Leadership+ Issue 125 - December 2022

THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

Sustainable Leadership The case for urgent action

Microsoft 11 - For Education

The Microsoft Education Team is poised to respond to the demands of education. During the last two years, they have listened, learned, and taken note of the need for change and access to devices in the education sector. They are achieving this through their new operating systems, Windows 11 Pro for Education and Windows 11 SE. Windows 11 was designed to offer optimized performance on a variety of affordable devices such as the Lenovo 100w and 300w, that can provide experiences with tools and technology that prepare students for the future.

Minecraft Education Edition

Open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment. This environment gives pupils the freedom to experiment, encouraging creative self-expression and problem solving.

It includes special features for educators such as easy tutorials, classroom management tools, secure sign-in, classroom collaboration and tons of sample lessons, plus a global network of mentors and tech support.

For more information, please visit www.aka.ms/MinecraftEEInfo or scan the QR Code:

The Ultimate Learning Machine

The state-of-the-art Lenovo 300w Gen 3 2-in-1 laptop is built for the future of education, with features that make it perfect both in and out of the classroom. Students can use their hands to swipe and do, or use the optional pen to take notes, sketch, and more. With Microsoft collaboration software to support learning from home.

Contact: Ireland.microsofteducation@exertis.com

SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP: The Case for Urgent Action

As we sign off on this issue of Leadership+, the IPPN team is in the throes of the final preparations for the 2022 annual principals’ conference, which moved to the INEC and Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney, due to the unavailability of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre. Demand for places at the event outstripped the capacity of the venue, and we were disappointed not to be in a position to accommodate everyone. To avoid disappointment next year, please put a note in your diary that Conference 2023 will be held in Killarney from 15th to 17th November.

By the time you are reading this, the report arising from IPPN’s Sustainable Leadership project, Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action – A Roadmap to Sustainability , will have been launched at the conference. Members and stakeholders received a link to the epublication on the launch date, 17th November. A section of this issue on pages 16 to 21 is dedicated to the report and its findings, and we urge every member and everyone involved in primary education, to engage with the report in full. As Professor Anne Looney states in the Foreword, ‘when a network of school leaders in an education system presents a considered and informed analysis of their experiences of and insights into their work, the system – and the public – should take note. When they conclude that the sustainability of the role is in question […] then the stakes are very high indeed’. IPPN will retain its focus on sustainable leadership over the course of the current strategic plan, up to 2025, and beyond, to work with stakeholders to implement the recommendations outlined in the report.

In the President’s Pen, Brian O’Doherty reflects on the Autumn city/county network meetings and provides an update on the progress made to date with IPPN’s governance review project. Nickie Egan writes about supporting Traveller and Roma children and families ; Kathryn Corbett gives an overview of the review of the Action Plan on bullying; Damian White discusses the importance of the voice of the pupil in Reflections.

Ann Devitt of TCD outlines family literacy programmes; Marie Delaney of Trauma-informed Schools, posits why reflective supervision for school leaders is needed; Lorna Fitzpatrick of NCBI highlights their research into Equitable Education; Selina McCoy of the ESRI describes the research on outcomes for children and David Ruddy BL of MHC writes about underperforming teachers in his Legal Diary.

We thank them all for contributing to the issue. Thanks also to the IPPN Leadership Support Team for their inputs - Caroline Quinn on the 3 Ps of Opening a Special Class ; Jack Durkan on Home and School working well together; Donal Kerins on Local Support Groups for school leaders and Angela Lynch on Dilemmas vs Problems

As always, we sincerely thank all contributors, advertisers and everyone who helped to pull this issue together. We hope it is of benefit to you.

Is sinne le meas, Leadership+ Editorial Team

LEADERSHIP+ EDITORIAL TEAM

Do you feel confident in managing underperformance? 15% responded ‘Yes’.

Given the above results, it is puzzling to ascertain that the procedures are not very much used. The outside agencies that would be involved at stages 1 and 3 report that their services for supporting schools are not in much demand. This would indicate either that we really don’t have an issue with underperforming teachers or that school leaders are reluctant to initiate the formal procedures. Such reluctance is possibly based on a lack of familiarity with the procedures, and there being no competency norm. Sometimes schools have a ‘sticking plaster’ response around the problem with the allocation of classes.

Ultimately, not dealing with underperformance compromises the entitlement of pupils to an appropriate education and can have a demoralising impact on the vast majority of staff who work so diligently.

If you would like to contact David in relation to this article, you can email him at druddy@mhc.ie

Autumn Meetings & the National Council

BRIAN O’DOHERTY IPPN PRESIDENT

The legend that was Bruce Forsyth forged a career from coining catchphrases that resonated with his audiences. I doubt that there are many people over a certain age who couldn’t answer the question, “What do points make?” or who don’t know that “You don’t get anything for a pair!” However, in the context of our recent autumn meetings, the catchphrase of Brucie’s that seems most appropriate is “Nice to see you, to see you nice”.

It was wonderful to have the opportunity of engaging with so many of you at the city/county network meetings, that were convened before the mid-term break, and to be able to so in person for the first time since 2019 added to the joy. Louise, Jack, Páiric and I are hugely appreciative of the warmth of the welcome we received and we were delighted by the number of members who attended the meetings.

The meetings provided us with an opportunity to reconnect as a network and the importance of that network shouldn’t be underestimated. It is the principle upon which IPPN was founded – the wisdom of the collective influencing and informing the experience and practice of the individual. But there is more to the network than that. It has a power that can support school leaders experiencing challenge whether at a local level in leadership support groups or, nationally, with our networking facility. It is who we are and what we do – our core purpose, so to speak.

The meetings also provided us with the first opportunity to act on the proposals for reform that emanated from our review of IPPN’s structures and that were ratified by the Board and National Council back in June. These proposals included: building capacity within the network in terms of getting greater numbers involved in the work of IPPN as well as identifying capacity to contribute at National Council and Board level ensuring the meaningful and practical involvement of the National Council to better serve the needs of members

Having convened the meetings in our 31 city/county networks, we now have 93 National Council representatives, each of whom will serve on one of the three committees of the National Council: Advocacy and communications Professional learning for leadership E-services.

Those committees will be chaired by members of our Board of Directors and will be supported by the relevant key personnel from our Support Office staff.

To those National Council members who have stepped down from their roles, in many cases to allow others the opportunity to become involved, we are sincerely grateful for your service and for the significant contribution you have made to IPPN, both locally and nationally. To those of you who have allowed yourselves to be nominated and who will now represent your networks on the Council, we deeply appreciate your willingness to become involved in the work of IPPN and we look forward to collaborating with you in the best interests of our

members, school leadership and better outcomes for children.

The recent developments with regard to the Assessment of Need process, and IPPN’s advocacy work in relation to the proposals, highlighted how impactful the committees of the Council have the potential to be. Consider how the Advocacy and Communications group could inform and shape our engagement on such issues with perspectives being harnessed from all around the country and feeding into our engagement on this and future issues. Similarly, the Professional Learning for Leadership committee should better ensure that the CPD that members need and want is delivered to every member who wishes to avail of it and our E-services committee should better ensure that those services do what you need them to do.

These are exciting times for IPPN and have been made possible by the professional generosity of members all around the country. We hope that it is a personally and professionally enriching experience for them all.

Brian.ODoherty@ippn.ie

the wisdom of the collective influencing and informing the experience and practice of the individual

The recent developments with regard to the Assessment of Need process, and IPPN’s advocacy work in relation to the proposals, highlighted how impactful the committees of the Council have the potential to be.

STAR Project Supporting Traveller and Roma Children & Families

NICKIE EGAN PRINCIPAL OF NORTH PRESENTATION PS, CORK

The challenges in life the families and children in our school face on a daily basis have always been evident to me. My 33-year teaching career, eight as principal, has been meaningful, but also difficult. We regularly see intergenerational disadvantage, neglect, poverty and trauma, and deal with migrant and marginalised families who have been through hell and back to get their children to a safe place. It has an impact.

At times, you can feel as if you are spending your life fighting fires and this has repercussions for the mental health and wellbeing of staff in schools. It can leave staff with a sense of hopelessness and burnout. By nature, teachers are nurturers and givers. We have empathy and compassion in our DNA. As you give your all to others, you can perhaps feel as if there is nothing left of yourself.

We have been working on becoming a trauma-aware school with special emphasis on Adverse Childhood Experiences. It was in the midst of this that I was approached to become involved in the STAR (Supporting Traveller and Roma) pilot project, which is underway in schools in Dublin, Tuam, Cork and Wexford.

We had always had a lovely relationship with all Traveller and Roma children in our school, but found building a positive relationship with their parents with trust and respect to be much more difficult.

KEY PRIORITIES

The key priorities of the project are as follows:

1. Parental Engagement and Communication – as parents are the primary educators of their children, it is crucial to have an open communication and engagement with parents in order to work as a full school community to achieve better outcomes for our pupils

2. Parental Involvement – the more parents become involved in the school community the more it becomes ‘their community’. They achieve a sense of belonging, which adds to the richness and diversity of the school. In addition, the involvement of parents leads to a better relationship between home and school with each understanding the other more fully

3. Attendance – A very crucial and obvious one

4. Welcoming and inclusive of those from different cultural backgrounds – Children, young people and staff experience a sense of belonging and feel safe, included, welcomed, connected and supported.

ENGAGEMENT

We go about this in the following ways: Link in by call, text, in person re. attendance concerns, SLT, OT, assessments

Providing invaluable help and information about specific families and their circumstances

Help in school and at the parents’ home to explain and complete forms, assessments, referrals Help with engagement about enrolments, sibling contacts etc. Translating where necessary for both parent and school Attending meetings with the parent in the school and aiding with liaising and understanding

Running Traveller and Roma activity groups in the school and at home that can be referenced and built on in school and used by school staff to build on their relationship with the children and families.

BENEFITS

As we see it, the benefits of this approach include:

Increased engagement with and understanding of the families

Extremely strong bonds being formed

Parental happiness, comfort, selfesteem increased

Fear of ‘school system’ by pupils and parents drastically reduced A whole school community and relationships strengthened Celebration of Traveller and Roma cultures, festivals

Overall sense of ‘belonging’ for all Traveller and Roma children and parents

Families engaging with outside agencies better, filling forms, turning up for appointments.

I don’t think I can advocate for this project strongly enough. It has transformed our relationship with so many of our families. We feel like a much stronger school community. The Roma and Traveller families are invested in us and we are invested in them. For those of you old enough to remember the Three Musketeers, I say: All for one and one for all!

For more information about the STAR project, contact the social inclusion unit at the Department of Education by email to social_inclusion@ education.gov.ie

If you would like to get in touch with Nickie in relation to this article, you can contact her by email at principalnorthpres@gmail.com

Opening a Special Class – The 3Ps

CAROLINE QUINN IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM, AND FORMER PRINCIPAL OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL GNS IN JOHNSTOWN

Many schools have opened, or are in the process of opening, special classes for ASD in their schools. Eleven years ago, we began this journey in our school, one of steep learning and great joy in equal measure, as we considered the effectiveness of provision for pupils with complex learning needs. There was much to think about in those early days. This was a very new venture, and one which would take us on a road with many twists and turns as we explored unknown territory and learned together, developing both personally and professionally.

Looking back there are many things we wished we knew before we began the journey. They can be summarised as the 3 Ps –

People – staff, parents, pupils, wider community, support services and Board of Management Policy and Planning – in particular the Admissions Policy, Code of Behaviour (Behaviours of Challenge), Health and Safety. Physical Environment – buildings, furniture, IT, special equipment, surrounding areas.

The People

No new development will work in a school environment without effective consultation with all the people involved. Information is key and so, as a staff, we considered what changes this would make in our school, its routines and the business of teaching and learning for the staff, teachers and SNAs in both the mainstream and special classes alike. We invited staff from a well-established school with such classes to attend a staff meeting to answer the many questions we had as we processed our proposed school development.

We worked in close consultation with our local SENO and the NCSE in planning to open our special classes. In recent

years the publication of Guidelines for Setting Up and Organising Special Classes by NCSE gives great support to schools planning such a development.

We explored the supports available for staff through NEPS, NCSE, PDST and the Middletown Centre for Autism, and using the calendar of CPD available, formed a possible schedule for training. Whole staff training on understanding ASD was a must to begin with.

Valuable time was spent discussing integration of pupils, which was central to our philosophy of all pupils getting to know each other, learning with and from each other, as well as the maintenance of peer relationships. We began by getting to know our prospective pupils and their families by visiting them at home and meeting parents to explain our vision for our new classes.

Policy and Planning

The Board of Management gave considerable time to drafting the Admissions Policy and in particular, how a pupil can gain access to a special class. The diagnosis must be evident with a specific recommendation for a place in a special class in a mainstream school. Other relevant policies included Health and Safety and Code of Behaviour with adaptations made to cater for all pupils in the school. School protocols and procedures for areas such as Intimate Care and Integration were also important in planning.

Physical Environment

Any school development must take into consideration the physical environment of the school and whether that entails adaptation of the existing building or planning for a new build. In our case we had to plan for a new build. As with any building it began with a professional report commissioned by the Board of Management and completed by an architect. We then followed the Department of Education’s suite of guidelines in making application for funding for a devolved grant. Once granted, we worked through the DE Technical Guidance Documents, which guided us through the process. Other elements of the creation of a supportive learning environment included appropriate mainstream and special furniture and equipment, information technology equipment for each classroom, as well as our Sensory Gym and Quiet Room. The existing garden design with a nature trail, outdoor classroom and space to enjoy the weekly visits of Festina Lente and the two favourite ponies Alannah and Síofra ensured wellbeing and outdoor learning was catered for.

Finally, the sharing of similarities and celebration of difference is the cornerstone of success in the last eleven years. When we accept and celebrate difference, we become a wiser, more inclusive, and better school.

If you would like to get in contact with Caroline in relation to this article, you can email her at caroline.quinn@ippn.ie

No new development will work in a school environment without effective consultation with all the people involved.

Moving Family Literacy Programmes Online: Why and How?

ANN DEVITT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

When the schools closed their doors for Covid in 2020 and 2021, teachers and principals had to innovate to keep the children engaged and learning. I had just kicked off an Irish Research Council funded project with NALA (the National Adult Literacy Agency) on family literacy, and we too had to make radical changes to continue our work and to make sure we contributed to all efforts to support the education system during Covid school closures. In this article I want to share with you our findings and some resources you can use for family literacy in your schools.

What is family literacy?

Every principal and teacher knows that, for children, literacy starts in the home and the family is a crucial part of early literacy development. Parents and caregivers can create languagerich environments at home where children’s oral language and literacy skills can flourish. This includes dayto-day games and activities to develop vocabulary and oral language as well as reading activities. For ideas for families on how to support literacy and numeracy at home, check out our YouTube playlists: Literacy on the Loose Numeracy in the Now

For multilingual families, try our Home Languages Home Learning series developed with Mothertongues. These playlists have been viewed over 20,000 times since we released them in 2020.

What is a family literacy programme?

Sometimes, parents are not aware of the powerful impact they can have on their child’s learning. Nationwide, schools and adult literacy organisations run family literacy programmes to support parents and caregivers to create this languagerich environment in their home, and to recognise its value. The 10-year Adult Literacy strategy launched in 2021 has specific actions to develop family literacy programmes and ETBs have a particular remit in this.

Why are Family Literacy programmes so important?

First and foremost, these programmes have positive outcomes for children’s learning. But also, they have really positive outcomes for parents in terms of skills, confidence and relationships. They also act as gateways for progression into further education. They are also positive for schools because they have been shown to improve parents’ connection to the school community. In our own research on family literacy programmes that ran online during Covid, parents said the experience helped them better: Connect and communicate with their children

Connect to the school and other parents

Use digital tools (including the school platforms) Build their own self-confidence Progress to other learning programmes.

Our school participants said the programmes helped build stronger relationships with parents and improved parents’ access to school digital systems like Aladdin. Running these programmes online instead of face to face was necessary during the pandemic but it also had some excellent benefits. In particular, parents found it easier to take part because time and distance were less of an issue, particularly for working parents and in rural areas.

How to run family literacy online?

The most important things to remember here are:

1. to keep parents at the centre of the whole process and involve them in planning – what do they want to achieve and how

2. tap into existing resources at https://familylearning.ie/ or connect in to your local ETB or the NALA website.

3. with parents, plan for the course focus, end point, platform and schedule that is most accessible and meets everyone’s needs

4. factor in the time and resources you will need for preparation to go online. This might involve face-to-face set up time to make sure everyone has what they need in terms of access, devices and technical skills

5. for the sessions – keep it relaxed, keep it varied, use energising activities and don’t forget the allimportant space for tea and a chat, even when online

6. at the end capture and celebrate your successes to showcase for the next time.

For more information and resources on home learning go to: https://www. tcd.ie/Education/research/FamilyDigital-Literacy/ or contact Ann directly by email at Ann.Devitt@tcd.ie.

...for children, literacy starts in the home and the family is a crucial part of early literacy development. Parents and caregivers can create language-rich environments at home where children’s oral language and literacy skills can flourish.

Reflective supervision for school leaders

– a necessity, not a luxury

MARIE DELANEY CO-DIRECTOR OF TRAUMA RESPONSIVE EDUCATION

Leading a school can be challenging and stressful, particularly in these uncertain and unsettling times. School principals are responsible for children, families and staff – many of whom are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. The job of a school principal can be isolating and lonely. A 2020 study carried out by Trinity College Dublin, showed that the majority of primary school principals felt overwhelmed by the scale of extra tasks and challenges linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, and felt drained at the end of a work day. They are managing relationships and expectations all day, wearing many different hats, regularly soaking up the projections of feelings from staff, parents/carers and children, particularly the more vulnerable and anxious. If these feelings are not safely processed, they can lead to stress, illness and even burnout. Mental stress can turn into physical illness.

Reflective supervision can be a way of supporting principals to process and cope with the impact of their work on themselves, to reduce toxic stress to bearable stress and ultimately, to build their capacity to do their job effectively.

What is reflective supervision?

Reflective supervision can be a place to take those things that keep you awake at night, the things you cannot talk to anyone else about. These issues can then be processed with support and understanding. Another word for it might be ‘extra-vision’ – a way to consider what is happening through a different lens or gain additional insights into the way forward.

Supervision is not line management or coaching

A distinction needs to be made between supervision, line management and coaching. Supervision is not line management because it is not about being accountable, managed and

evaluated. It is recognising that working with children and young people can have a toll on us personally as human beings, and this needs to be processed in order to function effectively. It differs also from coaching as it does not involve setting goals and pathways to achieving those goals. It is not personal therapy because it is work-based and focuses on the challenged presented by the work situation, though it might sometimes highlight a personal issue which needs to be addressed.

Supervision is not a sign of weakness

Sometimes principals are reluctant to avail of supervision, worrying that others will see it as a sign of weakness, of not being able to cope. It is actually a sign of strength and a way to build self-awareness and capacity as a leader who can reflect honestly on the personal impact of the work.

Supervision benefits everyone in your orbit

Bringing stress home can impact on family life and relationships. Talking to family or someone with a professional relationship to the school, however supportive, is not the same as supervision because they all have a vested interest. They want to advise, protect and help. Sometimes they cannot bear to hear the difficult stories from your day. These need to be taken

somewhere else, allowing you to save the best of yourself for family and friends. By modelling real self-care, you show staff that you take wellbeing seriously.

Principles of supervision

Supervision should be nourishing and transformative, drawing out from within the person rather than putting things in. It should give the opportunity to recognise strengths, affirm often unconscious competence, and illuminate any blind spots and limiting beliefs. It may focus on coping strategies, triggers or patterns of thinking and behaviour that are helpful or unhelpful. It should be energising, supportive and challenging, allowing for new ways of thinking to emerge. Can you afford not to take part in reflective supervision?

Trauma Responsive Education is a social enterprise offering support, supervision and training to schools. If you would like to contact Marie in relation to this article, email marie@trauma-ed.com. Further information and resources are available at www.trauma-ed.com

@TraumaResp

Trauma Responsive Education

Reflective supervision can be a way of supporting principals to process and cope with the impact of their work on themselves, to reduce toxic stress to bearable stress and ultimately, to build their capacity to do their job effectively.

The DAISY Project

Irish Wheelchair Association’s curriculum-based Disability Awareness and Outreach Programme

Our aim is to challenge perceptions and stereotypes of people with disabilities by demonstrating understanding, awareness, and inclusivity through a fun and interactive educational programme intertwined with Art, Drama and SPHE.

Teachers will gain access to the DAISY online training programme empowering you to embed Disability Awareness and Inclusion into your daily teachings.

Your classroom will develop an understanding of diversity, belonging and inclusion with a speci c focus on disability.

By participating in The Daisy Project you and your school will help change the attitudes of young people’s perceptions and stereotypes of people with disabilities.

Every school that registers with The DAISY Programme will also have the opportunity to schedule a class visit from one of our Disability Awareness Ambassadors.

Professional Conversations Dilemmas vs Problems

ANGELA LYNCH IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM

As a school leader, you encounter both dilemmas and problems on a constant basis, but are these issues one and the same? Usually a problem can be solved with a single discrete solution. The heating in the school fails. We investigate and discover that the oil has run out. We have a problem, but immediately go on to solve it and the resulting difficulties that this has caused, and hopefully put measures in place to ensure that it will not happen again. Problem solved and no great damage done.

Dilemmas, on the other hand, do not present a clear solution and in most cases are unable to be solved, but have to be managed over time towards a resolution. Dilemmas involve emotions; yours and all those who are party to the situation. This is what makes them difficult. Most dilemmas require that the principal (person who is managing the situation) makes a series of different kinds of decisions aimed at seeking a resolution. However, resolving any conflict situation is not the sole remit of the school leader. Dilemmas are usually linked to the interpersonal conflicts that inevitably arise within the school, the ones that take time and effort, drain us and leave us feeling as if we have been through a heavyweight boxing match. It could be an issue between a parent and a teacher, staff members, principal and staff member, staff and Board, with bullying allegations, child protection concerns, and any number of other issues having the potential for conflict.

Conflict is inevitable. Combat is optional.

Conflict is inevitable. Combat is optional. In all interpersonal conflicts the emotions for everyone involved, including yourself, will be high, resulting in the thinking part of our brains being out of balance. It is important to be aware of this and to take the time to think and prepare. Good outcomes will only come when emotions are in balance with our rational minds.

Good communication is the key to developing a positive school culture. It is dependent on all stakeholders being committed to building good relationships and expectations that are clear, shared, understood and owned. In order to do this, setting aside time for conversations is key to achieving better outcomes. The best time to have these conversations, with staff in particular, is when there is no issue. Nobody likes conflict, but if time is taken to discuss issues and develop a shared language and understanding of how best to manage a conflict situation, then we can all become more comfortable in the whole area of conflict.

Our lives today are like over-packed suitcases bursting at the seams, and no part of it more packed than school life. When being advised to make time for professional conversations, it is all too tempting to say, ‘We have too much to do.’ This is precisely the time when we need those conversations most.

Dilemmas come in all shapes and forms. They can range from difficult staff relations, parental complaints and child protection issues, to uniform compliance, health and safety and communication issues. The list is endless.

Communication is the key to a better school culture. The greatest obstacle to communication is the belief that it has taken place and has indeed been effective. It is vital to build in a structure and time for professional conversations to ensure a shared understanding and shared solution to any dilemma that presents itself.

Following discussion of ‘What if’ scenarios at staff meetings, the decisions taken should be documented and will further inform the procedures and policies adopted by the school.

Angela.Lynch@ippn.ie

Nobody likes conflict, but if time is taken to discuss issues and develop a shared language and understanding of how best to manage a conflict situation, then we can all become more comfortable in the whole area of conflict

Upcoming Developments on EducationPosts.ie Online Recruitment Process

Testing will begin in the coming weeks on the new EducationPosts.ie online recruitment portal. The developments include integrated Standard Application forms, Calendar and full audit trail for each advert. The introduction of these new features should reduce the administration and paperwork associated with recruitment.

Keep up-to-date on these developments via the weekly E-scéal newsletter, and EducationPosts.ie social media channels.

SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP

The case for urgent action

THE CURRENT REALITY

IPPN’s Sustainable Leadership report was issued to members and stakeholders by email on 17th November. The report is structured as follows:

The following is taken from the Current Reality chapter. We encourage all members and stakeholders to read the report in its entirety. Each chapter stands on its own merits, thus the report can be read in whichever order you wish. Members can access the report under Advocacy/Publications on www.ippn.ie.

INTRODUCTION

There is a largely unaddressed, if not unspoken, crisis relating to the sustainability of school leadership in Irish primary schools. In order to understand the extent, causes and impact of this crisis, we have endeavoured to explore how leadership is practised and experienced in our primary schools, informed by the data we have garnered from our member survey, to which over 1,000 school leaders responded.

We asked those school leaders to rate the current sustainability of their leadership role (0 being totally unsustainable and 10 being fully sustainable). Per Figure 1, their responses tell us that:

school leaders rate the level of

sustainability of their leadership roles at just less than 4 (3.96) principals of DEIS schools rate the level of sustainability of their leadership roles at just 3.76 teaching principals rate the level of sustainability of their leadership roles at just 3.53 26.3% of school leaders rated the sustainability of their leadership role at 0, 1 or 2.

The focus of this report is to understand: why so many of those who are tasked with one of the most strategically important roles in education, and a key determinant of a school’s effectiveness, are struggling to sustain themselves in those roles what are the factors that are undermining that sustainability what is the impact on their leadership practice what are the implications for their health and well-being and what can be done to render school leadership roles more sustainable.

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Our member survey indicates that, in the last five years, there has been a change of leadership in 39% of the schools that responded and that, in 60% of those cases, the principal had not reached the age of retirement, but rather was stepping away from their leadership role early or to a different role. We further ascertained from our survey that the average number of applications received for those vacant principal positions was 5.5 (See Figure 2) and that in 7% of cases the role had to be re-advertised. It is also interesting to note from our analysis of the data from the EducationPosts. ie website that, of the 376 ads placed for principals in the period from 1st September 2021 to 31st August 2022, 60 were readvertised. This constitutes a readvertising of 16% of principal posts.

In terms of retention, just less than one of every two school leaders (48%) who responded indicated that they were either highly likely or likely to be in their current role in 5 years’ time. Of this cohort: 9% said it was because they were thriving in their current role

Internal Applicants

Admin Principal Posts

DEIS Principal Posts

Teaching Principal Posts

Special Schools

53% said it was because they were committed to leading their school 52% indicated that they were not in a position to retire 42% cited a lack of alternative roles or positions for which they could apply

38% highlighted the fact that there is no dignified step-down facility.

It should be noted that respondents could choose more than one of the options listed, which serves to further highlight just how few school leaders described themselves as thriving in the role.

Of the 45% who indicated that it was unlikely or highly unlikely that they would be in their current role in 5 years’ time: 29% said it was because they were due to retire in the next 5 years 29% said it was because they would take early retirement in the next 5 years

8% said it was because they hoped to be in a leadership role in a different school 15% said it was because they hoped to be seconded to another agency/ body

15% said it was because they were not thriving in their current role and would resign their position.

In order to develop a deeper understanding of why school leaders experience their roles as unsustainable, it is necessary to explore the context in which school leadership is practised in Ireland, which is characterised,

through our work with members by: a lack of role clarity increasing role complexity the breadth of responsibilities inadequate infrastructural supports and the workload that arises from all of the above.

LACK OF ROLE CLARITY

The role of the principal, and indeed that of the deputy principal, lacks definition and no coherent overview of such responsibilities exists. This is a prevailing fundamental issue and should be a baseline for improving both leadership capacity and the sustainability of that leadership.

The last time the role of the principal was addressed by Departmental circular was in 1973. The publication of the Quality Framework for Leadership and Management in Looking at Our Schools: A Quality Framework for Primary Schools (2016), with its domains, standards and statements of effective and highly effective practice, was a welcome development, although not reflective of the totality of roles school leaders currently undertake. Without being prescriptive, it identifies the core purpose and activities of effective school leaders.

It is IPPN’s belief that if school leaders were enabled to maintain their focus on that core purpose and not diverted from it by tasks, functions and responsibilities that are not in keeping with that core purpose, it would have a significant and positive impact on

the effectiveness and sustainability of their leadership.

This assertion is corroborated by the data from our survey as an unequivocal 97% of school leaders who responded either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘The key issue that undermines the sustainability of my leadership role is the number of tasks and responsibilities that divert my attention away from my core purpose as a school leader’.

COMPLEXITY OF THE ROLE

It is broadly recognised and accepted that there are both leadership and management dimensions to the role. It is important to acknowledge that leadership and management are two completely separate and demanding roles requiring fundamentally different skillsets and competencies. If there is no shared understanding of what constitutes effective school leadership and no requirement for school leaders to have undertaken any formal preparation for leadership, there is no guarantee that those who are appointed to school leadership roles have those differing skillsets and competencies.

Schools that are over-managed and under-led are likely to be stagnant and lacking innovation, while schools that are over-led and under-managed are likely to be chaotic and lacking cohesion. A balanced exercising of both dimensions of the role is crucial but not easily achieved. Those tasked with the challenge of recruiting school leaders must be acutely aware of this.

BREADTH OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Since the role of the principal was last defined by circular in 1973, successive pieces of legislation, circulars, policies, guidelines and new initiatives have identified and leveraged the strategic importance of the role in terms of effecting reform and improvement, both at a school level and within the system. Each identifies the particular responsibilities that fall to school leadership.

In order to ascertain the exact breadth of these responsibilities, we have analysed all active circulars for the period 2016 to 2022, as well as all of the key policy initiatives and guidance documents arising from education legislation, and logged the duties and responsibilities that are

ascribed to school leadership. The period from 2016 for the analysis of circulars was chosen as the Looking at our Schools policy document, with its quality framework for leadership and management, was published in 2016. If that quality framework forms the basis of how leadership should be practised, it is reasonable to analyse duties and responsibilities in that context. In total, 162 documents were reviewed. Our analysis details the year-on-year expansion of the role that has arisen for school leaders because of this approach.

In addition to an analysis of role and responsibilities, we also reviewed the documents to identify into which of the domains from the Quality Framework for Leadership & Management the responsibilities fell. The results of that review are detailed in the table below.

The review identifies a disproportionate focus on Managing the Organisation in terms of the responsibilities ascribed to school leaders. This disproportionate focus on management undermines the capacity of principals to deliver on the leadership dimension of their role and their core purpose – leading teaching and learning.

The following conclusions can be drawn from the review:

1. The strategic importance of the principal in effecting change has been recognised and leveraged by the system

2. Education legislation, policy guidelines, circulars, information letters and administration requirements identify specific responsibilities that fall to the principal

3. The cumulative impact of this expansion of the role of the principal has led to a considerable and expanding workload

4. The disproportionate focus on management/administrative tasks diverts principals from their key leadership responsibilities and undermines their effectiveness as instructional leaders

5. The Board of Management’s responsibility to exercise its duty of care to its employee (the principal) is compromised, as it does not control the role, responsibilities and consequential workload of the principal. The DE, as paymaster, retains this control.

6. The lack of capacity of many Boards of Management to discharge their increasingly complex governance responsibilities further undermines the sustainability of school leadership.

INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURAL SUPPORTS

The sustainability of school leadership is potentially further compromised by inadequate infrastructural supports, which include: insufficient administrative support (at the school and system levels) inadequate funding the challenge of inclusion without adequate resourcing reduced in-school leadership and management posts a governance structure that may not have the capacity to discharge its onerous responsibilities. There is a separate chapter in the report which looks at governance.

Insufficient administrative support Effective school leadership requires adequate administrative support. It is the view of IPPN that all schools should have appropriate levels of skilled administrative support available to them. It is unconscionable that any school would be without any administrative support and inequitable that primary schools

that are the equivalent size as postprimary schools, both in pupil and staff numbers, would have such an inferior level of administrative support available to them. Furthermore, it should be reasonable to expect that, in discharging administrative duties that require the support of the Department or other state agencies, such support should be readily accessible and provided in a timely manner. This is currently not the case and leads to a diminution of the efficiency and effectiveness of school leaders.

In an appendix to the report, we detail how this administrative burden could be alleviated with a consequential positive impact on leadership effectiveness. The appendix shows that sufficient administrative capacity to share certain administrative tasks with an adequately skilled and trained person would enable school leaders to focus on tasks and activities more in keeping with their core purpose of leading teaching and learning. The consequent impact on the workload and the wellbeing of school leaders would be considerable.

Inadequate funding

The capitation grant received from the Department for the running of primary schools is not sufficient to meet the actual running costs. In its pre-budget submission for Budget 2021, the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) cites research undertaken by Grant Thornton in 2018 which “shows that the capitation grant which is meant to pay for the day to day running costs of schools and the provision of educational materials, on average covers just over half of school running costs.” To meet that shortfall, school leaders often have to resort to fundraising activities, which place an unfair burden on parents.

School leaders report significant cash flow issues caused by the manner

and timing of how grants are paid as well as heightened levels of stress at having to find ways of stretching and supplementing budgets.

In their ‘Wellbeing in Post-Covid Schools: Primary school leaders’ Reimagining of the Future’ research, Burke and Dempsey detail some of the stressors for school leaders that are directly linked to inadequate financial resourcing. These include ongoing difficulties in funding: basic services such as cleaning and requisites teaching/curricular materials/ resources

the cost of ancillary staff –insufficient grant aid to fund the level of support required supports for children whose families cannot pay for the’ extras’ e.g. buses, school trips, swimming etc.

ICT-related resources and support training and CPD for staff accounting, auditing and payroll services basic maintenance of buildings and grounds.

The challenge of inclusion without adequate and/or timely resourcing IPPN fully supports the principle of ensuring equal access to quality inclusive education for all learners. This inclusion must be planned, supported and resourced. However, the way in which the model of inclusion is currently implemented, supported and resourced compromises the very nature and efficacy of that inclusion. Either children have needs or they don’t. Either those needs are met or they are not. Where needs are not met, there is a consequential impact for that child and, indeed, the other children in that class. The system currently does not respond quickly or comprehensively to need. As things stand, children are placed in classes without any guarantees that the requisite supports will be put in place. School leaders also deal with the fallout when it does not work. It is a significant stressor and a contributor to increased workload. Schools cannot make up for a shortfall in the provision of supports that children with additional needs require to learn and thrive in school. The heavy bureaucracy, the lack of transparency in decision-making, the excessive time taken to arrive at a decision and the

level of unmet need have all been highlighted by many organisations, including by IPPN in its submission to the NCSE in May 2021.

Every primary school supports children with additional needs and/or those at risk of educational disadvantage. Where adequate teaching and SNA resources, equipment and learning resources are provided, these pupils can thrive and reach their full potential, which is at the heart of every primary school’s ethos and mission. When these resources and supports are not forthcoming, the school is left to manage as best they can. This causes significant frustration and stress for the school, as well as for the parents and the children, as clearly outcomes for individual children are compromised.

It is clear from research, including the Irish Principal and Deputy Principal Health and Well-being survey and the previously mentioned Burke & Dempsey report, that the management of additional needs in schools is a significant contributor to work overload and stress for primary principals, and needs to be addressed to make the role more sustainable.

IPPN understands and accepts that identifying and meeting additional need is complex and requires significant investment of resources and systemic planning. IPPN also acknowledges that significant investment has been made in meeting additional needs, with Budget 2023 allocating an additional 686 teaching posts and an additional 1,194 special needs assistant posts across the primary and post-primary sectors to support inclusion of children with special education needs. However, in the absence of an up-to-date and accurate dataset detailing the level of need presenting in our schools, it is impossible to state that the level of resources allocated will be sufficient to meet the actual level of need. This ongoing tension undermines the capacity of school leaders to maintain a focus on inclusive best practice.

Reduced in-school leadership and management posts

The question might reasonably be asked as to whether the burden of responsibility school leaders face could be reduced by the pursuit

of a model of shared leadership described in Circulars 0070/2018 and 0044/2019. Most school leaders would enthusiastically embrace that shared model of leadership, but it presupposes that there are sufficient numbers with whom that leadership can be shared. The significant reduction of posts in those leadership and management teams has limited the scope for distributed or shared leadership. Furthermore, it cannot be assumed that in-school management teams can make the transition to being leadership and management teams without structured support and access to professional development and learning. The importance of sharing leadership is explored in detail in the report, in terms of both school effectiveness and leadership sustainability.

WORKLOAD

The significant workload arising from all of the foregoing, for all school leaders, is evident. The management aspects of the role have undermined and limited instructional and transformational leadership capacity. Management, and the administrative tasks associated with it, are urgent and incessantly emergent therefore leading learning is compromised as it cannot compete with the urgency of the other duties.

It is the view of IPPN, arising from our direct engagement with our members, that schools are policy overloaded, curriculum overloaded, initiative overloaded, programme overloaded, additional duties overloaded, reporting overloaded, planning overloaded and recording overloaded. Workloads cannot remain the same – they must be decreased, not redistributed, if any real positive growth and change is expected in terms of leadership effectiveness and sustainability.

In this context, it must also be noted that 54% of primary school principals are teaching principals, who are expected to discharge their responsibilities effectively as class or Special Education teachers while also attending to their duties as principals. How can they be expected to discharge the responsibilities attending to the leadership and management dimensions of their role without being afforded the requisite time and opportunity to do so? The personal and professional toll this is taking on

our teaching principal colleagues is explored in the report.

The inequity of this situation is exacerbated by the fact that these school leaders are resourced, and remunerated, in accordance with the number of mainstream class teaching posts in the school. No account is taken of the actual number of staff the school leader is leading and managing, such as teams of SNAs, bus escorts, administration and cleaning/ maintenance staff, who are not considered when calculating whether a principal or deputy should have administrative status. The current method of using pupil numbers to determine such status is no longer fit for purpose.

IMPACT ON HEALTH & WELLBEING

In response to concerns that the increasing complexity and workload demands of school leadership roles are impacting on the health and wellbeing of Irish school leaders, IPPN commissioned a specific piece of research in partnership with our sister organisation at post-primary level –the National Association of Principals and Deputies (NAPD).

The focus of the research project was on the occupational health, safety and wellbeing of school leaders in Ireland and was conducted by a team from Deakin University, Melbourne, in March/April 2022. The data gleaned from this research (see Figure 3) revealed that the incidence of burnout, stress and depressive symptoms among Irish primary school leaders was almost double that of the healthy working population and more than double for sleeping troubles and cognitive stress.

HEALTH & WELLBEING OUTCOMES

2022

Also notable was that the scores for burnout, stress, sleeping troubles, depressive symptoms, somatic stress and cognitive stress have all increased since the last study undertaken in 2015.

The two highest sources of stress at work were identical to the top two identified in the 2015 study, namely quantity of work and lack of time to focus on teaching and learning (see Figure 4). However, in both cases, the stress rating has increased from 2015.

highest source of stress is teacher shortages, which has jumped from 13th place on the list of stressors in 2015. Its mean score for stress has more than doubled from 4.08 to 8.4.

Given the increased scores for negative health and wellbeing outcomes, and the increased sources of stress scores reported in the 2022 data, it is clear that the current reality of primary school leadership in Ireland is taking a significant toll on the health and wellbeing of our school leaders, and that the situation is getting worse over time. This is further compromising the sustainability of school leadership roles.

The report makes a definitive recommendation in this regard: “This report presents compelling evidence that many Irish primary school leaders are struggling with complex job roles and competing job

demands. Policymakers and systems administrators should engage with school leaders to identify the workload challenges that they face and provide support to enable leaders to spend time on the activities that matter most.”

CONCLUSION

In order to ensure school leadership of the highest quality in our schools, and a leadership role that is sustainable and less likely to have a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of school leaders, the report gives consideration to the following: the development of a shared understanding of what constitutes effective school leadership and the core purpose of that leadership the extent to which school leaders are deflected from their core purpose by having to take on responsibilities and tasks not

related to that purpose the skills, knowledge and competencies school leaders require to enable them to be effective the need for a systematic process of preparation for leadership and what it might look like how the process by which school leaders are recruited could be improved how to ensure all school leaders are afforded sufficient time and space to exercise both the leadership and management dimensions to their roles how leadership can be shared and supported more effectively in schools how the current governance structure in primary schools is impacting on the sustainability of school leadership roles and how that structure could be reimagined.

SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP PROJECT

See pages 16 – 21 for an overview of the findings and recommendations from the eight themes explored in IPPN’s research publication

Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action – A Roadmap to Sustainability, which was launched at the IPPN Principals’ Conference in Killarney in November. Members received a link to the epublication on 17th November. The focus now moves to working with the various education stakeholders towards implementation of the recommendations arising from the report.

MEETINGS/EVENTS

IPPN participated in meetings/ events relating to the following: IPPN Autumn meeting events in every county during September and October

Primary Education Forum – DE Action Plan for 2023

DE Planning & Building Unit briefing on strategic approach to school accommodation

BEACONS Steering Group meeting

Presentations to new principals at Misneach 2 & 4

NAPD regarding Sustainable Leadership Project and Deakin University research findings

NTRIS Pilot Oversight

Working Group re. Review of Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2019-2023

DE briefing on Irish exemption circulars

NCBI – Launch of Equitable Education report

Review of the DE child protection policies and processes

Met with a delegation of Dutch principals to discuss issues of mutual concern

Meeting of the IPPN Board of Directors

Function to mark the retirement

OnYourBehalf

of

Small Schools Cluster Action Research Project Steering Group NABMSE Conference

NCCA Leading Out Seminar

NCSE CEO John Tierney re. challenges around SEN provision Teaching Council Group Mentor training

INTO President’s Dinner

NAPD Conference International Confederation of Principals’ Council meeting CSL Steering Group

DE Secretary General

Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) re. School Counselling proposal IPPN Annual Principals’ Conference 2022

WORKING GROUPS

See article by Dr Kathryn Corbett, IPPN representative on the Antibullying Forum on page 27. Updates from representatives on other working groups will follow in future issues of Leadership+.

SUBMISSIONS

IPPN made the following submissions and presentations over the past few months:

Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee re. Mental Health Supports in Schools –October 2022

Presentation to the Oireachtas Autism Committee – Services and supports provided by the State for autistic people – October 2022 Submission to the DE – Review of Section 37A of the Education Act 1998 – September 2022.

Below is an overview of some of these submissions:

Services and Supports for Children with Autism

The Oireachtas Autism Committee considers state supports and services

for all people with Autism, including children in schools. IPPN was invited to present at a meeting of the Committee in early October on the subject of Autism Policy and Education. CEO Páiric Clerkin and Leadership Support Team member Caroline Quinn represented IPPN.

You can view the discussion online via the Oireachtas Autism Committee webpage.

IPPN made the following key points: Inclusive education aims to enable participation, raise achievement, support well-being and create a sense of belonging for all learners, including those with additional needs and those who are most vulnerable to exclusion. Special needs are either met or they are not and, if not, there is a consequential impact not only on the child with special needs but also on the other children in the class.

There is a shortage of places for children with complex additional needs in special classes and in special schools in Dublin. IPPN fully supports the principle of ensuring equal access to inclusive education for all learners, alongside their siblings and friends in the local area in which they live. This inclusion must be planned, supported and fully resourced. The lack of proper and timely planning and consultation to ascertain what actual capacity exists within the schools to facilitate the opening of special classes, as well as its suitability, has a severe impact on children and their families. The current situation has resulted in children with additional needs being ‘bussed’ from their local area, often right past their local school that their siblings and friends attend, to schools that may be many miles away from their home. This is untenable.

Under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998, the Minister now has the power to direct schools to make additional special education provision

Chief Inspector Harold Hislop Briefing re. supports for Ukrainian children

Listed below are some of the projects and advocacy-related engagements that were progressed since the last issue of Leadership+.

GERALDINE D’ARCY IPPN ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

available and provide places. A requirement to exercise those powers means that the system has already failed to adequately prepare for the placement of children with complex additional needs into schools alongside their peers. Section 37A sought to resolve an urgent issue that was of the system’s own making and lacks the vision required to prevent the situation recurring. Crucially, it does not ensure equity of access to their local school by all children.

IPPN encourages all schools to undertake to open a special class when an application for a child within their catchment area who has a recommendation for placement in a special class. We believe that an amendment to the legislation to allow schools to receive advance applications on behalf of such children – 24 months in advance of their school start date – would alleviate this difficulty. This extended period would allow the school, in consultation with the SENO and parents, to address what needs to be put in place to ensure the child’s access to quality inclusive education provide certainty to the parents about school placement ensure that children with complex additional needs can attend the same local national school as their siblings and their friends eliminate the need for children to be ‘bussed’ to schools outside their catchment area

remove the need for the many taxis crossing our cities and towns, costing the taxpayer an inordinate amount of money, and obviate the need to invoke Section 37A.

At the heart of the issues we hear about from our members is a need to differentiate between high incidence special needs and more complex low incidence special needs and adequately plan and allocate supports and resources. If the level of resources made available is dictated by budgetary constraints, then it cannot be claimed that special education educational needs are fully met, merely that they are met to the level allowed by the budget allocated for it. Accurately determining the level of low incidence, complex special need in schools is challenging. However, the accuracy of schools’ complex needs’ profiles must be addressed, as does the lack of transparency regarding how those profiles are determined, as well as the system’s inability to respond quickly to increased need.

A school’s ‘quantum of resources’ is compromised largely, but not exclusively, as a result of children presenting in the school whose needs have not been flagged to the school, or children with identified complex needs who are not linked in with a disability team. When such circumstances arise, it can have a profoundly negative impact on the experience and learning of the child and that of the other children in the class. It is crucial that the system is agile enough to respond quickly to an emerging need, to ensure the school’s ability to adequately meet and respond to that need. This is not currently the case.

Most children with low incidence complex needs can thrive in a mainstream class setting or in a special class in a mainstream school if their needs have been identified to the school in a timely manner there is sufficient time to plan for and put in place the supports that the children require the school’s allocation of supports (teachers, SNAs, technology, furniture, building modifications, etc.) is adequate.

A number of other issues need to be addressed, including:

1. Adequate resources and staff training to meet the children’s needs

2. Low and high incidence complex needs’ profiles to be considered separately

3. Overhaul the exceptional review process. Pilot the “Targeted Review” process referred to in circular 0035/2022

4. Fill all vacant SENO posts to ensure all schools have equal access and support

5. All wraparound services need to be put in place in tandem with additional supports announced in Budget 2023

6. Parental appeals regarding the allocation of resources should be addressed to those who have an input to the level resources allocated to the school, and not to the school leader

7. Review the plans for implementation of the School Inclusion Model, in light of the lack of availability of the required professionals.

Review of Section 37A of the Education Act

Many of the same points raised with the Autism Committee noted above were made in IPPN’s submission to the

Department of Education regarding its review of Section 37A procedures. Indeed, we did not review the procedures, but pointed to the need for a change in approach regarding the Admissions process, to provide a long-term solution to the current crisis, as Section 37A does not address the root causes of the lack of places for children with complex needs in their local school.

We also reiterated key points made In a previous submission (in June 2020) on the proposed revisions to Section 29 of Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to School) Act 2018, regarding the admissions process and making it more robust and fair to both children seeking to enrol and to the schools seeking to administer the process, as follows:

1. Retain the facilitation process as a more informal step, to avoid the need for formal hearings

2. Training and detailed guidelines for principals in relation to the administration of the Admission Policy

3. Training and detailed guidelines for Boards of Management in relation to the review of a decision regarding the admission policy

4. Clarify and publish time limits for a review by the Board of Management

5. Prohibit the direct naming of a school principal in relation to any statement issued by the Board of Management

6. Give a maximum of three weeks to an applicant seeking a Board of Management review. This gives sufficient notice to a board without extending the process unnecessarily, accords with the minimum time period for applicants to apply to for a place in the school, and with the timeframe for a Board of Management to reply to an applicant.

See www.ippn.ie – Advocacy/ Submissions for all submission documents.

Stay updated

See also www.ippn.ie Advocacy/On Your Behalf for up-to-date information about key activities relating to IPPN’s advocacy and communication on behalf of members, including media interviews. IPPN’s social media accounts on Twitter (@ippn_education) and LinkedIn (@ippn) are another way to stay abreast of work in this area.

Home and School Working Well Together – An Unbeatable Partnership!

JACK DURKAN IPPN SUPPORTS & SERVICES MANAGER

‘Positive connections between parents and school staff have been shown to improve children’s academic achievement, social competencies and emotional well-being. When school and home work well as partners, children do better both at school and at home’ Susan M. Sheridan, Ph.D

The research is consistent on this. When a partnership approach between parents and teachers is evident, children’s work habits and attitudes about school and grades improve. They demonstrate better social skills, fewer behavioural problems and a greater ability to adapt to situations and get along. Parents and teachers benefit too. When working together as partners, it’s been found that parents and teachers communicate more effectively, develop stronger relationships with one another and develop skills to support children’s behaviours and learning.

Parental involvement in school: why it matters

A good parent-school partnership is one of the best ways to support a child’s learning, development and wellbeing. This partnership has benefits for educators and for parents too.

Children whose parents are involved in school:

perform better at school settle better into school and work feel valued and important because their parents are taking an interest in their lives develop positive social skills by watching parents and school staff interact respectfully have better social, physical and emotional wellbeing.

When parents are involved in school, staff: have higher job satisfaction experience less stress can better tailor their approaches to learning and teaching because they have more insight into children’s needs benefit indirectly from parent help in classrooms, sports days and libraries, or from parent participation in school committees, and so on.

Parents who are involved at school: can share their child’s strengths and interests with staff and suggest learning opportunities to build on these feel empowered to raise concerns and negotiate solutions with staff experience less stress, because they know they can work with staff on concerns about their child’s learning or development.

Schools: getting to know parents and families

For teachers and other school professionals working with parents, getting to know families is key to promoting parental involvement and developing partnerships. The best way to get to know parents is by: sharing information about the school with parents asking parents for information about their families.

Sharing information with parents

When you’re sharing information about the school, it’s always good to tell parents about what your school does and why.

For example, you might have a school handbook or prospectus that outlines your school’s values and philosophy. The handbook might also include all the practical information parents need when they’re sending children to your school, like uniforms, bell times, policies, procedures and so on. You might want to make this information available on a school website too.

When parents have access to information about the school, they’re more likely to feel comfortable and confident in their choice of school and the decisions that the school makes.

Asking parents for information about their families

A good initial message to parents is that the teachers respect children as individuals and are interested in them. You can say this explicitly, but you can also send this message by asking for information about children and families.

For example, before children start at your school, you might ask parents questions like the following:

What are you and your child hoping to get from the school?

How do you like to be kept informed about the school?

What kind of information do you need to help us to support you?

In what ways do you think you might like to be involved in the school?

Does your child have any additional learning or other needs?

Does your family have any special circumstances or support needs?

Remember – ‘It takes a village to raise a child!’.

Jack.Durkan@ippn.ie

‘Strong partnerships support children’s learning and ability to develop lifelong skills and networks, while also strengthening parents’ capacity to be engaged in their child’s school experience.’.

The Pupil Voice - the last great frontier

DAMIAN WHITE IPPN BOARD MEMBER AND PRINCIPAL OF SCOIL SHINCHILL, KILLEIGH, CO. OFFALY

Every Christmas, a decoration appears in our house, featuring a photograph of my now-adult daughter as a 2-yearold, surrounded by the Christmas dividend of colourful plastic toys, every type of doll and various pieces of shrapnel from games scarcely played. In the photograph, she stands in a large Pampers box, surveying all the mayhem she has inflicted on the poor hall floormat, queen of the cardboard castle she occupies on her own private island.

‘For her birthday, we’ll just get her a fresh cardboard box’ I ventured to her mother, who, like myself was slightly bemused that our expensive assembly of moulded coloured plastic objects was being ignored in favour of more rudimentary playthings. After gathering up the varying squeaky noisemakers for the umpteenth time, we consoled ourselves with the thought that she might grow up to know her own mind and surround herself with what really matters to her in life. Almost a quarter of a century on, this has proven to be the case, though her subsequent career in psychology will unlikely prevent her from making some of the mistakes of her well-intentioned parents.

Viewing the world from the perspective of a child is something we can do with nostalgia-fuelled retrospection. Things certainly were different when I was a child in the 1970s and things will be different again 20 years from now. When planning for matters involving children, it has taken us a long time

The last great capture to be fully achieved and cultivated, is the voice of the child in every school.

to realise that we should seek the opinion of those children current to the process, to gain the clearest insight of real needs and wishes. Some years ago, after receiving a map from an architect outlining where a new ballcourt should go in our school, I took out a number of 5th and 6th class pupils to get their thoughts on the plans. They universally disagreed with the professional’s plans, citing the prospective shortening of their current football field as detrimental to their enjoyment of breaktime. They suggested an alternative area, which was a bit mucky in the winter anyway, which would be more suitable. They were right of course, and that ballcourt in their preferred location has seen daily battles ever since.

Over the past 50 years, schools have moved from being not-so-benign autocracies to varying examples of successful, working democracies. In the intervening time, leadership has been shared with more staff, Boards of Management seek to represent more strands and parent’s associations have grown and flourished, all with significant benefits for education in Ireland. The equality of everyone having the same chance, is growing towards the equity of every child learning in a way that best suits themselves. The last great capture to be fully achieved and cultivated, is the voice of the child in every school. For many, Green School’s committee’s and other such bodies populated by pupils began the ascent of the ladder to the recognition of the child’s voice. A Student Council is the next step.

In June, I was considering what summer course to undertake, aware that I would need the famous 3 days throughout the year, when an email landed from Leinster House, as it did to all schools. Cutting to the chase, in

mid-August, I spent a fabulous week travelling to Kildare Street daily with over 20 other teachers, learning how to establish a student council, how to run elections and how to ensure that the child’s voice is not just heard, but central to key discussions and decisions in primary schools. Parliamentary Education Officer Conor Reale, himself a seconded teacher, was our host for what was a most enjoyable and informative course.

In the Post-Covid (hopefully!) school scenario, we are all struggling with the inevitable backlog of plans and initiatives we had hoped would be up and running in our schools. We are faced with crippling substitute staff shortages, energy prices and a lack of sufficient access to important children’s mental health services. Many schools through their SSE process have identified wellbeing as the area in need of most urgent attention post-pandemic. The Department of Education’s initial target was, that by 2023, the promotion of wellbeing would be at the core of the ethos of every school and centre for education. One of their key principles encourages us ’to respect and value the voice of children and young people and foster their belonging and connectedness to the school community’. It is therefore critical for their wellbeing that we allow the children a proper level of agency in their own future, beginning with the present. The student voice must not be tokenistic but must build towards a level of participation which is vital. Within 5 years, the oldest children in our schools will be participating in adult elections and have adult responsibilities. We must prepare them for that responsibility by trusting their judgement on matters which concern them from an early age.

Damian.White@scoilshinchill.com

Action Plan on Bullying: A Review

DR KATHRYN CORBETT PRINCIPAL OF BISHOP GALVIN NS, TEMPLEOGUE, DUBLIN, IPPN BOARD MEMBER AND REPRESENTATIVE ON THE WORKING GROUP

The first Action Plan on Bullying was published in 2013, following a series of meetings and submissions by the Anti-bullying Forum (2012), set up ‘to explore ways to tackle the serious problem of bullying in schools’. This was the first time that the Department of Education and Skills, together with the newly established Department of Children and Youth Affairs, had hosted a dedicated forum on the issue. Twelve actions were identified as follows:

1. New national anti-bullying procedures for schools 2. Review of Teacher Education Support Service provision 3. Coordinated training and resource development for boards of management and parents 4. School Inspection 5. Thematic Evaluation of Bullying in Schools 6. School Self Evaluation 7. New national anti-bullying website 8. Stand Up Awareness Week Against Homophobic Bullying 9. Support a media campaign focused on cyber bullying and specifically targeted at young people

10. Research on effective supports for children with special educational needs

11. Research on prevalence and impact of bullying linked to social media on the mental health and suicidal behaviour among young people

12. Awareness raising measures, including guidelines, for policy makers and DES agencies and services which work in the schools sector on all types and forms of bullying.

Significant progress has been made across each of these targets. However, almost 10 years later, it was time to review the progress of this action plan, with the intention of setting new priority areas to be addressed, to help prevent and tackle bullying in schools. The new steering committee, set up earlier this year, consists of senior officials from the Department of Education, including the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service, and representatives from a wide range of representatives including parents, students and various advocacy organisations.

A working group with members (22) from a wide range of organisations including IPPN, INTO, TUI, NAPD, NPC, CPSMA, etc., was also set up, to review the details within the AntiBullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2013). Monthly meetings commenced in March this year. Findings from an extensive consultation process and recent research were presented, with discussions on the implementation and impact of the current procedures. The importance of pupil voice as part of the review of an updated action plan was also a key element of discussions.

Other discussion points included the following:

The importance of school culture was particularly emphasised, along with the value of Restorative Practice as a very effective approach to addressing when there is conflict in relationships, by developing communication skills, the language of emotions and awareness of resilience.

Clarity of the definition of bullying and the importance of the use of language

Collection of data in relation to bullying incidents; what should schools collect, for whom and for what purpose

Difference of school contexts i.e. primary and post primary, and the need for age-appropriate procedures

Acceptability of social media use for children, and the challenges for schools addressing online behaviour. This can have an impact on behaviour and learning in schools, so it is very difficult to keep it separate in relation to procedures.

Throughout all discussions, the complexity of dealing with bullying has been repeatedly acknowledged. There has been a clear consensus that that it is essential to move from a whole school approach, to a whole education approach. This involves systemic support structures for all; school leaders, staff, members of BOM, parents and children. It is expected that an updated Action Plan on Bullying will be published before the end of the year, which will inform the publication of updated anti-bullying procedures for all schools.

If you would like to contact Kathryn in relation to this article, you can email her at principal@bishopgalvin.ie.

There has been a clear consensus that that it is essential to move from a whole school approach, to a whole education approach.

LSGs – IPPNetworks in Action

‘A problem shared is a problem halved’

DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM

2022/2023 is the second school year of the Local Support Group (LSG) project. The project will provide access to an LSG for every principal and deputy principal (DP) throughout the country.

Why LSGs?

There is clear evidence (for example from the Deakin University Irish Primary Principal and Deputy Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey, 2022) of the high emotional cost associated with leading schools at present, and the toll on the health and wellbeing of school leaders. As school leaders, we work without a defined role which, as our Sustainable Leadership project has charted, is constantly expanding with tasks and responsibilities from circulars, policy guidelines and legislation. Few of these relate to our core role of leading teaching and learning. This has inevitably led to an increase in work related stress among school leaders.

So, why participate in a local support group?

LSGs ensure that school leaders are not isolated – that they are enabled to develop a supportive peer network to improve their wellbeing and give them the confidential space to process highpressure situations with peers

LSGs ensure that school leaders are not isolated – that they are enabled to develop a supportive peer network to improve their wellbeing and give them the confidential space to process highpressure situations with peers

LSGs provide the reassurance that, no matter the issue, you will have a confidential and supportive network to ask ‘simple’ questions of, to check facts or to discuss stressful issues

LSGs usually meet once or twice per term and are facilitated by trained facilitator members.

How are LSGs organised?

Locally. The network of LSGs is organised by IPPN County Reps and Education Centre Directors and supported by IPPN’s Support Office (SO). These are the people who are in contact with school leaders in every county.

What is the goal of the project for this school year?

The goal of each Ed Centre Director and County Rep is to continue identifying and registering existing LSGs, reviving those which have ceased to function and establishing new ones, as required. This will lead to the creation of a directory of LSGs in each county, allowing the IPPN SO, Ed Centres or County Reps to advise any school leader of their nearest LSG. You can ensure that your LSG is registered by calling the IPPN SO.

How can I join an LSG?

If you are not aware of the existence of an LSG close to your school or home, simply contact your local Education Centre, IPPN SO or one of your 3 County Reps and you will be put in touch with the relevant LSG. If one does not exist, action will be taken to establish one for your area.

Why are LSGs facilitated, and by whom?

Each LSG will eventually have two trained facilitators to ensure continuity should one retire or move to another school. Previously, many LSGs ceased to function when this happened. Having a second facilitator also

ensures that the burden of organising meetings and CPD items is shared. Indeed, some LSGs also elect a coordinator to organise meeting times and venues.

Facilitation training ensures that the meetings are professionally conducted to ensure that all members have a voice in contributing to an issue. A facilitator may also liaise with members or with the IPPN SO to access items of CPD for forthcoming meetings, as required.

Is there a formula to how LSGs are conducted?

Absolutely not. Each LSG is unique in how it responds to the needs of its members. They vary widely in choice of venue, times of meetings and how topics for discussion are chosen. However, they all, in their own way, follow a pattern of:

Discussion of local issues

CPD element e.g. unpacking a recent circular, consideration of a policy, dignity and respect at work issue etc.

Networking opportunity where members relax over a cup of tea and discuss issues informally.

Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie

LSGs provide the reassurance that, no matter the issue, you will have a confidential and supportive network to ask ‘simple’ questions of, to check facts or to discuss stressful issues

1

be affected by a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime*

The Breast Health Awareness & Education Programme provides presentations throughout Ireland to educate all primary school teachers and support staff on breast health education. During the presentation, you will learn: The signs and symptoms of breast cancer How to perform a self-check

Presentations are free of charge. They can be online or in person, during lunch time or after school and only take 30 mins.

This programme is brought to you by Cornmarket, the INTO and Breast Cancer Ireland.

*Source: Breast Cancer Ireland, 2022.

This programme is brought to you through the INTO Salary Protection Scheme. The INTO Salary Protection Scheme is underwritten by Irish Life Assurance plc. Irish Life Assurance plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. is a member of the Irish Life Group Ltd. which is part of the Great-West Lifeco Group of companies. This is not a regulated financial product or service.

Seicliosta don Athbhreithniú ar an Ráiteas um Chumhdach Leanaí

Nuair a dhéanann Leanbh Nochtadh

Nósanna Imeachta chun déileáil le nochtadh eolais ó bhall d’fhoireann na scoile

Mí-úsáid Leanaí: Cineálacha, Comharthaí agus Tairseacha Imní Réasúnta – (Drochúsáid Ghnéasach)

Mí-úsáid Leanaí: Cineálacha, Comharthaí agus Tairseacha Imní Réasúnta

Measúnacht Priacail um Chumhdach Leanaí

Forais Réasúnta Imní/Tairseach Díobhála

Fógra maidir le hAthbhreithniú an Bhoird Bhainistíochta ar an Ráiteas um Chumhdach Leanaí

Cúinsí a spreagfadh imní faoi mhí-úsáid leanaí

Achoimre ar Riachtanais Choimeád Taifead

Equitable Education

LORNA FITZPATRICK ADVOCACY MANAGER, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND OF IRELAND

The right to education is something we are all familiar with. However, for students who are blind or vision impaired, the current education system can present challenges. These challenges have been detailed in the NCBI Equitable Education report, which was launched by Mr John Kearney, CEO of the National Council for Special Education.

This report, based on the experiences of students who are blind or vision impaired across all levels of the education system and their parents/guardians, outlines key recommendations that would embed a quality, inclusive, and equitable education system in line with the state’s own objectives.

The spectrum of vision impairment ranges from total blindness to low vision and the needs of the individuals are within an equally broad spectrum. One feature that all students with vision impairment share is the reduced or limited ability to learn incidentally from their environment i.e. to learn by watching others.

Timely and individual-based interventions and supports for students with vision impairment are one of the most important factors affecting their ability to be independent and active agents in their own learning. These interventions ensure that they are supported to develop the skills they will need into the future in order to achieve their full potential.

Many of the challenges highlighted within this report have been known for some time. For example, for over a decade, NCBI has called on the Department of Education to ensure students have their accessible books from the start of term. Yet, in 2022, we are still aware of students being without books in January

having started school in September. Additionally, students have been provided with assistive technology that does not meet their needs or have not received appropriate training in their correct use.

Those working within the education sector were often recognised for the incredible support provided to students to achieve their potential. However, the goodwill of those staff should not be the basis of a system to support students with sight loss to succeed. The Visiting Teachers are a vital support for students, families and teachers but their time is limited and they are required to provide a wide range of supports. Organisations such as NCBI provide many of the non-academic supports but are not recognised as a service provider within education by the state.

Technology plays a central role in the delivery of and access to education, particularly for students living with sight loss, as they use assistive technology to engage with information and interact with websites and apps independently. However, for that student to engage with digital platforms, they must be accessible.

NCBI founded IA Labs, which offers support and services to organisations to ensure that they are compliant with the WCAG 2.1AA standards, which have been mandatory for mobile

applications and websites under EU and Irish legislation since 2020.

Despite the robust legislation to ensure digital accessibility for people with disabilities, when IA Labs launched the Digital Accessibility Index in 2022, none of the education sector websites that were audited were compliant with the legislation. The Department of Education has placed the responsibility on the schools without offering appropriate training or resources. It is clear that despite the legislative changes, there is work required to ensure the aspirations of these laws become the real-life experience of students with sight loss.

For more information about NCBI and its services, email info@ncbi.ie or phone 1800 911 250. If you wish to learn how to make your websites accessible, contact IA Labs via its website www.ialabs.ie

One feature that all students with vision impairment share is the reduced or limited ability to learn incidentally from their environment i.e. to learn by watching others.

Schools that register for the School Milk Scheme can avail of our free refrigeration offer. If you are running out of storage to keep milk chilled and fresh, contact us today and we can order a tall or under counter fridge for your school depending on your school needs.

Good nutrition is not only essential for a child’s growth and development but is also important in keeping them adequately fuelled for the long school day. Whether starting school for the first time or returning to a familiar routine; this transition is a busy time for all.

As part of a balanced diet, three daily servings from the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ are recommended for 5-8 year olds and five daily servings are recommended for 9-18 year olds.

If your school is currently registered for the School Milk Scheme, order directly today on www.schoolmilk.ie.

If you would like your school to avail of School Milk, please email The National Dairy Council at schoolmilk@ndc.ie or visit www.moocrew.ie to register your interest.

The School Milk Scheme is managed by The National Dairy Council and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with the support of the European Union.

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