments and behaviour support plans. for students, thereby improving outcomes. Critically, it also demonstrates the willingness of the school to learn from incidents and to adapt the environment and/or actions of staff. Too often, schools just pick up and carry on. Whilst we cannot eliminate risk, we can reduce it! CURRENT GUIDANCE The previous Minister for Education,

Mr Joe McHugh TD, appointed an expert group to report on guidelines for ‘Supporting students with Behaviours of Concern – Preventing and Responding to Crisis Situations’. This report was finalised about two years ago but has not been published. New Zealand has legislation and statutory guidance in relation to this issue. CONCLUSION Given the recent publication of Circular 0047/2021 ‘Guidelines for the Use of Reduced School Days’ which takes effect from January 1st 2022, schools may find that the use of shortened days, without parental support, effectively counts as suspensions. The new circular, coupled with the lack of guidance, places schools in a difficult situation in managing Behaviours of Concern. If your school does not have a policy, it’s time to take stock and ask yourself the question, why not? If you would like to contact David in relation to this article, you can email him at druddy@mhc.ie

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Dignity and Respect at Work (DRaW) Toolkit DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM The IPPN Leadership Support Team receives calls every week relating to conflict in school workplaces. These cases are extremely upsetting for those involved and for the school leaders dealing with them, whether they are personally involved or not. In response, IPPN has developed a Toolkit to assist school staff to safely discuss and address issues of disaffection in their workplaces. The Toolkit helps workplace colleagues identify and record acceptable and unacceptable behaviours and agreed conflict resolution procedures. Some of these procedures are already in existence but need to be examined and discussed by all staff with the emphasis on resolving conflict at the lowest possible level. This is much

more easily achieved when the staff has agreed together on what behaviours and attitudes are acceptable and unacceptable in their particular workplace. The Toolkit provides a pathway, with supporting PowerPoint presentations, for staffs to work through the process of developing their own bespoke Dignity and Respect at Work (DRaW) Charter and Policy. While templates for these are included, the emphasis should be on staff ownership of the process, through discussion and reflection. School leaders should decide whether, in their particular circumstances, they should lead the process themselves or whether they should ask their BoM to provide an outside facilitator for some, or all, of the sessions.

Ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scolb. As well as being a place of learning and fun for children, schools are workplaces for teachers, SNAs, ancillary staff and school leaders. That is where those workers will spend their working lives. It behoves us all to ensure that the working atmosphere in our schools is a healthy one which enhances, rather than degrades our Dignity, our Respect and our Wellbeing. IPPN urges all school leaders to consider how the Toolkit might assist you in enhancing the quality of your school workplace environment, for everyone. The Toolkit may be accessed on the IPPN website under Resources/Staff Relations. Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie LINK

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Allianz back on our school run Allianz took the diﬃcult decision to reduce our local personal service to “business critical” visits and support by phone, email, video messages and video conferencing during the pandemic. We are acutely aware the value schools place on our local personal service so we have been keen to reinstate this at the earliest opportunity in which it was safe to do so.

ALLIANZ

We are delighted to conﬁrm that your Local Allianz Representative is back on the road and available to provide a personal service and support to your school. While we will continue to follow public health guidelines, our full range of services are available again. Your Local Allianz Representative is ready to help, see contact details below.

Here are a few common areas your Local Allianz Representative can assist your school with

Find your Local Allianz Representative contact details here If your school is insured through an insurance intermediary, please contact them for assistance. Mairead Mullins ACII – North West 087 – 2485065 Mairead.Mullins@allianz.ie

Alan Carroll CIP – North East 087 – 9566721 Alan.Carroll@allianz.ie

Shane Mooney ACII – West 087 – 9190428 Shane.Mooney@allianz.ie

Martin McKeogh, ACII, BBS (Hon) – South 087 9203992 Martin.McKeogh@allianz.ie

Noel O’Loughlin ACII – South West 087 – 2588943 Noel.O’Loughlin@allianz.ie

Martin Sinnott ACII – South East 087 – 6862329 Martin.Sinnott@allianz.ie

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

IPPN Strategic Priorities 2021-2025 As the professional body for school leaders, IPPN provides supports and services that empower those school leaders to be as effective as they can be in their role, as we know the transformational impact that effective school leadership has on schools. Similarly, IPPN’s advocacy role is to ensure that the optimum environment is created within the system that will allow school leaders to maintain their focus on their core purpose of leading teaching and learning in the particular context of their school. To inform this work, we establish priorities that form the basis of our strategic plan. As we progress from a period that required the development of new ways of working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and, as new leadership challenges emerge, we map out in the IPPN Strategic Priorities 2021-2025 publication IPPN’s strategic priorities and how we will seek to proactively meet the needs of primary school leaders over the next five years. Chief among these priorities is to look

in detail at what is required for the leadership role to be sustainable in every type and size of primary school. This strategy was developed in consultation with IPPN members, our Board, staff and key stakeholders across the education sector. We are indebted to everyone who contributed to the process and we look forward to engaging with school leaders and with stakeholders in delivering on this plan. CONSULTATION IPPN has undertaken a process of engagement to define our strategic priorities for the five-year period 2021-2025. Our approach included consultation with: n IPPN members, through 318 responses to our online survey; n IPPN staff and Board members, through 28 one-to-one interviews; n External stakeholders in the education sector, through 24 oneto-one interviews. During

this

process,

IPPN

also

facilitated design thinking workshops with IPPN staff, advisory groups and Board members. IPPN would like to thank its members, staff, Board members, advisors, and those external education stakeholders who contributed to defining our ambitious 5-year strategic priorities. STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS Five primary strategic priority areas were identified for IPPN for 20212025 during this process: 1. Sustainable Leadership 2. Professional Learning for Leadership 3. Member Engagement 4. Communications 5. Governance. OBJECTIVES FOR EACH OF THE KEY PRIORITIES 1. Sustainable Leadership - to build a shared understanding of the role of school leadership and to support accessible pathways that enable aspiring and existing leaders to succeed in these roles.

Co-Creative Design Approach to Strategic

IPPN Leadership Planning Workshops

IPPN Board Interviews

Interviews

External Organisation Interviews

IPPN Member Survey

Strategic Priority Workshop

Stakeholder Feedback Sessions

Strategy Document

December 2021

Professional Learning for Leadership - to strengthen our facilitation of training, learning and continuing professional development - ensuring this is inclusive, relevant, and valued by members and staff. 2. Member Engagement - to provide all our members with access to the resources, guidance and network required to support them in their roles as school leaders and, through this engagement, to attain insights that will inform IPPN’s future plans and maximise our impact. 3. Communications - to embed effective communication in

all aspects of IPPN’s work and to continue to improve communication with our members, our staff and the wider education sector 4. Governance - to strengthen IPPN’s governance structures to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability at all levels within the organisation. IMPLEMENTATION For each of the key priority areas outlined above, we have identified between four and six strategic actions, as well as metrics which define what success looks like. Measurement of progress against the plan is crucial so baseline data as well as interim and

end-of-plan metrics will form part of the progress tracking and review processes. IPPN recognises the importance of continuing to adopt new technologies and of embedding innovation in our work to assist in effectively communicating with and supporting our members and stakeholders. Utilisation of technology and innovation will underpin IPPN’s delivery within each of the five strategic priority areas identified. The implementation of our strategic priorities will be led by the IPPN Support Office team and will be overseen by IPPN’s Board.

Professional Learning for Leadership

Sustainable Leadership

Communications

Member Engagement

Governance

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Leadership in an Imperfect World

IPPN Deputy Principals’ Conference, 11 November 2021 ADDRESS OF HAROLD HISLOP, CHIEF INSPECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INTRODUCTION Táim an bhuíoch de IPPN as ucht an gcuireadh caint le bhur gcomhdháil maidin inniu. Bhain mé an-tairbhe agus an-taitneamh as an ócáid nuair a labhair mé ag an gcomhdháil seo in 2018 agus táim ag súil go mór le seisiún na maidine seo. I am pleased to have this opportunity this morning to outline for you how the Inspectorate is working with schools this year and some of the key emphases in that work. As Pairic alluded to, the last twenty months or so have been a period of challenge and learning for us all. So I’d like to reflect on that for a few minutes because it provides the context for your work and ours in the Inspectorate.

You have, no doubt, all learned a lot from the uncertainty and shifting situations we found ourselves in as you tried to sustain school communities and provide leadership as deputy principals during those extraordinary times. The need for responsive, distributed leadership, and action when there was barely time to think, was critical during this time. Now, as you take some time at your Conference to reflect on your leadership roles as deputy principals– I am really struck by the aptness of you Conference title – Leadership in an Imperfect World. My take-away from Páiric’s address and Steve Munby’s book about Imperfect Leadership is that we should accept that taking good or effective action now - rather than trying vainly to do the perfect thing - is more important for the young people we serve, for our colleagues and for ourselves. Striving for, or expecting to be, absolutely perfect risks disabling ourselves. It can get in the way of worthwhile development and steady progress; it can impede our decision-

making. Sadly, we may sometimes dismiss our efforts as imperfect or falling far short of some particular measure of success. Having high expectations is of course important. But is it also really important that we genuinely reflect on and celebrate the achievements that we attain as well as thinking about how we might learn from what we have done – what has worked well and what we might do differently in the future. That, for me, is the essence of genuine self-evaluation. LEARNINGS FROM COVID So, if I apply that rubric of reflection to the last twenty months in the Irish school system, what could one say? I’m sure that each of us would have our own stand-out memories and learnings. What I’m going to offer this morning is simply a personal, short selection. It’s drawn from some of the evidence we have from thousands of conversations that inspectors have had with school leaders during lockdown periods and during visits to schools. I’m also reflecting on survey information that we collected from principals, teachers, students and parents during and after lockdown and re-opening periods.

Covid took away our natural environment for teaching and learning. Teaching and learning are, at their heart, a two-way conversation between pupil and teacher.

December 2021

There is no doubt that some pupils and their parents felt the impact of the loss of schooling and the loss of the personal contact with teachers more severely than others. We saw the impact of social inequity on children more clearly and more starkly than ever before. For me, one of the key standouts from Covid has been the sheer commitment, creativity and resilience of school leaders and principals, including teaching principals, deputy principals, teachers and everyone who steps forward to take a leadership role in our schools. Covid took away our natural environment for teaching and learning. Teaching and learning are, at their heart, a two-way conversation between pupil and teacher. Whatever we have learned from Covid, we have certainly learned that this interaction takes place most effectively in a faceto-face setting. Being cut off from that personal contact robbed school leaders, teachers and pupils of the best environment in which really effective learning takes place.

schools, substitution provision had to be re-organised and increased significantly. Some of our school buildings were less than ideal. All of us had to respond quickly to a very fluid and fast-changing situation. Our responses were not always perfect – nor could they be.

Yet despite that, you and your fellow school leaders, and the teachers you lead and work closely with, rose to the challenge of providing teaching and learning in wholly new ways. One of the most important things I want to say this morning is to acknowledge the magnificent effort that school leaders – including principals and deputy principals - made to keep learning alive for young people. Time and again, inspectors reported on the innovative and committed ways schools attempted to provide learning opportunities for young people despite the odds.

A third takeaway for me that I think is relevant this morning is a heightened societal awareness that schools are much more than centres for academic learning. In fairness, primary teachers and all of us who work with primary schools have always appreciated that schools and the curriculum are about much more than knowledge and skills. But Covid demonstrated to everyone how much we depend on school leaders and the teams they lead for the nurturing of young people – their mental and physical welfare; their social and emotional skills; their sense of self-worth; their happiness; even their safety. Your leadership in delivering that vision in schools has been very important.

Secondly, you did this in a very challenging and uncertain context. Part of the reason for the Inspectorate’s advisory contact and conversations with all schools during Covid was to gather real-time information about the experience of school leaders and school communities so that we could feed that information to policymakers. Like many other education systems internationally, Ireland was severely challenged by the speed and impact of the pandemic. Our ICT capability in schools had never been intended to deal with remote teaching and learning for all. In our primary

The information that inspectors collected and fed back to policymakers about such matters helped to shape the scale and nature of the packages of supports – additional teachers and substitution panels, very large amounts of additional capitation funding and detailed guidance – that were delivered to the school system to enable them to address some of the gaps in remote learning and, more especially, to re-open and operate schools safely.

A further takeaway for me is that Covid did not impact evenly. There is no doubt that some pupils and their parents felt the impact of the loss of schooling and the loss of the personal contact with teachers more severely than others. We saw the impact of social inequity on children more clearly and more starkly than ever before. We were hugely challenged to provide appropriate supports for children with special

educational needs. The inspectors who conducted focus group interviews with pupils, and especially with parents of children with special educational needs, described some of those conversations to me as “heartrending”. The evidence from our research – along with submissions from IPPN and other education partners – played an important role in Minister Foley’s decisions to put in place much-extended summer programmes in 2020 and 2021, and in shaping the CLASS packages for schools for this school year. The experience should also make us ever more determined to keep educational provision open, and especially provision for special needs and other vulnerable learners, in the event of any future emergency. Speaking of pupils, Covid has also heightened the role that we must give to the voice and perspective of the learner. Prior to Covid, the Inspectorate had begun a major piece of work on how the perspectives of pupils, even very young pupils, could be incorporated much more meaningfully in our inspection work. We will be publishing more about that work before the end of the year. And the Covid experience has certainly demonstrated that pupils, if properly supported, can bring an important and influential perspective to policy decisions. That will challenge all of us to make sure we are creating the conditions where young people can express their views and have them heard in our deliberations at all levels – in classrooms, in schools and in wider fora. Covid also highlighted the importance of collaboration. The last time I spoke at the IPPN Deputy Principals’ Conference, I talked about the importance of collaborative learning in schools – the importance of leading and working in professional collaboration within and between schools. I want to pay a huge tribute to IPPN in this regard: your networks and the

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

other supports Páiric mentioned in his address were invaluable during Covid. They facilitated a collaborative sharing of good advice; they allowed school leaders to feel less isolated; they helped principals and deputy leaders in school communities that needed assistance and where provision was challenging. And the crisis also demonstrated that sharing problems and challenges, and finding solutions collaboratively at national level, can be a powerful way to act. The Primary Education Forum – where stakeholders including IPPN, parents, teacher and management representatives come together with the Department and - during these times with representatives of Public Health – was sought by IPPN for many years. If it hadn’t existed pre-Covid, we would have had to invent it. I have long been a fan of this collaborative approach to policy-making and the Minister, officials and partners used it extensively to tackle the issues we all faced. We have to keep this going in the future. And, of, course, IPPN’s engagement with the work of the Department’s School Leadership Working Group will continue to be critical to the various strands of that Working Group’s agenda. Standing back and looking at the cumulative impact of the totality of

the learning from Covid potentially brings with it huge implications – including implications for the range of supports required for exemplary leadership to emerge and be fostered. For deputy principals, we want to ensure that what we aspire to in terms of distributed leadership as set out in the Department Circular on leadership is realised as fully as possible through the potential of each deputy to take on real and meaningful leadership responsibilities in their schools. INSPECTION AND ADVISORY WORK IN AUTUMN TERM 2021 Given that context, can I turn now to the themes and emphases in the Inspectorate’s work in the current school year? For the autumn term, three themes are important in our work. Supporting school leaders to provide safely for teaching and learning Firstly, we are continuing with a programme of Sustaining the Safe Provision of Schooling Inspections (SSPS) during this school year. The focus of these visits is on supporting school leaders to provide safely for teaching and learning. I’d like to emphasise the very positive findings arising from the hundreds of these visits that we have conducted since September of 2020; we found around 98% of primary schools fully compliant. That is a great tribute to

the work of school leaders and school communities. The SSPS visits also provide an opportunity for inspectors to engage in professional dialogue with school leaders – something greatly welcomed by school leaders and inspectors. Anti-bullying Secondly, during our incidental inspections this autumn, we are putting a focus on supporting school leaders in creating inclusive learning environments for all. I know well that school leaders are very much aware of the importance of children learning in an environment where they feel welcome, valued and respected for who they are. All of us have heard the heart-breaking stories of some children who are marginalised or excluded – and often these come from vulnerable cohorts – LGBTQ, Travellers, children with special educational needs. None of us want this for any child. So, during our incidental visits, we are collecting information on the implementation of antibullying guidelines but our focus is fundamentally about raising the consciousness of school leaders and schools about the importance of school culture and climate and having appropriate systems in place to prevent and tackle bullying. We know that dealing with bullying is not primarily about compliance with

During our incidental inspections this autumn, we are putting a focus on supporting school leaders in creating inclusive learning environments for all.

December 2021

Because of the importance of teaching and learning, we envisage at this point that we will first re-introduce inspections of curricular areas and gradually re-introduce whole-school type inspections later in the January-June period. policies or checklists. While policies and systems have an important role to play, our overall approach is aimed at supporting school leaders to think about and promote a positive culture for all. Vulnerable learners Thirdly, as I have mentioned, the impact of Covid has been particularly stark for some children in our schools – including children with SEN and children who may struggle to engage with their learning in classrooms for a variety of reasons. With that in mind, we will be conducting a limited number of SEN inspections to see how children with SEN are getting on in their learning. We will also be looking at the issue of reduced timetables to ensure that they are only used in exceptional circumstances and in accordance with the relevant procedures.

OUR INSPECTION AND ADVISORY WORK FROM JANUARY 2022 A phased and amended approach From January 2022, we will be reintroducing other elements of our inspection programme in a phased way. We are committed to doing this in a phased way that is reasonable for schools, sensitive to their context, and builds on the learning we have all gained through the Covid experience. After Christmas, we will review and expand our repertoire of inspection and advisory work gradually. Our incidental inspections, child protection and anti-Covid inspections will continue. Because of the importance of teaching and learning, we envisage at this point that we will first re-introduce inspections of curricular areas and gradually re-introduce whole-school type inspections later in the JanuaryJune period. It is in these inspections that we hope to collaborate with you in using some of the materials that we have developed to support pupils’ involvement in evaluation. We will share with you a short animated video

for pupils, that we have developed in collaboration with young people. It will explain to them what we do and how inspectors will work with you and with pupils when an inspection happens. And can I emphasise that, during these inspections, we will reflect on how Covid has impacted upon your school, how it may have derailed your expectations and how you are working to address its negative impacts. Revision of LAOS and SSE The revision of Looking at Our School and the compilation of a circular for the next phase of SSE was originally planned for 2020. That will now take place in Spring 2022, and I have already spoken to Páiric about IPPN’s input to that process. We will also be surveying schools about SSE as part of the consultation. Independent academic research has shown how SSE has worked in Irish schools – we want to build on that – but we want to make sure SSE is a simple and practical tool for you as school leaders. We want you to use it to set realistic and relevant ambitions for your school – not counsels of perfection! Collaborative Evaluation for Learning Before I conclude, I would like to return to collaboration – and how it will feature in our work as an Inspectorate in this school year. We have, of course, already committed ourselves as an Inspectorate to working collaboratively with schools. We have always tried to carry out our advisory work and inspections in a genuinely respectful and professional way. But we have seen a need to go further than that. When we develop new approaches to inspection, we do this working collaboratively with groups of schools and school leaders. Some of the most important and key features of the Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections introduced in 2018/19 were suggested to us by school leaders who worked closely with us during the design phase. Our

approach to the evaluation of remote teaching and learning was developed with school leaders and teachers – not tried out on them but built with them as partners. IPPN members have been among our strongest partners and most valuable, constructive critics in this work. As an Inspectorate, we have public accountability functions to carry out and standards to monitor and report upon. But we also want our work in schools to be a practical help to school leaders and teachers on their improvement journey. In this and in the coming school years, we are determined to build and strengthen our collaborative approach to school self-evaluation and inspection. In 2022, we’d like to work collaboratively with a small number of schools to build an approach to evaluation within schools that could enhance schools’ capacity to review their own work, while at the same time allow us to learn more about the challenges that school leaders and deputy leaders face as they use SSE in their schools. We don’t have a fixed idea of what that approach would entail – we want to discuss and work that out with the schools involved. But we think it would be really beneficial if leaders from the school and the inspectors worked as a team to review some aspect of that school’s teaching and learning – perhaps an aspect that the school has identified as a priority for itself. We would see any findings as belonging to the school – for its own self-evaluation. A high expectation perhaps, but even if we achieve only some of that aim, I think it would be worthwhile. An imperfect but beneficial outcome nevertheless! Ag súil go mór le bheith ag obair libh sna laethanta romhainn. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

School Placement from Precarity to Intergenerational Solidarity SÉAMIE Ó NÉILL HEAD OF EDUCATION AND DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PLACEMENT, FROEBEL DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY ‘I could not commend the Principal enough. She included me in every aspect of school life and, from the outset, welcomed me into one of the best school environments I could hope to experience’ (Final Year Froebel B Ed Student). School Placement (SP) is highly regarded by student teachers as a key part of their professional development, allowing them to forge their teacher identities and cultivate teaching practices. It provides opportunities for students to understand and become attuned to the complexities and unpredictability of school life. While sourcing placements for student teachers has historically been demanding for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) institutions, providing them in pandemic times has proven to be a unique challenge. However, utilising strong relationships that have been nurtured over the years between the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education and our local school network, all students were successfully accommodated on placement in the last academic year. As the system struggled to cope with teacher shortages, the presence of student teachers in schools had reciprocal benefits. While gaining valuable classroom experience, students were also able to provide some substitute cover for schools at critical times. Indeed, our final year students reported that they undertook an average of 42 days’ substitute cover in the last academic year, contributing

an approximate total of 4,500 days’ cover to the system. Despite the rigid protocols, challenges, and frustrations that the pandemic presented, students reported that they were highly supported in schools and overall, had very positive experiences. By responding in-situ to an evolving crisis, students were naturally exposed to professional learning opportunities in the supportive environment of schools. They developed skills, including agility and flexibility in response to fastchanging circumstances, that they will bring forward into their teaching career. Students’ knowledge and skills in digital learning and ICT increased significantly as they facilitated e-learning during the periods of school closure. Traditionally, students were required to submit planning files in paper-based folders, endangering several rainforests in the process! Due to remote working and the avoidance of paper handling, all SP documentation was uploaded digitally and assessed online. Following positive feedback, the digital folder will be retained for future placements. As Higher Education Institute (HEI) tutors were unable to undertake on-site visits, teachers and school leaders took on a more proactive role in providing feedback to students and engaging them in professional conversations. Reports from students indicate their appreciation of receiving guidance from those who have the deepest understanding of teaching and school

life. However, it must be acknowledged that teachers also reported that, due to more onerous responsibilities in supporting student teachers on SP, they would prefer, as protocols are eased, if HEI tutors could once again undertake school visits. The number of students requiring school experience as part of their preservice teacher education, and the types of placements required to meet Teaching Council criteria, have led to a significant strain on the system. From year to year, the sourcing of such placements becomes more and more precarious, as the numbers of teachers available to host students barely matches demand. From my conversations and interactions with principals and deputy principals, I get a great sense of intergenerational solidarity as they support young student teachers on the first steps on the ladder to becoming effective educators. Collectively, school leaders are in a powerful position to influence the relationships between HEIs, teachers and schools. On behalf of my colleagues in Initial Teacher Education, I would like to sincerely thank school leaders for all their support in providing rich and rewarding experiences for our students. Is mór againn é. If you wish to contact Séamie in relation to this article, you can email him at seamie.oneill@mu.ie

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

CSL Bespoke Mentoring for School Principals FINBARR HURLEY CSL CO-ORDINATOR What is CSL Bespoke Mentoring? CSL Bespoke Mentoring is available to established principals who are experiencing particular forms of challenge. The nature of Bespoke Mentoring is formative and developmental, facilitated in a formal one-to-one mentoring relationship. It is about growing the potential and developing the capacity of the principal, not only to develop their own professional and personal skills, but also those of their leadership team, and the entire school community. The focus of Bespoke Mentoring will always be on the principal’s professional practice. It will focus on what the principal’s current situation is and how it can move forward towards practical and meaningful improvement through the setting of goals and success criteria, based on the needs of the school, and taking its context and culture into consideration. If a principal decides to engage with Bespoke Mentoring, the adult learning principles of confidentiality, participation and taking responsibility for their own professional learning, will form basic expectations. CSL recognises the tremendous system supports available to school leaders from the various stakeholders and views this bespoke support as a complement to these existing supports. WHO ARE THE CSL BESPOKE MENTORS? The CSL Bespoke Mentor will be a recently-retired school leader who has completed the initial CSL mentor training. Additionally, they have taken part in over 20 hours of specialist training. This training, combined with extensive practice sessions, ensures that they are enabled to assist principals. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CSL BESPOKE MENTOR? The role of the Bespoke Mentor is 16

that of a school leader working with another school leader with a view to improving their leadership and management practice. In providing this service, the Bespoke Mentor will confine their focus to the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and strategies related to school leadership and management. They will be guided by the vision, mission, and values of CSL Mentoring Supports. HOW CAN I ACCESS THE CSL BESPOKE MENTORING SUPPORT? Access to this bespoke support will be by direct contact from the principal. However, stakeholders working with principals, school boards, the DE (Department of Education) and professional colleagues may encourage principals to avail of this support. Principals who are already engaging with IPPN’s Professional Guidance Service (1890 21 22 23) may have bespoke mentoring suggested to them if it suits their needs. Nevertheless, only the principal themselves can make the decision to engage and to sign up for the service. WHAT WILL THE CSL BESPOKE MENTORING SUPPORT LOOK LIKE? The principal will contact the CSL Primary Deputy Director, who will match the principal according to context and geography. The principal will be requested to confirm that they wish to attend an initial exploratory session with that mentor. An alternative mentor can be arranged should the principal deem that it is not professionally appropriate to engage with the suggested mentor. The Bespoke Mentor will contact the principal to set up the location and date of the initial session. CSL envisages that face-to-face meetings are preferable for this bespoke service. Mentors and principals engaging with the support will be obliged to adhere to the public health guidelines applicable at the time.

HOW LONG DOES THE CSL BESPOKE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP LAST? The length of the relationship will depend on the specific circumstances in a principal’s school. Generally, the principal is expected to engage in six meetings of one-and-a-half-hours’ duration. CONTACT If you would like to avail of this confidential service, please contact CSL directly by emailing Deputy Director Anna Mai Rooney at amroomey@cslireland.ie or Director Mary Nihill at mnihill@cslireland.ie.

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Giving School Leaders a Head Start ANGELA LYNCH IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM Originally, Headstart was the name given to a one-day event, delivered by IPPN in mid-August for principals beginning their new role in September. It was designed to equip them with the necessary resources to manage and lead the school community during their first month as principal. Since that time, much has changed for newly-appointed principals. Principals are now increasingly being appointed at various times throughout the school year. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of acting principals, both in short and long-term positions. In collaboration with PDST, IPPN now introduces newly-appointed principals to its supports and services at Misneach in August each year. Headstart has a dedicated email account designed to give direct access, for newly-appointed and acting principals, to the Leadership Support Team. Newly-appointed and acting principals can use the Headstart email address to avail directly of IPPN’s supports and services for the busy year ahead. Through its Leadership Support Team, IPPN will continue to collaborate with and support the work of PDST’s Misneach Programme and CSL’s oneto-one Mentoring, to meet the needs of newly-appointed and acting principals during their first year of leading the school community they serve.

The Leadership Support Team is facilitated by a dedicated team of experienced principals and the staff in the Support Office. An initial communication has been sent to newly-appointed and acting principals through the Headstart email outlining the services provided by the team. Communication is a two-way process and school leaders are encouraged to email regularly in respect of their own need for information, or when professional guidance is required. The first point of contact with IPPN for any new school leader has for many years been, and will continue to be, Jackie O’ Reilly. If, on reading this, you have not received an email from the team, please contact Jackie at jackie. oreilly@ippn.ie. School leadership is a multi-faceted, complex role. Sustainability of the school leader’s role is a major focus for IPPN’s work. Becoming overwhelmed with workload is common among school leaders. In this situation, there is no time to develop capacity – to help others grow. It is often said that this job is undo-able. If you are to sustain yourself as a school leader, you must believe that: n you can do this job n you cannot do it all n you cannot do it on your own.

This is a key message in terms of sustainability. School leaders manage the work and lead the people. It is not a question of either/or, but finding the balance between both. Initially, as a newly-appointed school leader, the focus will inevitably be on tasks, managing the work and becoming familiar with protocols, policies and procedures. The Leadership Support Team will continue to deliver its professional guidance to make these particular challenges less onerous and help to deliver better outcomes for the children and school community. Engagement with the Leadership Support Team through the Headstart email will also help IPPN identify the particular needs of newly-appointed school leaders and assist the team to further develop supports and services as we work together through the year. Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid. You cannot know everything, do everything or solve every problem. You do the best you can; evaluate any failures or mistakes, learn from them and move forward. Courage will be required by the school leader but, in the words of Babe Ruth ‘Never let the fear of striking out get in your way’. Angela.Lynch@ippn.ie

THE PRESIDENT’S PEN

The

President’s Pen

BRIAN O’DOHERTY IPPN PRESIDENT It was wonderful to have the opportunity of engaging with so many of you at the county network AGMs that were convened before the mid-term break. Despite the very real phenomenon of ‘Zoom-fatigue’, we were greatly heartened by the numbers who attended the meetings, and also people’s willingness to become involved in the work of IPPN at a county and national level. Long may it continue – the willingness that is, not the fatigue! The first of those meetings took place on the 1st of September, with the last of them taking place on the 18th of October. In the intervening seven weeks, the landscape changed utterly, not only with regard to how Covid is managed in primary schools, but also with regard to how school leaders are expected to manage the absence of mainstream class teachers, while endeavouring to ensure continuity of provision for the children. The expectation that Administrative Principals would have the capacity to step into the breach if no external substitute cover is available, demonstrates a lack of understanding of the demands of leading and managing a school or, indeed, an appreciation of its importance in terms of ensuring school effectiveness. Also, in schools where there are Teaching Principals and there is no substitute cover available for the

absence of a mainstream class teacher, the circular suggests that classes be ‘supervised’. Such a suggestion shows a lack of understanding of the needs of primary school children and the reality of primary school classrooms. Furthermore, arranging to have such classes supervised means that those classes are being denied teaching time, as are the classes of those teachers who are providing the supervision. In short, if implemented, the circular would have the impact of disadvantaging all children by limiting teaching time and compromising the leadership and management of all schools. IPPN will continue to advocate for the best interests of schools and school leaders.

IPPN will continue to advocate for the best interests of schools and school leaders. One of the updates given at the AGMs related to the Sustainable Leadership project and perspectives were sought from attendees, via Mentimeter, as to what are the factors that sustain us, and what are the factors that undermine the sustainability of our leadership roles. The table below details what you told us. However, rest assured, we plan on providing you with a more comprehensive and structured

opportunity to inform the work of the project and to provide feedback on both issues and potential solutions, via facilitated conversations at support group level. We initiated that process in the past few weeks. There will also be an opportunity for individual members to feed into the consultation process, so that as many viewpoints as possible are considered in the formulation of our proposals. Another key aspect of the project would be that our analysis is underpinned by relevant research and data. This is proving to be one of the most challenging aspects of the project, as much of the evidence in the system is anecdotal. We are hoping to address this deficit in current, relevant and meaningful data, and have commissioned a specific piece of research in partnership with our sister organisation at post-primary level – the National Association of Principals and Deputies. We will share more details in relation to the research project with you via E-scéal in due course, which affords me the opportunity of stressing the importance of reading the E-scéalta. They are our one-stop-shop for all key sectoral information, so I would urge you to please read this short notice on a weekly basis. Brian.ODoherty@ippn.ie

Factors that sustain school leaders

Factors that undermine sustainability

Support/Advice

Stress /Lack of Time

Collaboration

Workload

Networking

Information overload

Communication

Unrealistic expectations

Release days

Conflict

Teamwork

Media

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Small schools action research project

A joint initiative between the Department of Education and Education Partners under the auspices of the Primary Education Forum PAT GOFF CLUSTER PROJECT COORDINATOR FINBARR HURLEY CSL CO-ORDINATOR

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD, on the 6th September, launched a two-year action research project aimed at supporting small rural schools. The innovative project aims to encourage small schools to cluster together in local groups, enabling them to collaborate and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions. This project is under the auspices of the Primary Education Forum (PEF). The PEF is a forum for the Department and Education Partners - to support the planning and sequencing of change in the primary school sector and to look for synergies and opportunities for schools to streamline implementation and address workload issues. A Steering Group will oversee the project at national level. This group will include representatives of IPPN, the INTO, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, the Catholic Primary School Management Association and the Department of Education. Small schools are defined for statistical purposes as schools with 4 mainstream teachers or fewer. Schools meeting this definition constitute over 44% of all primary schools, around 1380 individual school buildings, but only 15% of all students (2019 data).

It is recognised that small schools have a significant role in their local communities. n

Some of the unique challenges for these small schools are: n a lack of a sustainable model that seeks to sustain their future in a meaningful way n convening Boards of Management from local communities n supporting the inclusion of children with special needs, particularly children with more complex needs n the workload of teaching principals n older school buildings and the challenge to offer space for Aistear, etc. n lack of collaborative opportunities between schools, reflecting their standalone status. For this project, there will be six clusters of three to five schools. IPPN, supported by CSL, will coordinate two of the clusters. For the duration of the project the schools in these clusters will benefit from the following: n Staffing levels in the schools involved will remain constant except in any case where enrolments increase in line with the staffing schedule n An innovation fund of €150,000 will be available to support

projects identified and approved in line with the objectives of the project A National Project Coordinator will be appointed to support the pilot project Cluster Coordinators will be available to support the work of each cluster to minimise the impact on the leadership and management of the school The schools will be part of a project which will assist in identifying innovations to support the sustainability of small schools into the future.

This is an action research project which will hopefully provide data, time-saving solutions and identify some necessary supports to ensure these schools are viable going forward. Sustainable leadership is crucial in leading and managing these schools. Although there are only six clusters in this project, there will be another 1350+ schools that will have a keen interest in the findings. There is another important message here and that is that the Department is committed to supporting small schools and in working with the partners in education to make this support a reality.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Cosán The National Framework for Teachers’ Learning CARMEL KEARNS

HEAD OF TEACHERS’ LEARNING AND RESEARCH, TEACHING COUNCIL

The role of the Principal is to support the learning of staff as well as pupils. Carmel Kearns of the Teaching Council explains that Cosán is a flexible framework that can help principals develop and sustain reflective learning cultures, where teachers chart their own learning. It is about teachers making steady progress at their own pace, and celebrating that progress, rather than being a race for elusive perfection. Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy have become household names, not only for their Olympic success, but for their understated nature, good humour and memorable quotes. Paul’s advice ‘Row as hard as you can, focus on your own lane, and hope for the best’ struck a chord with me. On reflection, I’m inclined to modify it, particularly as it might apply in the context of Cosán. Rather than professional learning being about relentless hard work and hoping for a positive outcome, it’s about taking time to pause, reflect and plan. It’s about adopting a broader lens to shift the focus beyond one’s ‘own lane’. ‘ROW AS HARD AS YOU CAN’ Cosán is not about asking teachers to do more or to ‘row harder’. Indeed, Cosán makes explicit the fact that teachers are already committed to their learning, and sets out the Teaching Council’s belief that they are entitled to dedicated space and time for learning, and reflection on same. A central focus of the Cosán workshops is the need to press pause, or in the words of John Dewey, to stop and think. Only by reflecting can we truly experience growth and enhance our professional practice. Teachers’ learning is not a race, but rather a lifelong journey in which, as stated by T. Hicks in the book entitled Beyond the ‘Bells and Whistles’ ‘the point of the What is Cosán?

journey is not necessarily to arrive, but to make the most of getting there’. ‘FOCUS ON YOUR OWN LANE’ In a teaching context, the equivalent of teachers’ ‘own lane’ is their own classrooms and pupils. Teachers know their pupils and understand their diverse learning needs. Cosán recognises that meeting those learning needs is teachers’ primary focus. Hence, pupils’ learning is at the heart of the graphic representation of Cosán (see Fig. 2) Yet the reality of teachers’ practice is more complex than that. While teachers do focus on their ‘own lane’, they also learn from what is happening in the neighbouring classroom or school. Focussing exclusively on their ‘own lane’ may mean losing sight of the wider context and missing out on potentially rich and varied learning opportunities. An ‘own lane’ approach can also hinder teachers in sharing their learning and celebrating it with others. Cosán is sufficiently flexible to recognise collaborative as well as individual learning, and to value the diversity of learning processes that take place in the classroom, in the school and outside of the school. Cosán workshops allow for groups of teachers from different schools and sectors to come together as a professional learning community and share their experience of professional learning. They are introduced to practical tools and strategies that support them in collaboratively reflecting on their learning, and on its impact on the quality of teaching and learning in their classrooms. Between workshops, they apply those tools and strategies as they engage in schoolbased reflective learning activities which can support schools in areas such as SSE, or particular aspects of teaching and learning that they choose to prioritise. Participants then

Cosán is the national framework for Teachers’ Learning. It sets out n the values and principles that underpin teachers’ learning n the breadth of learning processes that they engage in n the two key commitments that guide that learning l quality teaching and learning l continued professional growth. Schools are presently exploring how the Cosán framework can support them in charting their own learning journeys, and their development as a professional learning community. To support that process, the Teaching Council, in partnership with the Education Centres, is offering a series of workshops for schools. Fig. 1 22

Fig. 2 – Cosán, the National Framework for Teachers’ Learning

December 2021

share their reflective process experience with colleagues from other schools at subsequent workshops. Thus, they are focusing on their own school context (or lane!), but with the benefit of rich professional conversations and shared learning from other contexts. ‘HOPE FOR THE BEST’ Cosán is not about focusing on ‘the best’. It recognises that the act of travelling a lifelong learning journey is more important than the destination. It is about making steady progress at one’s own pace, and savouring every moment of the journey, rather than striving for elusive perfection. Neither is Cosán about ‘hoping’. It supports teachers in planning for quality learning, taking account of their changing circumstances. It facilitates them as professionals in identifying their professional learning needs based on ongoing reflection on their learning and its impact on practice.

It supports them in charting their own learning pathways, by choosing a combination of learning processes. The two guiding standards in Cosán (see Fig. 2), provide a consistent focus for teachers’ ongoing learning. FOCAL SCOIR All journeys require purposeful navigation. Teachers’ lifelong learning journeys are no exception, and the Cosán framework supports schools and teachers in charting the best way forward, progressing at a pace that suits them, and celebrating the achievement of key milestones. If you are interested in working with your colleagues to chart and reflect upon your collective professional learning journey, the Cosán workshops are for you! You can find out more about Cosán by emailing Cosan@ teachingcouncil.ie, or by contacting your local education centre.

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 latest resources uploaded to the different sections of the website since the last issue of Leadership+:

SCHOOL REOPENING

REOPENING SCHOOLS RESO New materials are uploaded to this section regularly. REOPENING SCHOOLS RESOURCES Dept. of Public Health n Dept. of Public Health Office Contact Details n Changes to COVID 19 testing and contact tracing (22 September 2021) n FAQs Re Changes to Contact Tracing (23 September 2021) n Framework HSPC Guidelines n HSE - Education Sector Guidance on Employees in the Covid-19 Higher Risk Categories including Pregnant Employees (7 July 2021) n HSE Memo to all Principals - 23 March 2021 n Information note regarding Public Health Risk Assessments for Special Schools and Classes (28 September 2021) n Nóta faisnéise maidir le Measúnuithe Riosca Sláinte Poiblí do Scoileanna agus Ranganna Speisialta n Isolation Quick Guide for Parents & Guardians - 9 Sept 2021 n Return to Education Facility Parental Declaration Form n Schools Community Covid 19 Pathway Data & Referral Template

What to do if your child is a close contact of Covid 19 in school n

Letter templates n Letter to Parents - Operation of Primary and Special Educational Needs School Transport Scheme Services for the 2021/2022 School Year DES 30 August DE Letter - Return to school guidance from the HSE Public Health n DE Update: Rollout of CO2 Monitors to Schools (15 September 2021) n Rolladh amach monatóirí CO2 chuig scoileanna n Covid 19 - Capitation Funding Supports for Term 1 2021/2022 n Updated FAQs for School Principals or DCP (15 September 2021) n Ceisteanna Coitianta do Phríomhoidí Scoile nó don Teagmhálaí Ainmnithe n Isolation Quick Guide for Parents & Guardians - 9 Sept 2021 n DE Advice for parents during Covid 19 - Symptoms to watch out for n Fógra maidir le tacaíochtaí maoinithe Caipitíochta Covid-19 do Théarma 1 den Scoilbhliain 2021/22.

RESOURCES

FORMS & TEMPLATES n Airgead Bunscoile 21-22 DES CIRCULARS Infor Circular 50/202 - COVID-19 Operational Supports for primary schools for 2021/2022 n Circular 45/2021 - Bearta breise atá le déanamh sa scoilbliain 2021/22 chun tacú le scoileanna and le daltaí/scoláirí maolú a dhéanamh n

ar an gcur isteach ar an oideachas ionscoile de dheasca Covid-19 Scéim Foghlama agus Tacaíochta Covid(CLASS) Treoir do Bhunscoileanna Circular 45/2021 - Additional measures to support schools and pupils/students to mitigate the impact of disruption to in-school education resulting from Covid-19, to be delivered in the 2021/22 School Year Covid Learning and Support Scheme Covid Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) Guidance for Primary and Special Schools

Information Notes Information note regarding Public Health Risk Assessments for Special Schools and Classes

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 n Issue 119 – October 2021 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.

ADVOCACY

PUBLICATIONS n IPPN Annual Members’ Report 2020/2021

OnYourBehalf

Listed below are some of the projects and advocacy-related engagements that were progressed since the previous report in the February issue of Leadership+. Almost all of this work was done virtually. SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER n IPPN Board of Directors meetings took place virtually on 9th September, 21st October and 25th November n IPPN National Council meeting took place virtually on 25th November n Various meetings and events relating to the Centre for School Leadership (CSL), including the Tri-nations Blether and the Comhrá events. IPPN works in partnership with the Department and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals to support and guide the work of CSL. Pairic Clerkin recorded an interview as part of the CSL ‘In Conversation’ Series n Department of Education re. l Small schools clustering project – see below l Primary Education Forum re. Communications – see below u IPPN’s Budget 2022 submission u Availability of substitute teachers and the issue of banked hours n

Teaching Council re. l School Placement Guidance consultation l a proposed Placement System Working Group l their new Strategic Plan.

SMALL SCHOOLS 2-YEAR ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT Two meetings took place with the Department. These resulted in Minister Norma Foley TD launching a twoyear action research project aimed at supporting small rural schools. The innovative project aims to encourage small schools to cluster together in local groups, enabling them to collaborate and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions. This project is being developed by a working group of school management bodies and teachers’ unions with the Department of Education, as part of the programme of work of the Primary Education Forum (PEF). The PEF comprises all primary education partners, including parent representatives, working collaboratively with the Department of Education. See article on page 16 for more details. 24

PRIMARY EDUCATION FORUM – COMMUNICATIONS SUB COMMITTEE GROUP A new Communications Sub-Group has been established, the purpose of which is to: n identify key concerns among stakeholders relating to communications n identify possible solutions to improve the Department’s communications practices n devise and agree a set of principles to underpin Department communications practices with stakeholders n provide ideas and propose ideas the Department can adopt and/or trial to enhance communications and engagement with stakeholders n support in the gathering of feedback from stakeholders to support the Department to continuously improve its communications with stakeholders. The IPPN Nominee on the subcommittee is Supports & Services Manager, Jack Durkan. The committee met on 5th July, 19th July and 13th October. Partners were asked to identify and prioritise their top three communications issues for consideration. The top 3 Priorities submitted by IPPN to the initial meeting were: n More time to consult with members when asked for input on topics n Timing of DE info e.g. 8pm on Fridays n Communications that issue to schools directly, being seen by the likes of IPPN at least simultaneously. Progress is being made on these and several other issues relating to DE communication, as follows: n Internal guidance on circulars and other communication to schools e.g. letters/ updates/ guidance – distribution, timing, where hosted, email address etc. n Proposed timings - the Department will endeavour to deliver communications to

schools between the following hours: circulars/guidance letters to schools: Monday-Thursday between 8am and 5pm. Where necessary, Friday 8-1pm. Outside of these hours the Department will endeavour to restrict widespread communications to emergency matters. OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN’S OFFICE The OCO is conducting research into the Forward Planning of School Places for Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). In undertaking this work, they wish to gain a comprehensive understanding of the forward planning process from all stakeholders including ourselves. OTHER MEETINGS/EVENTS IPPN also participated in meetings/ events relating to the following: n Mary Immaculate College Summer School Panel Discussion n Hub na nÓg Network of Practice n the International Confederation of Principals (ICP) Council meeting n PDST Civitas Parium Launch n IPPN Budget 2022 Submission – meetings with Sinn Féin and Social Democrats education spokespersons Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD and Gary Gannon TD n Mary Immaculate College Middle Leadership course presentation n Teaching Council’s Féilte conference - this year’s festival theme was Transforming Teaching in a Sustainable World. IPPN President Brian attended as a panellist. n INTO Principals and Deputy Principals Conference. PUBLIC RELATIONS IPPN presidents Damian White (until the end of August) and Brian O’Doherty (from early September), CEO Páiric Clerkin and Board members Louise Tobin, Bryan Collins, Kathryn Corbett and Shane O’Donnell conducted various interviews as follows: n

1st July 2021 - RTÉ online – Exceptional Reviews 2nd July 2021 – Drivetime – Small Schools Pilot Scheme

December 2021

15th July 2021 – Irish Indo – Reopening of schools/vaccinations 11th August – Radio 1 – C02 Monitors in schools 13th August – Mail on Sunday – School Reopening 25th August – The Examiner – Children returning to school 26th August – The Sunday Indo – Return to school 1st September – Irish Times – COVID risks 13th September – The Irish Examiner – School Reopening and Covid

23rd September – The Irish Examiner – Contact Tracing Announcement 23rd September – Claire Byrne live – Contact Tracing Announcement 5th October – Newstalk – Loss of banked Sub hours.

Social Media IPPN uses social media to communicate key messages and information, although E-scéal remains our primary source of information. On Twitter, there has been an increase of 24% year-on-year in the number of

followers, and we now have almost 8,700 followers. On LinkedIn, we currently have 633 followers, almost 25% up year-on-year, with 155 new followers. If you have a social media account, please follow IPPN on Twitter (@ippn_ education) and LinkedIn (@ippn). EducationPosts.ie also has its own accounts on Twitter and Facebook, mostly aimed at teachers seeking work.

Consultation on the

Draft Primary Curriculum Framework NCCA EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRIMARY TEAM

Consultation with primary and special schools on the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework, as part of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA) review and redevelopment of the primary curriculum, has re-opened. Given the circumstances that school leaders and their colleagues face in keeping schools safely open, the consultation will continue until the end of February 2022. The Council remains committed to ensuring that the voice of school leaders is central to the consultation. The proposals are aimed at exploring what children learn, how they learn, and how schools can be given more flexibility and afforded greater agency to make important decisions about teaching, learning and assessment. The consultation is framed around six key messages representing the main features of the proposals. The draft framework: 1.

builds on the successes and strengths of the 1999 curriculum such as children’s enjoyment of learning and teachers’ increased use of active methodologies. The framework also responds to key challenges identified by schools, including curriculum overload and using assessment information in a meaningful way to inform teaching and learning.

2. emphasises agency and flexibility for schools, recognising the variety of school contexts and learning environments that support the learning of every child. It also aims to increase flexibility for schools in terms of planning and timetabling.

assessment central to teaching and learning. It emphasises the importance of curriculum integration, inclusive practice, inquiry-based learning and playful pedagogy. Assessment is presented as a central part of how teachers’ support learning.

3. supports transitions between home, pre-school, primary and post-primary, by providing a vision for children’s learning across the eight years of primary school, linking with both Aistear and the Framework for Junior Cycle.

You’ll find consultation details on the NCCA website, including FAQs, information videos, a webinar, an online questionnaire and written submission form. We’ve also developed consultation workshop materials to support school leaders in working with their colleagues in responding to specific proposals.

4. considers emerging priorities for children’s learning and proposes giving more time and prominence to Wellbeing; introducing Modern Languages from third class, broadening Arts education, and increasing the focus on Digital Technology.

LINK

5. proposes updating how the curriculum is structured by moving to broad curriculum areas in junior classes, supporting an integrated approach to teaching and learning. These areas would become more differentiated into subjects from third class onwards. 6. supports a variety of pedagogical approaches and strategies with 25

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Learning from Boxing: Teachers as ‘Spontaneous Strategists’

SEÁN DELANEY REGISTRAR AND VICE PRESIDENT (ACADEMIC AFFAIRS), MARINO INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION During the summer, just after Kellie Harrington won her Olympic gold medal for boxing, an RTÉ interviewer asked her if the second round of her Olympic final was the finest she’d ever fought. Kellie replied, ‘I haven’t got a clue. That’s being honest. I don’t really know what happened in there’. After the semi-final, RTÉ asked Kellie if the ‘hooks did the damage’ to her opponent. Kellie responded that she hadn’t ‘got a clue what done the damage ‘cos I never, I can’t remember’. Kellie’s answers remind me of how I feel following a day’s teaching. Immediately afterwards, I can recall little of what happened. Only later will I remember exchanges worth following up on or recall interactions where I’d act differently if they happened again. I wasn’t surprised that Kellie was unable to analyse her actions immediately after the fights. During each fight, she appeared to act instinctively. She honed that instinct through years of repetitive practice in the gym; practice that changed little day in, day out and demanded ‘monastic devotion’. Sharpening her boxing instinct prepared her to respond automatically to opponents in the ring. But instinct alone will not make an Olympic champion. In a post-victory television interview with RTÉ, Kellie describes going over tactics with her coaches the morning before the final. Boxer and coaches prepared for the fight, devised their plan and used boxing pads to rehearse it. Having agreed the plan with her coaching team, Kellie focused on her boxing, and aimed to stay calm, composed and controlled throughout the fight. She had a strategy – a clever and careful plan in place to complement her instinct. When boxing, she combines instinct and planning to become what Loïc Wacquant calls a ‘spontaneous strategist’. During a fight, the boxer’s body computes and judges, and acts without conscious thought. 26

It is the action of a trained body who knows, understands, judges and reacts all at once. Lines blur between theory and practice, between brain and brawn. Strategies for boxing are developed through endless practice in the gym. Boxers practice their moves before mirrors. They run. They punch bags to build strength and power, before progressing to sparring with a partner. To sustain such unglamorous practice ‘you’ve gotta have it in you’,’ according to Wacquant. Once novice boxers become serious, they immerse themselves in the sport. They watch others perform. They learn from their peers in the gym. Skills are handed down from experienced boxers to novices, like clothes are handed down in a large family. In teaching too, novices learn from more experienced colleagues. Student teachers meet their first coaches in college when they take modules in philosophy, psychology, history, sociology, and teaching methods for every curriculum subject. Building on their college coaching, student teachers progress to school placement. They then enter an experienced teacher’s classroom. Student teachers create schemes and lesson plans to help children learn curriculum content, starting with what the children already know. Student teachers apply strategies, practices and ideas, and evaluate them in light of children’s participation. The experienced teacher coaches the student teacher and prepares them for eventually teaching their own class. Stepping into your own classroom for the first time is both exciting and scary. It’s like stepping into a boxing ring. At first, a novice teacher may act consciously and awkwardly. But over time, teaching becomes automated. Like boxers, teachers become spontaneous strategists. They too learn to know, understand, judge and react

all at once, almost without conscious thought. Teachers rarely discuss what it feels like to teach. In the classroom, a teacher dodges and receives punches like those in a boxing match. Not physical punches, but an ongoing barrage of questions, suggestions, insights, errors, acts, omissions, interruptions, behaviours, news and disclosures. Teachers can’t take time-out to deliberate on how to respond to each punch. Yet, a teacher’s work is defined by how they respond to such interactions with students in the classroom over a year. This is the work of a spontaneous strategist. A teacher acts spontaneously but the spontaneity is informed by strategies learned through study, experience, reflection and revision. Kellie Harrington’s Olympic success is a reminder to acknowledge two key dimensions of classroom work while teaching is happening. These key dimensions are spontaneity and strategy. Both are necessary; they are acquired through commitment, repeated practice, imitation and guidance. We can mark the success of Kellie Harrington by appreciating and honouring what her work and the work of her fellow boxers have in common with the work of teachers as spontaneous strategists. Teachers are frequently encouraged to be reflective practitioners. Reflective practice has its place in learning from actions that have already taken place. Reflecting on practice can help us understand teaching after it happens and do better in future. But in the classroom with students, the teacher is a spontaneous strategist. The spontaneous strategist – boxer or teacher – does work of consequence, even if sometimes we struggle to articulate the essence of that work. If you would like to contact Seán in relation to this piece, you can email him at Sean.Delaney@mie.ie.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Managing inclusion in a multi-grade infant classroom JANET TWIGG RETIRED PRINCIPAL OF CHRIST CHURCH NS, WATERFORD CITY In the socio-dramatic play area, I noticed a great busyness as my old scarves were being used to position dollies on the backs of some of the children. We were exploring the topic of families and so babies needed to be minded. We had buggies and cots and high chairs, but it was much more exciting when you eventually got your baby in position and it didn’t fall out. I watched from the Play-Doh table with a happy heart. This is inclusion at its very best, this is normality. As I looked around the classroom during that hour of play, I saw children from all over the world, children with special needs, children coming from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. It could be seen as challenging but it wasn’t. Inclusion was a buzz word which appeared along the way with differentiation and integration, however it was something we were doing all the time as teachers and just didn’t realise it. Working with multi-grade classes can be demanding, but I saw it as a progression of learning. I managed the classroom so that all the children had access to different areas of practical materials. The creation station was well stocked with fun art supplies, the literacy area with pencils, markers, paper and lists of commonly-used words and the maths table with rulers,

measures etc. An exciting reading area, where I positioned different types of seating, e.g. little stools, hooded chairs, textured cushions, and rugs, was enjoyed and used by all the children. I loved to see them reading through books which we had read together during story time and having conversations with their friends. Huge changes came as I journeyed through my career. We welcomed children from all over the world and from them we learned so much. I was overjoyed when children with special needs joined the school and became part of the class, were invited to parties, and laughed and played happily with their friends. We learned so much from these children too. A school is a community where all children are loved and treated equally. Also, I became a teaching principal. A hard road to travel in some respects, the paperwork was endless and there was always a new initiative on my desk. We built a huge extension and our numbers increased. However, suddenly, other doors opened for me. Career path was another buzz word which I stumbled upon. I didn’t have one but I reckon I was lucky. I became involved, as a tutor, with the Aistear programme and later with NIPT. I loved the way the Aistear programme

changed infant education. I think when we look at inclusion, play is universally recognised as a wonderful methodology through which children learn holistically. As Vygotsky believed ‘play promotes cognitive, social and emotional development in children’. I could see how much children loved learning through play, I used my discreet teaching time to teach literacy, maths and Gaeilge, and the children transferred these skills to their play. In the PSC 1999, on page 16 it tells us that ‘for the young child, the distinctions between the subjects are not relevant; what is important is that they experience a coherent learning process that accommodates a variety of experiences’. Therefore, I feel that it is very important that as infant teachers we concentrate on how subjects are interwoven. Play and learning by experience is key to this. In managing teaching and learning in a multi-grade infant classroom, play encourages rich learning which prepares children for real life experiences and develops their selfesteem and confidence. If you would like to contact Janet in relation to this article, you can email her at twiggjanet@gmail.com.

And Finally…

‘

QUOTATIO

e ask w t a h w s i Advice lready a u o y n e for wh er but w s n a e h t know idn’t. wish w, Aemeridcan author Erica Jong

A Day in the Life of Principal McDuff – Part 1

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Maria O’Rourke is a retired Principal, now working as a School Placement Tutor with DCU. She holds a Masters in creative writing. She can be contacted by email to mariaorourke38@gmail.com. It was 10.30am - the most perfect time of day in Principal McDuff’s eyes, sandwiched between the early morning chaos and the potential catastrophes of the ‘Sos Beag’. Time to open one of the triplet brown envelopes - the one addressed to ‘The Principal’. It confirmed the inevitable; a WSE would be held in three weeks’ time. THREE WEEKS! Hardly enough time to dust off the policy folder. She would tell the staff at 11 o’clock, although she knew it would be like shouting ‘Iceberg’ on the Titanic when it was already too late. A sharp knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. ‘Mrs McDuff, Sally Dunne caught her finger in the bathroom door and it’s hanging off. Miss Murphy wants an ice-pack’. Holding her breath, she hoped that if the teacher wasn’t asking for an ambulance, this description was exaggerated. ‘Go and get it from the staff-room and bring it to your classroom’. She kept her voice calm and walked - it’s important to walk, never run - in the direction of the pre-fab. Dear God, I will never complain about the upcoming WSE if that child’s finger is still attached to her hand, she thought, and despite loud wailing coming from inside, it was. By the time Sally’s finger was iced and an accident report written up, the 11 o’clock break was over. On the way back to the office, Mrs McDufff met Mr Nolan talking to two boys from First Class. ‘Is everything ok?’ It was a rhetorical question. It turned out Philip had called John’s father fat. In fact, he had said he was too fat to drive a bus. Just as Mrs McDuff had begun to talk about John’s feelings and how insults hurt us, John piped up: ‘But he’s wrong, Miss. He said Daddy’s too fat to drive a bus, but he drives a bus every day’. ‘Oh sorry then.’ Philip said, and it seemed pointless to continue. ‘Be nice to each other,’ she said, giving a defeated look at the baffled Mr Nolan. Passing the secretary’s office, she stuck her head in to enquire ‘Was anyone looking for me?’ ‘Just Mrs Fogarty’. There was a wince on both sides of the door. ‘What was it today?’ ‘She said the swimming bus is too dear and she’s not paying for it, and the government should fund swimming if they want it on the curriculum. Sorry, but she wants you to call her back. I tried to deter her.’ Mona was a super secretary - like a friendly warrior, she was the first line of defence. On this occasion, it was going to take Mrs McDuff every ounce of self-control not to mention the three trips to Tayto Park the Fogartys had taken in the last month, and that they still owed for last year’s school tour. And it was only 11.30.

‘

QUOTAT

NS If you se t your go als ridiculou sly high and it’s a failu re, you w ill fail above ev eryone e lse’s s u ccess James C ameron, C

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anadian film dire ctor (Titanic, Avatar)