Leadership+ Issue 47 November 2008

ISSUE 47 â—? NOVEMBER 2008

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS

Interactive Professionalism in Small Rural Schools Child welfare and protection in Ireland Codes of Behaviour: The New Guidelines 2008

BUDGET 2008 THE AFTERSHOCK Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan TD delivered a crushing blow to Education in what has been the harshest, most punitive and regressive education budget in living memory

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Student Teachers: - A Code of Good Practice Creating a School Website Primary Curriculum Review - Phase 2

Meetings and Resources IPPN EVENTS /MEETINGS ON BEHALF OF PRINCIPALS October ● Intercultural Education Conference ● Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) ● IPPN County Network AGMs ● Teaching Council Consultation ● NAPD Conference November ● IPPN Executive Committee – Fri 7th Nov ● IPPN National Committee AGM – Sat 8th Nov ● Your School & The Law, facilitated by David

Ruddy BL – Cork, Sat 15th Nov and Galway, Sat 29th Nov ● ICP Council Meeting 2009 Events/Dates for your Diaries ● IPPN Annual Principals’ Conference, 29th – 31st January 2009, INEC Killarney ● IPPN Annual Deputy Principals’ Conference, 12th May 2009, venue to be confirmed ● Your School & The Law, facilitated by David Ruddy BL – Dublin, Sat 28th Feb and Sat 28th Mar, and Sligo, Sat 21st Mar

WWW.IPPN.IE – NEW LOOK, NEW STRUCTURE – IT IS NOW Issue 46 prematurely stated that we had implemented our new website. Unfortunately some technical issues caused us to push back the go live date but it is now up and running!

There is a completely new HomePage and some changes to the menu structure, primarily a new area called Principal Advice which groups together resources, policies and frequently-asked questions in categories such as Recruitment, Administration and Board of Management. Please visit the new website and feed back your comments to project@ippn.ie.

Congratulations to Eileen Flynn, recently appointed as General Secretary of the CPSMA. Prior to her appointment to the CPSMA, Eileen was National Co-ordinator of SDPS (Primary). She has taught in primary schools in inner-city and suburban Dublin. She was Principal of Scoil Eoin Phóil, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, before her secondment to SDPS. She studied in Carysfort College of Education, University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. She has long been involved in designing and delivering planning courses and workshops for whole school staffs based on their identified needs as well as courses and workshops for Boards of Management. For several years she has been involved in the design and delivery of summer courses and summer schools for Principal teachers and for Newly-Appointed Principals. Eileen was a founding member of IPPN and gave workshops at IPPN seminars on Time Management. Eileen is married to George and has three children.

Look out for a Q&A with Eileen in a future issue of Leadership+.

Mike Rosc ope

le Molly Cu

For the Teacher - A classroom planner is produced for teachers each week.

- This briefly describes what the next issue will be about.

- It gives information about what resources and materials will be needed for the activities.

‘World Young Reader Prize’ 2005 WINNER - The World Association of Newspapers (WAN)

What is Eureka?

• Eureka is a science magazine exclusively for primary schools, published by The Irish Independent and written and produced by Helena Jeffrey, Paula Kilfeather, Cliona Murphy and Janet Varley from The Centre for Science No 16 Pollution Environmental Awareness and Care Describes the different types of pollution that can occur and how pollution can damage our environment. The emphasis was on water and air pollution but other types of pollution that children might not think about, such as light, heat and noise pollution were also discussed.

Activities included making and cleaning up an oil slick, tests for air quality and rain pollution and ideas for carrying out a pollution survey.

Education, based at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin.

• Eureka only costs 25c per copy and includes a compact copy of the Irish Independent.

No 19 It’s Electric - Energy and Forces

Included information about how electricity is generated in Ireland and invited children to think about what it would be like if there was no electricity. Activities on how to build electrical circuits and switches were suggested and design and make activities about building a lighthouse and a torch were included. Children were encouraged to think of ways of saving electricity and safety was emphasised throughout.

• Eureka supports the teaching of science in primary schools and encourages pupils to learn about science through exploration and discovery within the classroom and at home.

No 22. Going to the Zoo Living things Described the role that modern zoos play in our lives. Children were encouraged to think about food chains and the way animals are sorted into different groups. Activities included how to set up a home for a snail and how to design and make zoo animals with moving jaws using lever. Some weird and wonderful facts about animals were also included.

No 9 Living in a material World Materials The different jobs involved in building were described.

Glass as a material was discussed and how concrete is made was also described.

Activities on how to investigate materials for a damp course and also a bathroom window were suggested. Information about some amazing buildings was included.

For further details, contact Debbie Brennan Ph: 01 705 5131 or email eureka@independent.ie

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Budget 2008 The Aftershock

by Seán Cottrell, IPPN Director and Larry Fleming, IPPN President

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan TD delivered a crushing blow to Education in what has been the harshest, most punitive and regressive education budget in living memory.

While many expected that cut backs were inevitable due to turmoil in international money markets and a sharp drop in tax revenues at home, there was an equal expectation that primary education would not suffer given its strategic importance to the individual, society and our postrecession economy. Before the Budget, IPPN made an impassioned plea to Government to retain 2008 level funding for primary education even in the 'worst case scenario'. Subsequently, they drove a 'Coach and Four' through the Department of Education and Science, discarding many vital teaching posts and grants and left a trail of destruction in its wake.

While many expected that cut backs were inevitable due to turmoil in international money markets and a sharp drop in tax revenues at home, there was an equal expectation that primary education would not suffer.

No one foresaw that there would be an increase in average class size. The abolition of uncertified sick leave came as a ‘bolt from the blue’. Ironically this will actually lead to an increase in substitution cover costs, as in order to avoid disruption to other classes, the conscientious teacher will now get a medical certificate for a longer period of time, instead of taking short-term uncertified leave. No one could have foreseen the radical reduction in the number of teachers in the primary system. IPPN’s most recent survey indicates that the number of teachers lost to the primary system could exceed 1000.The reduction in the allocation to the School Building Programme, though small, will still ensure that many schools currently waiting patiently in the queue, in overcrowded or substandard conditions, will have that wait extended for another year at least. The withdrawal of Language Support Teachers, concessionary teachers in non-DEIS schools and a range of other supports and grants will do untold damage and have devastating consequences right across primary education.

As the impact of cutbacks became clear the mood in schools has been a combination of shock, disbelief, anger and fear. It has taken so many decades of painstakingly slow progress to achieve the less than adequate service currently in place. It is little wonder that suddenly being faced with a return to the past we thought we had left behind, strikes fear in the heart of schools.

Director: Seán Cottrell director@ippn.ie • President: Larry Fleming president@ippn.ie Editor: Damian White editor@ippn.ie • Assistant Director:Virginia O’Mahony Advertising: marketing@ippn.ie Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co Cork T: 353 21 452 4925 F: 353 21 435 5648

Principals who were already planning for additional appointments in September 2009 now find themselves in a crisis position as the appointment goalposts have moved. The extra teacher that will not be appointed and worst still, the existing teacher that will be lost, will put Principals in the awful situation of having to say ‘No’ to parents, children and teachers, on several issues.

No one denies that radical budgetary surgery is required across most Government Departments. However, in Education, this surgery was carried out with an axe rather than a scalpel, cutting finance and front line staffing, in a system which already depends on parental fundraising to make up the 40% - 50% short fall in operational costs.

In short, this Budget is an attack on young children and an attack on the very fabric of Irish society. It is simply unacceptable that the single most efficient and economically run aspect of our public service - primary education, is the target for spending cuts, while €50 million worth of useless voting machines remain redundant, in storage costing €4 million per annum! By general admission there are thousands of surplus non-frontline personnel across the HSE and in several state agencies, not to mention the obscene waste of public funds by these same agencies. But no, that wouldn’t be the place to make savings, when the nation’s primary schools are seen as a ‘soft touch’. As leaders and educators, it is incumbent on all of us to fight these ‘savings’ vigorously until they are withdrawn.

It is simply unacceptable that the single most efficient and economically run aspect of our public service - primary education, is the target for spending cuts, while €50 million worth of useless voting machines remain redundant, in storage costing €4 million per annum!

Once the Budget was put before the Dáil, IPPN immediately initiated a process to engage with our fellow Primary Education Partners. In forming a National Alliance for Primary Education, we are putting forward a united front in opposition to the Budget measures. IPPN has met and lobbied politicians in all political parties to try and convince them of the devastating consequences to primary education if the education budget is not rescinded.

If a colonial government imposed this budget on us we would describe it as national sabotage by means of undermining our education system.

The opinions expressed in Leadership + do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design and print: Brosna Press • 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie

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Leadership in Action: Life as a Principal and how I combine it with GAA and community work

by Aogán O Fearghail, Príomhoide,Scoil Náisiúnta Dhoire na Ceise, Leas-Uachtarán, Comhairle-Uladh CLG

Open school office at nine, switch on computer, edit letter to parents re milk scheme, uniform, policy, swimming, book rentals, absences and more. A few minutes checking email, send to chair BOM, Prim-Ed re. whiteboards and reply to request from colleague.

Read/deal with letter from Dept re children whose first language is not English/learning support form and www.esinet for substitute approval. Bell rings, open door and caint na maidine. Secretary brings steady stream of items for checking/ approving/ signing/ queries/ requests.Teach 5th and 6th class. Open post beside bin. Set a written task and run to classrooms; rentals/ supervision/ calendar/ litter and standardised testing.

Playing Laragh NS next week so football at lunch break. Mobile from chairman, letters from secretary, requests from teachers, hands up from pupils, signature from deliveries, forms, student teachers, floor polish seller, bank and keep teaching; Its 3 o’clock, buses, watch the exits and I have to be in Armagh for a meeting at 5 and a meeting at 7. Home for bed at 12. Hello darling!

Love of language, culture and all things Irish inspired and fired up many teachers and they were the architects, hod carriers and builders of communities and of Nation.

Principals are busy people. National school teachers are energetic, enthusiastic and committed.They need to be. If National school teachers transfer some or all of this passion outside the classroom they can be, and are, powerful community leaders and organisers.

Political parties, sports organisations, voluntary and community groups, along with charitable bodies all benefit from the collective input of

National School teachers. It is a noble tradition.

The “National “part of the title, NT, was important to teachers and I well recall in my early years of teaching being admonished for referring to ourselves as Primary Teachers, we were NATIONAL. Love of language, culture and all things Irish inspired and fired up many teachers and they were the architects, hod carriers and builders of communities and of Nation. Every corner of Ireland had National teachers involved in all aspects of local community but especially in all aspects of “native culture”. National teachers top the league table of TDs, GAA activists, community organisers, local historians and many other diverse bodies.

The Gaelic Athletic Association, the Gaelic League, the Irish Volunteers and Camogie Association were all founded by teachers.

Since then, these organisations and their descendants have been inspired and nurtured by teachers, mostly National Teachers. Their involvement is not due to superior intelligence or organisational skills, indeed many NTs such as Michael Cusack were notoriously disorganised. Their involvement stemmed from commitment, from passion and from absolute conviction and an old style sense of patriotic duty I started teaching in 1979 and immediately commenced a teaching career combined with membership of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, or Pats, 19761979 had formed a commitment to GAA, teaching, Gaeilge and fun.These four horsemen have remained central to all aspects of my life since then.

With my wife Frances we built and developed Maudabawn Cultural Centre in rural Co Cavan.

Here we organised evening classes/courses on a diverse range of activities ranging from historical talks and seminars to computer training and musical evenings. We organised heritage tours, provided tour guiding and an annual heritage among the drumlins course for teachers.The cultural centre, a stone,

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thatched building, was also the venue for a cross community youth club and a training/ upskilling programme for rural women. Busy heady days at an Chultúrlann but the same general skills and strategies were applied to this work as were in use as a Principal at Dernakesh National School.

The Gaelic Athletic Association, the Gaelic League, the Irish Volunteers and Camogie Association were all founded by teachers.

Since then, these organisations and their descendants have been inspired and nurtured by teachers.

Principal at Dernakesh N.S. since 1993, only the fourth principal in 100 years. A seven teacher rural school, we completed a new building in 2005, officially opened by Minister Hanafin in 2007. Every day there is a joy. It is the school I went to in the 1960s and a busy life in the evenings helps my schoolwork. The skills of a Teaching Principal are useful when organising a busload of teachers or a dressing room of footballers. But essentially the skills of a GAA official are useful in the staffroom and the diplomacy learned in meetings with Governing bodies is relevant back at the classroom when disputes arise among the sixth class. While cultural and community work are extra curricular, they are, in my case, linked and mutually beneficial. I return after a coaching weekend a better teacher for my pupils; after a tense meeting at Stormont I am better equipped to meet the Parents’ Association and, following the investigation of a row in the tunnel, supervision policies are easier to compose.

I played gaelic football, rather poorly, with my club, but I always turned up. I started the club juvenile teams and coached the 12s for 25 years.

It was fantastic, loved it. Excitement of the fixture list, crack at training, singing on the bus, blaming the ref, who scored the best point, can we have no homework if we win.When I meet those past pupils now, they don’t mention or recall school days but they all recall the games and 12 of them packing into my car.

But essentially the skills of a GAA official are useful in the staffroom and the diplomacy learned in meetings with Governing bodies is relevant back at the classroom when disputes arise among the sixth class.

beneficial to my school duties. I was elected PRO of Comhairle Uladh and spent 3 busy years in that exciting fast-moving, fast-acting position. I then spent three years in slower more mundane mode as Ulster Council treasurer.

Meeting Government agencies North and South, negotiating million euro grant packages and helping to organise revenue collection on match days. Once again I found all these positions to be an extension of school work and both GAA and school activity was mutually beneficial.

I was Irish language officer for Cavan county board, scoláireachtaí gaeltachta, polasaithe i dtaobh na gaeilge, moltaí do na club chun Gaeilge a labhairt agus ar ndóigh ag scríobh na nótai don chathaoirleach.

In 2007 I was elected vice- chairman of the Ulster Council serving on all Councils, many committees, chairing some. I also chair the National Information Technology committee at Croke Park and serve on the Central Competitions Control Commmittee. I get into many unusual discussions, meet many strange people and witness some unusual scenes. Of course I also have many straightforward run of the mill debates, meet many normal interesting people and see great games.

In the midst of all the activity, I have great fun.

I represented Cavan on the Ulster Council, thrilling. Punctuality, efficiency, high quality debate, Irish enthusiasts. Ulster council gave me great insights and experiences which were

Our four children Niamh, Clíona, Aogán Og agus Conall share our love affair with Gaelic Games. They all play and attend most games with us. Without them I wouldn’t be at it. For

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as GAA is about strengthening community, it strengthens family first.

We have lessened our workload at the Cultural Centre. I have returned to post-graduate research and also run an Irish Language summer course in Gort a Choirce, Tír Chonill.

Frances still runs the little country shop and Post Office. Everything revolves around family, GAA and school.

My activities with GAA and other cultural bodies assist me with my teaching and vice versa. Being a busy Principal allows me develop insights which I hope assists the GAA My activities with GAA and other cultural bodies assist me with my teaching and vice versa. Being a busy Principal allows me develop insights which I hope assists the GAA. Promoting an interest in all things Irish at school and in community remains an abiding passion. I am proud to remain an unrepentant National School Principal.

Interactive Professionalism in Small Rural Schools

By Tomás Keegan M. Ed., Retired Principal, Castletown NS, Gorey, Wexford.

Tomás Keegan retired as Principal of Castletown NS near Gorey in Wexford on Sept 5th 2008. This article forms part of a Masters Tom completed on the Sustainability of Small Schools a number of years ago.

When people talk about the management of change in Irish education, they invariably focus on the problems of large urban schools and the establishment of collaborative cultures and collegiality between members of large staffs.

Can this thinking transfer to small rural Irish Primary schools? How relevant is interactive professionalism in the two or three teacher school?

Problems inherent in the very nature of small schools have been consistently ignored, mainly because of the adverse public reaction to the ill-conceived policy of amalgamation in the early 70’s.

Problems inherent in the very nature of small schools have been consistently ignored, mainly because of the adverse public reaction to the ill-conceived policy of amalgamation in the early 70’s. That small schools have survived up to now is no argument for maintaining the status quo. Changes in society impact more seriously on the smaller school and will continue to do so in the absence of some imaginative thinking to come to their assistance and re-establish their viability.

CHANGE IN OUR SOCIETY Huge cultural and societal changes have taken place in Ireland in the last 20 years and we have moved towards a more liberal pluralist society.

Such change has not occurred without pain and uncertainty and can only be managed by applying new remedies.

Today, the key question is how we can continue to teach, lead and renew ourselves and our schools, particularly small rural schools in the

midst of all these transformations. The failure of successive governments to see the big picture, or to adequately consult with those faced with the implementation of change on the ground, has only added to the chaos.We are now faced with insufficient teacher numbers, dramatically enlarged enrolments, lack of accommodation and resources, inadequate school management structures and grossly under-funded schools.We have, as Senge might describe it, ‘vision without systems thinking’ and have ended up painting lovely pictures of the future with no understanding of the mechanisms required to get us there.

SCHOOL AMALGAMATION Attempts to impose amalgamation of small rural schools in the sixties and early seventies was a key indicator of the inadequacy of the ‘top down’ approach to educational change employed by the DES. In the late 60s, a policy of establishing schools in rural areas with a minimum of four teachers was adopted.

However, failure to grasp the importance of consultation with parents, teachers and management, such as it was, or to convince communities of the likely gains in effectiveness of such amalgamations, resulted eventually in the abandonment of the initiative. Politicians and officials were to learn that cultural influences can be at one and the same time powerful and pervasive, yet also invisible and unnoticeable.

Clearly, rural Ireland’s evaluation of, and close identification with the village school was not understood by those whose motivation for change was largely economic. So called ‘sound educational arguments’ were put forward and even within the rural communities concerned, many accepted that that the limited range of skills and disciplines available within the staff, allied to the professional isolation and lack of mobility of teachers, were problems which needed (and still need) to be tackled. The bureaucratic solution to amalgamating them into large ‘central schools’ was soon shown to be culturally unacceptable to such an extent that the policy became a political hot potato and had to be shelved, if not totally abandoned.

Present Policy on Rural Schools

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Officially, the Department of Education and Science still supports a policy of amalgamation but no longer argues a case for it and will seldom contemplate it, except on the initiative of the communities concerned. The 1993 National Education Convention did report however, that the main criterion on deciding on a school’s closure and amalgamation should be the quality of education provision and not school size. There are obviously hundreds of tiny rural schools scattered round the country which could rightfully be described as jewels in the crown of our educational system.The fly in the ointment is that a single appointment or change of teacher has the potential to turn a highly successful school into the very opposite.

We are now faced with insufficient teacher numbers, dramatically enlarged enrolments, lack of accommodation and resources, inadequate school management structures and grossly under-funded schools.

Officially it would appear that school size is not an issue so long as education quality is maintained. But what happened to the ‘sound educational reasons’ for amalgamation that existed a generation ago? Have new policies been introduced to ensure satisfactory educational quality in two and three teacher schools? As is so often the reaction to perceived political policy failures, little attempt has been made since the 70s to tackle what were than claimed to be inherent educational deficiencies in the small rural school. Few, (even when amalgamation was the official policy) would question the effectiveness of these institutions in the teaching of core subjects. However, in the absence of specialist teachers, the exposure of pupils in small schools to structured development in areas such as Art, Drama, IT, PE and Religion, to name but a few, still depends entirely, as it did over the years, on the talents and aptitudes (not to mention attitudes) of perhaps only 2 teachers. Should curricular diversity for so many pupils (almost 1600

schools have less than 100 pupils) be left to chance in this way? The further problem of the disproportionate effect of the persistently underperforming teacher on children’s education was one of the main arguments of proponents for amalgamation.That argument is as valid today as a generation ago yet there has amazingly been little demand for change.

ISOLATION The professional isolation of teachers limits access to new ideas, networking and collective problem-solving.

Achievement goes unrecognised and unacknowledged while underperformance and stress is allowed to persist and fester to the determinant of all.

Isolation allows, even if it does not always produce, conservatism and resistance to innovation in teaching. Even in challenge, as Hargreaves and Fullan correctly identified in ‘What’s worth fighting for in your School’ (1991)’, is to develop ‘interactive professionalism’. Both academics produce ample evidence to show that collegiality and collaboration among teachers is part and parcel of sustained improvement. Collaborative cultures turn individual learning into shared learning, or organisational learning where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured. The immediate priority is to resolve the difficulties of isolation, haphazard curricular diversity and to immediately establish

collaborative cultures or ‘learning organisations’ in one, two and three teacher schools.

The professional isolation of teachers limits access to new ideas, networking and collective problem-solving.

THE SOLUTION A quarter century ago, the motivation of government in promoting amalgamation of schools was largely financial while the reason for abandoning the policy was mainly political.

Today our primary concern must be educational, whilst keeping a pragmatic eye on the financial and political implications. In this context, the employment of specialist teachers to cover the areas of concern might provide a reasonable educational solution but one which would be untenable financially in the current climate. Besides, at Primary level, specialisation has its limits. The relationship and sense of security of small children with their ‘own teacher’ are important factors which should not be lost sight of in the search for a quick fix solution.

I believe there is a solution in the idea of clustering small schools under one Administrative Principal and Board of Management with reasonable mobility of staff

and resources throughout the centres. Small school communities would still retain the village school but with a greater spread of aptitudes and talents available. Existing autonomous Principals in rural schools could not reasonably be forced to surrender their independence but I suspect that many might embrace the idea enthusiastically.This initiative could certainly be piloted in rural areas where Principals are retiring.

Certainly, difficulties will emerge. Strategies to deal with rivalries between communities would have to be devised. However, a blueprint already exists in the clustering of schools for learning support, language support and resource hours which could, with good will and a little imagination, be extended to all aspects of school activity.

Having experienced this isolation and frustration over the course of my teaching career, from which I am recently retired, I am convinced interactive professionalism would be of enormous benefit to small school communities.

While accepting that such communities have been enormously successful, I believe that the time has come to recognise that a large segment of our educational structure must be afforded some initiatives to create a much more vibrant rural school sector.

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Question: Who wrote the article on Child Welfare & Protection in this issue?

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FAQs

SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION

Principals’ Frequently Asked Questions This column will provide answers to questions that are asked frequently in Principals’ calls and emails to IPPN’s Support Office and the Principal Advice team.

NEWCOMER IRISH Question: A Foreign National family is looking to enrol their child, who has little to no English, what support is available for this?

Answer:

The nine categories of Principal Advice queries are: ● HR Management ● Recruitment ● Administration ● Board of Management ● Parents & Pupils ● Principal’s Role ● Inclusion ● School Policies ● School Development & Curriculum Planning.

In this issue, we focus on questions relating to Inclusion. These and many other ‘FAQs’ were compiled over the summer by a panel comprising IPPN’s Executive Committee members and are also available on www.ippn.ie under the Principal Advice tab.

INCLUSION SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANTS Question: Are SNAs assigned to a specific child or can they be moved within the school?

Answer: They are assigned to the school and can be moved. It is considered good practice to move SNAs. Question: What duties are appropriate for an SNA when allocated to a child with severe medical problems i.e. diabetes, severe allergies?

Answer: They would be expected to meet the physical care needs of the child.

This may involve providing the SNA with the necessary training.

Resources: Refer to EPSEN Act, Refer to own School’s Administration of Medicine Policy and Policy on Intimate care needs.

Examples of these policies are also available on www.ippn.ie. Refer to the individual SNA’s contract.

0-2 Newcomer Children – Nil 3-6 Grant 7-13 Grant

2 levels paid to Board of Management to employ teacher

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SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS Question: Will a child lose their special needs allocation if they are changed from a low to high incidence?

Answer: Unfortunately yes. Refer to DES Circular 02/05 and CPSMA Handbook p.213-250

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A Traveller Child must be treated the same as any other child. This issue must be dealt with accordingly.

TRAVELLER CHILDREN Question: What is the procedure for dealing with a Traveller child who is very disruptive?

The child has been suspended for harming another pupil. Parents are putting pressure on the Principal to exclude the Traveller child from the school altogether.

Answer: A Traveller Child must be treated the same as any other child. This issue must be dealt with accordingly. Refer to the School’s Code of Discipline and Antibullying policies.

We will be reviewing networking@ippn.ie and advice@ippn.ie mailing lists and will endeavour to respond to the most frequently-asked questions in this column. To subscribe to these mailing lists, see the ICT Tips article on IPPN Mailing Lists by Seaghan Moriarty in Issue 46.

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For further information

Freephone 1800 226699 Or contact Justin Gillespie direct on 087 2863078

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Child welfare and protection in Ireland

by Barry Andrews, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs

Child welfare and protection in Ireland is primarily predicated on the Child Care Act 1991 and the Children Act 2001. The Child Care Act 1991 places a legal obligation on the Health Service Executive, HSE, to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and attention.

In implementing the Act, the primary emphasis must be on prevention and early intervention where possible and supporting children in their family situation in the community. Only in the case of serious problems as judged by HSE professionals should alternative appropriate care services which place children outside of the home be provided.

The Agenda sets out a new way of working and delivering services to children by working in partnership with children, families, professionals and communities.

There also exists a range of policy and related documents in this area, including the National Children’s Strategy, the Children First Guidelines, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and, most recently, the Agenda for Children’s Services, the overarching policy document of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs launched in December 2007.

The Agenda emphasises family support and working together with earlier interventions as the way forward. This is aimed at avoiding the crises which often lead to children being taken into the care of the HSE. Family support interventions can assist a child experiencing difficulties to remain in his/her own family home. Family support is a broad umbrella term covering a wide range of interventions which vary according to their target group and are provided by a range of professionals including family workers, social workers, child care workers, youth and

community workers, public health nurses.

Examples of these programmes include services provided by the Community Mothers, Family Support Workers, Teen Parents Support Projects, and Spring Board Projects. HSE show that Family Support services spending has increased 80% since 2003 (from €46m to €82m in 2007).

Schools have a major role in the lives of children and young people and teachers are often the first point of contact when a child is experiencing difficulties.

The Agenda sets out a new way of working and delivering services to children by working in partnership with children, families, professionals and communities. The principle of having health and personal social services provided on the basis of the child being supported within the family and within the local community is at the core of this approach.The policy is aimed at all of us working with children and families from policy makers through to frontline workers.

to these shared outcomes in a cooperative way that demonstrates results.

The Agenda has within it sets of reflective questions which invite policymakers, managers and frontline service delivery staff to test themselves on how they can implement the underlying collaborative family support oriented mode of service delivery advocated. It would be very good if school principals and teachers generally could use these questions to help them implement this policy with us. The Agenda is available on the OMCYA website (www.omc.gov.ie ) under child welfare and protection.

Key aspects of the policy document include the setting out of The 7 National Outcomes for Children in Ireland and these are that children should be: ● ● ● ● ●

Healthy, both physically and mentally Supported in active learning Safe from accidental and intentional harm Economically secure Secure in the immediate and wider physical environment ● Part of positive networks of family, friends, neighbours and the community and ● Included and participating in society.

The Agenda promotes the principles of delivering integrated services for children.

Many Government departments and agencies have children among those who benefit from their services. Many children will receive a range of these services and often their needs will cross departmental boundaries. A “whole child/whole system” approach ensures that the effectiveness of any particular service benefits from being reinforced and complemented by other services working together, for and with children. Each agency/body has a responsibility to articulate and act on its own goals in regard

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Schools have a major role in the lives of children and young people and teachers are often the first point of contact when a child is experiencing difficulties. It is important that schools and children’s services work together to ensure that children reach their potential and are protected from harm. An example of this is the continued successful implementation of Children First – National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children.

The National Children’s Strategy was published in 2000. Its vision was described thus: An Ireland where children are respected as young citizens with a valued contribution to make and a voice of their own; where all children are cherished and supported by family and the wider society; where they enjoy a fulfilling childhood and realise their potential.

It is my intention to do everything I can during my time as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to realise this aim.

Legal Diary

by David Ruddy, B.L.

Codes of Behaviour The New Guidelines 2008 Just before the summer holidays a courier delivered a box to your school. If you didn’t get the chance to open it, please do. Inside you will find copies of ‘Developing Codes of Behaviour’ Guidelines for schools. There is a copy for each member of staff. The book is published by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB).

Why are the guidelines important? All codes of behaviour must be in compliance with the new guidelines.

These guidelines have their basis in law (Education Welfare Act 2000 Section 23(3).

Schools operate in a complex legal environment.

The Code of Behaviour must comply with the provisions of several laws, as well as a range of constitutional demands and a series of International conventions that have been adopted

by Ireland. The guidelines aim to assist Boards of Management (BoMs) and school Principals to act in accordance with their legal obligations when reviewing and revising their Code of Behaviour.

These guidelines supersede rule 130 (as amended

by Circular 7/88) and Circular 20/90 ‘Guidelines towards a positive policy for school behaviour and discipline for national schools’. I propose to review the guidelines with greater reference to suspension rather than expulsion. I will return to the issue of expulsion at a later stage. I take the view that independent legal advice would be appropriate when expulsion is considered as a sanction.

I will examine and summarise the new guidelines under the following headings: (1) audit and review (2) sanctions (3) applying sanctions in response to behaviour that takes place outside school (4) implementing and communicating the Code of Behaviour (5) legal and procedural requirements for suspensions and expulsions, to include: a) the legal context b) the responsibility of the Board of Management c) applying fair procedures in school

d) involving the Gardaí.

(6) Suspension a) authority to suspend b) grounds for suspension c) forms of suspension d) procedures in relation to immediate suspension e) the period of suspension f) section 29 appeals g) implementing the suspension h) records and reports.

It would be fair to suggest that participation in the process and ownership of the code by the school community is paramount.

(1) AUDIT AND REVIEW The NEWB recommends that the review and update of Codes of Behaviour is completed with a two-year period i.e. by September 2010. Staff need to be provided with time and opportunities to engage in this review. Pupils, parents and other members of the school community need to be involved in this review. It would be fair to suggest that participation in the process and ownership of the code by the school community is paramount.

A team approach by staff based on a plan to help pupils to behave well along with ways of responding to unacceptable behaviour is also emphasized. The guidelines examine aspects of school life that may impact on behaviour; disadvantage, diversity, classroom management, ability grouping, break time management, school/classroom environment and relevance of the curriculum.

(2) SANCTIONS Sanctions should be appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the child and take account of the cultural background of the child. Sanctions should be sensitive to the particular circumstances of vulnerable individuals or groups of children (for example, a child in care or a child with special

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educational needs). In order to comply with equality legislation, sanctions must not be used in a manner that discriminates against particular children or groups of children and schools should beaware that some sanctions might impact disproportionately on particular groups.

If detention is used as a sanction in the school, this should be made clear in the written Code of Behaviour. Parents should have adequate notice of detention.

Inappropriate sanctions include: ● physical punishment or the threat of physical punishment: physical chastisement of a pupil is illegal under section 24 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 ● ridicule, sarcasm or remarks likely to undermine a pupil’s self confidence ● public or private humiliation ● applying sanctions to whole groups or classes in cases of individual or small-group wrong-doing ● leaving a pupil in an unsupervised situation (e.g. a corridor) while in the care of the school ● persistent isolation of, or ignoring, a pupil in class ● sanctions that are used in a discriminatory way: the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 require that schools do not discriminate in the use of sanctions.

Temporarily removing a pupil from the classroom to a supervised location may be appropriate in the interests of classroom management in order to ensure the learning of other pupils and to help the individual pupil to recognise and learn about the impact and consequences of their behaviour.

However, consistently denying a pupil access to a particular part of the curriculum as a general sanction would not be appropriate.

Teachers should take particular care that they help the pupil with special needs to understand clearly the purpose of the sanction and the reason why their behaviour is unacceptable.

(3) APPLYING SANCTIONS IN RESPONSE TO BEHAVIOUR THAT TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE SCHOOL The standards and rules contained in the Code of Behaviour would usually apply in any situation where the pupil, although outside the school, is still the responsibility of the school. Examples include school tours, games and extra-curricular activities and attendance at events organised by the school. The written Code of Behaviour should make clear to pupils and parents when and where the provisions of the Code of Behaviour apply. Where a pupil is alleged to have engaged in serious misbehaviour outside school, when not under the care or responsibility of the school, a judgement would have to be made that there is a clear connection with the school and a demonstrable impact on its work, before the Code of Behaviour applies.The school authorities may need to get legal advice where the situation is complex.

(4) IMPLEMENTING AND COMMUNICATING THE CODE OF BEHAVIOUR The success of the Code of Behaviour depends on having a good plan for implementing it. The essential elements of an implementation plan are: ● communicating the code ● teaching pupils the behavioural and learning skills they need ● securing parental support for the code.

Section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 requires the school to provide parents with a copy of the Code of Behaviour before registration of the parents’ child as a pupil of the school. The Act states that the Principal may, as a condition of registration, ask the parents to confirm in writing that the code is acceptable to them and that they will make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with the code by their child.

(5) SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS - LEGAL AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS: (a) The legal context The entitlement to education is protected in a range of constitutional and legal provisions and in human rights Conventions. These legal protections for the individual pupil’s right to

education mean that decisions to suspend or expel a pupil are open to appeal and may be subject to judicial review by the High Court.

Schools are required, under section 23(2) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, to include their procedures for suspension and expulsion in their Code of Behaviour. (b) The responsibility of the Board of Management The Board of Management should: ● ensure that the school has a policy on, and procedures for, the use of suspension and expulsion that are in line with these Guidelines and with any additional requirements set down by the Patron ● ensure that all pupils and parents are advised about, and aware of, the school’s policy for suspension and expulsion ● ensure that fair procedures are used for suspension and expulsion and that all staff are aware of those procedures ● take special care to ensure that the fair procedures are accessible to people with disabilities or those from different language or cultural backgrounds ● ensure that the Board of Management and the Principal are equipped for their roles in relation to the use of suspension and expulsion.

The Board of Management and Principal have a duty to ensure that there are no undue delays in an investigation and in making decisions about the imposition of suspension or expulsion. Great care should be taken to ensure that all matters to do with an investigation of alleged misbehaviour are dealt with in confidence.

The principles of fair procedures always apply, but the degree of formality required in implementing fair procedures will depend on the gravity of the alleged misbehaviour and on the seriousness of the possible sanction. The level of formality required, for example for a suspension of fewer than three days, would be less than that required in the case of a longer suspension or in circumstances that might lead to an expulsion.

Even informal processes, however, must be fair and be seen to be fair.The principles of ensuring the right to be heard and the right to impartiality apply in all cases.

The right to be heard means that a pupil and their parents are fully informed about an allegation and the processes that will be used to investigate and decide the matter; and that they must be given an opportunity to respond to an allegation before a decision is made and before a serious sanction is imposed.

Teachers should take particular care that they help the pupil with special needs to understand clearly the purpose of the sanction and the reason why their behaviour is unacceptable.

Absence of bias in the decision-maker would mean, for example, that if the child of the Principal was accused of misconduct that might warrant suspension or expulsion, the Principal would not be involved in the decision.

(c) Applying fair procedures in school In a school, fair procedures apply to: ● the investigation of alleged misbehaviour that may lead to suspension or expulsion and ● the process of decision-making as to (a) whether the pupil did engage in the misbehaviour and (b) what sanction to impose.

The way in which fair procedures are applied will take account of the seriousness of the alleged

The principle of impartiality in decision-making means it is preferable that, where possible, the Principal arranges for another member or members of staff to conduct the investigation and to present a full report on the facts of the case and any other relevant information to the Principal.

The Principal is then free to take a view about whether the pupil did engage in the behaviour and about the sanction based on the report of the investigation.

misbehaviour and will have regard to what is reasonable in the context of a particular school.

Where circumstances require the Principal to conduct the investigation as well as make a

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finding and propose the sanction, he or she must not only act fairly but be seen to act fairly. It is incumbent upon the Principal to review the investigation to ensure that it has been fully and fairly conducted. It should be evident to the pupil, parents, staff and other pupils that the Principal, as decision-maker, is basing their decision, in an objective way, on the findings of the investigation.

The person alleging the misbehaviour, or who is a victim, or a witness should not usually conduct the investigation. Thoughtful application of professional judgement and knowledge of the requirements of fair procedures will generally guide decision-making about suspension and expulsion. However, in circumstances of particular complexity, school authorities may need to seek legal advice to support their decision-making. d) Involving the Gardaí Where allegations of criminal behaviour are made about a pupil, these will usually be referred to the Gardai who have responsibility for investigating criminal matters.

(6) SUSPENSION (a) Authority to suspend The Board of Management of a school has the authority to suspend a pupil.Where this authority is delegated to the Principal, the delegation should be done formally and in writing. The authority delegated to the Principal in respect of suspension should state any limits on that authority, and specify how the Principal is accountable to the Board of Management for his or her use of that authority. The delegation of authority should reflect the provisions of these Guidelines, any relevant legal requirements and Articles of Management, where appropriate. (b) The grounds for suspension Suspension should be a proportionate response to the behaviour that is causing concern. Normally, other interventions will have been tried before suspension, and school staff will have reviewed the reasons why these have not worked.The decision to suspend a pupil requires serious grounds such as that: ● the pupil’s behaviour has had a seriously detrimental effect on the education of other pupils ● the pupil’s continued presence in the school at this time constitutes a threat to safety ● the pupil is responsible for serious damage to property.

A single incident of serious misconduct may be grounds for suspension. (c) Forms of suspension Immediate suspension - In exceptional circumstances, the Principal may consider an immediate suspension to be necessary where the continued presence of the pupil in the school at the time would represent a serious threat to the safety of pupils or staff of the school, or any other person. Fair procedures must still be applied.

‘Automatic’ suspension - A Board of Management may decide, as part of the school’s

policy on sanctions, and following the consultation process with the Principal, parents, teachers and pupils, that particular named behaviours incur suspension as a sanction.

However, a general decision to impose suspension for named behaviours does not remove the duty to follow due process and fair procedures in each case. However, any behaviour that is persistently disruptive to learning or potentially dangerous can be a serious matter.

Rolling suspension - A pupil should not be suspended again shortly after they return to school unless: ● they engage in serious misbehaviour that warrants suspension and ● fair procedures are observed in full and ● the standard applied to judging the behaviour is the same as the standard applied to the behaviour of any other pupil.

Informal or unacknowledged suspension/ voluntary withdrawal - Exclusion of a pupil for part of the school day, as a sanction, or asking parents to keep a child from school, as a sanction, is a suspension. Any exclusion imposed by the school is a suspension, and should follow the Guidelines relating to suspension.

The Board of Management of a school has the authority to suspend a pupil. Where thisauthority is delegated to the Principal, the delegation should be done formally and in writing.

Open-ended suspension - Pupils should not be suspended for an indefinite period. Any such suspension would be regarded as a de-facto expulsion and would be treated as such under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (d) Procedures in relation to immediate suspension Where an immediate suspension is considered by the Principal to be warranted for reasons of the safety of the pupil, other pupils, staff or others, a preliminary investigation should be conducted to establish the case for the imposition of the suspension. The formal investigation should immediately follow the imposition of the suspension. All of the conditions for suspension apply to immediate suspension. No suspension, including an immediate suspension, should be open-ended. In the case of an immediate suspension, parents must be notified, and arrangements made with them for the pupil to be collected. The school must have regard to its duty of care for the pupil. In no circumstances should a pupil be sent home from school without first notifying parents. (e) The period of suspension A pupil should not be suspended for more than three days, except in exceptional circumstances where the Principal considers that a period of suspension longer than three days is needed in

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order to achieve a particular objective. Each Board of Management should provide guidance to the Principal concerning the kinds of circumstances under which suspensions of longer than three days might be approved. If a suspension longer than three days is being proposed by the Principal, the matter should be referred to the Board of Management for consideration and approval, giving the circumstances and the expected outcomes. However, a Board of Management may wish to authorise the Principal, with the approval of the Chairperson of the Board, to impose a suspension of up to five days in circumstances where a meeting of the Board cannot be convened in a timely fashion, subject to the guidance concerning such suspensions. The Board of Management should normally place a ceiling of ten days on any one period of suspension imposed by it.

The Board should formally review any proposal to suspend a pupil, where the suspension would bring the number of days for which the pupil has been suspended in the current school year to twenty days or more. Any such suspension is subject to appeal under section 29 of the Education Act. These provisions enable school authorities to give the pupil a reasonable time to reflect on their behaviour while avoiding undue loss of teaching time and loss of contact with the positive influences of school. They recognise the serious nature of the sanction of suspension and ensure that this seriousness is reflected in school procedures. The provisions mean that the Board of Management takes ultimate responsibility for sanctions of significant length, especially where such suspensions might reach twenty days in one school year and therefore might lead to an appeal. (f) Section 29 Appeals Where the total number of days for which the pupil has been suspended in the current school year reaches twenty days, the parents, or a pupil aged over eighteen years, may appeal the suspension under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, as amended by the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2007. At the time when parents are being formally notified of such a suspension, they and the pupil should be told about their right to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, and should be given information about how to appeal. (g) Implementing the suspension Written notification The Principal should notify the parents and the pupil in writing of the decision to suspend. The letter should confirm: ● the period of the suspension and the dates on which the suspension will begin and end ● the reasons for the suspension ● any study programme to be followed ● the arrangements for returning to school, including any commitments to be entered into by the pupil and the parents (for example, parents might be asked to reaffirm their commitment to the Code of Behaviour)

● the provision for an appeal to the Board of Management ● the right to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science (Education Act 1998, section 29).

The letter should be clear and easy to understand.

Particular care should be taken in communicating with parents who may have reading difficulties, or whose first language is not the language of the school.

A Code of Behaviour is of little use unless schools teach pupils the rules. (h) Records and reports Formal written records should be kept of: ● the investigation (including notes of all interviews held) ● the decision-making process ● the decision and the rationale for the decision ● the duration of the suspension and any conditions attached to the suspension. ● The Principal should report all suspensions to the Board of Management, with the reasons for and the duration of each suspension. The Principal is required to report suspensions in accordance with the NEWB reporting guidelines (Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, section 21(4)(a)) i.e. if a pupil is suspended for six school days or more. ● meetings with parents and the pupil to try to find ways of helping the pupil to change their behaviour ● making sure that the pupil understands the possible consequences of their behaviour, if it should persist ● ensuring that all other possible options have been tried ● seeking the assistance of support agencies (e.g. National Educational Psychological

Service, Health Service Executive Community Services, the National Behavioural Support Service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, National Council for Special Education).

OBVERSATION These guidelines are long overdue, but welcome.

They seek to bring some type of uniformity to over 3,200 primary schools and 800 secondary schools. All schools must revisit their existing Codes of Behaviour with a view to compliance with the guidelines. It is the Principal’s role to lead the audit and review and to ensure the implementation of the code.Whilst guidelines by their nature allow for some discretion, the vast majority of these guidelines are mandatory by virtue of the requirements of legislation, international conventions and the Constitution.

Due process and fairness of procedure are essential ingredients of any Code of Behaviour. They should be at the heart of any process which might impose the sanction of suspension or expulsion.

In relation to applying sanctions in response to behaviour outside school, there must be a clear connection between the school and a demonstrable impact on its work before the Code of Behaviour applies.Applying sanctions to whole class groups or classes in cases of individual or small group wrong-doing breaches the guidelines.

Always request parents to sign acceptance of the Code of Behaviour as a condition of registration in the school. School patrons have a right to offer appeals procedures which would be available to parents and pupils prior to the statutory rights afforded by Section 29 of the Education Act 1998.

The promotion and affirmition of good behaviour is rightly encouraged. In my opinion, the use of reward systems such as Discipline for Learning merits consideration if not already in use. A Code of Behaviour is of little use unless schools teach pupils the rules. Communication of rules should take account of special needs pupils and the importance of them understanding what

is involved. Ideally translations should be made available to international pupils (this in some instances would have to accommodate up to 20 different languages and could be costly). The guidelines state that shortened days and voluntary withdrawal constitute informal or unacknowledged suspension and should follow the guidelines relating to suspension. My final comment is that any review of the Code of Behaviour should be cross-referenced with the School Admission Policy, and the Health and Safety Statement.

Source: Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools, published by the National Educational Welfare Board.

‘SINGLE SEX SCHOOLS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF A RECENT SECTION 29 APPEAL’ Kavanagh v Nagle Community College, Mahon, Cork 2008 A 12 year old girl won a Section 29 Appeal taken on her behalf by her parents to gain entry to an all boys secondary school.The appeal was upheld on the grounds that the school did not adhere to the terms of its own enrolment policy and the procedures therein. The enrolment policy lacked clarity and did not indicate that enrolment at the school is confined to boys only.

Single sex schools ought to ensure that their enrolment policies, and indeed any communications with parents seeking enrolment of their children, make explicit the single sex status of the school. Section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 takes account of the position of a single sex school. The Department of Education and Science’s (DES) position is that any school recognised by the DES as a single sex school for enrolment purposes continues to hold that designation until the patron of the school requests the DES to make a change to that designation and the DES has altered that designation.

IPPN Seminars

Your School & the Law DATE

LOCATION

VENUE

Sat 15th Nov 2008 Sat 29th Nov 2008 Sat 28th Feb 2009 Sat 21st Mar 2009 Sat 28th Mar 2009

Cork Galway Dublin Sligo Dublin

Moran Silversprings Hotel, Cork City Carlton Shearwater, Ballinasloe, Galway Green Isle Hotel, Dublin Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo Green Isle Hotel, Dublin

SPEAKERS Keynotes and Q&A sessions will be delivered by: ● David Ruddy, Barrister & Primary School Principal ● Dympna Glendenning, Barrister ● Ian O'Herlihy, Solicitor ● Emer Woodfull, Barrister ● Shay Bannon, Health & Safety Consultant and Post Primary Principal ● Denise Brett, BL

SEMINAR FORMAT David Ruddy is the director of the seminar series. Each seminar will address, among other topics: ● New Codes of Behaviour –Guidelines & Procedures ● Enrolment - Policy, Procedures & Section 29 Appeals ● Health, Safety & Welfare at Work – Statements & Responsibilities ● Employment - Recruitment & Contracts.

These seminars will be of interest to all those involved in primary and second-level education, including Teachers, Principals, BoM members and Parents. For further information / registration, please contact IPPN on 1890 21 22 23, see www.ippn.ie or email support@ippn.ie.

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No One Said It Would Be Easy!

Leadership and its Influence On Learning

by Madeleine East The purpose of this article is not to theorise or put forward any definitive description of the complexities of the role of the school leader or principal, but rather share some thoughts and musings about leadership which might promote reflection, discussion or reading on the part of the reader.

There can be no question of doubt that schools are a place of learning. That our key focus must be student learning outcomes – that is our role and our responsibility.

We each go about our business in different ways ensuring that the culture or ethos of the school reflects the community and needs of our students.

For the most part the whole child is important to all schools, and we endeavour to provide safe and stimulating environments which allow students to grow and develop socially, emotionally, physically and academically. The trick is to maintain the balance – to ensure that academic growth retains its importance, in terms of our role, in the total education of the child.

The influence of the principal is crucial in terms of professional development, setting goals and expectations, establishing resources, recruitment and retention.

The question then must be, how do we maintain this balance in a consistent way so that student achievement remains the focus, and what is the role of principal in all of this?

It is internationally accepted that the principal’s role is important within the context of school leadership and how that leadership impacts on student achievement and learning outcomes. I use the term leadership deliberately.

It can, and has been argued, that the teacher is the most significant element in student learning.

The quality of the teacher is indeed critical, but having said that the influence of the principal is crucial in terms of professional development, setting goals and expectations, establishing resources, recruitment and retention. An important part of this is building relationships, understanding and developing people.

For the purpose of this article I have looked at leadership in the context of empowering others in the school to acknowledge and accept responsibility for leading learning and largely in the context of New Zealand schools.

I acknowledge the place of distributed leadership, but see this perhaps as being a vehicle for addressing the principal’s workload and having the potential to be somewhat shallow in approach or implementation. Instead I am of the mind that distributed leadership should be more focussed on redesign which allows learning to design the model within the school and empowers all to be involved in the learning process and outcomes. This then is where the role of the principal is pivotal in “guiding a consistent system with clear guidelines and constraints, giving people freedom and responsibility within the framework of that system.” Jim Collins – Good to Great.

There can be a tendency at times for school leaders to get sidetracked from the key focus of school leadership - to enhance learning - by debating the issue around leadership vs. management. As I have read more and debated the topic more widely, it is very clear that leadership and management are intrinsically linked and cannot be clearly separated.

Part of a good leader’s role is being a good manager.

Effective schools have good management systems in place. Financial, property and resource management, timetables etc are inextricably part of the architecture of the school and are part of the platform from which learning is promoted, pursued and improved, and learning outcomes achieved and sustained.

A UK research programme conducted by Nottingham University, led by professor Christopher Day is looking at 20 case study schools, all judged to be sustaining improvement PAG E 1 4

over at least three years. The study is trying to establish the connections by looking at what has made these schools effective or successful.

Leadership is a key component of this study and data coming through would suggest that the principal or head teacher is pivotal in the school’s ability to not only improve learning outcomes for students but sustain that success.

Sustainability is absolutely critical and, in my view, empowering others is the only logical way of ensuring this is so.

In today’s climate it is important to develop a school culture which promotes a professional commitment to education It could be said that 20-30 years ago teachers and principals worked in isolation, teachers worked as individuals and the principal just kept things ticking over, so to speak. This is not so today. In today’s climate it is important to develop a school culture which promotes a professional commitment to education, aspirations which focus on improved learning outcomes and is embraced by the whole school.

The principal’s role is critical in this. The principal needs to model, to nurture, to provide support and empower others to be integral to the process. The principal also needs to ensure the systems and resources are in place for this “culture” to be sustained.

In my reading and discussions common elements of leadership seemed to be evident. ● Goals, expectations and vision were all clearly defined, articulated and shared. ● Learning outcomes/academic achievement is embedded in the school culture. ● Professional development is promoted throughout the school and everyone participates in the learning and development. ● Planning and evaluating outcomes is consistent across the school and data used to inform ongoing planning.

● Resourcing is well managed and at a level which ensures support.

goals/outcomes of the school.Spillane, Halverson and Diamond (2001).

● The school has a caring and supportive environment which encourages learning and promotes collegiality.

I believe distributed leadership should be used as part of the development of leadership capacity, and viewed as a professional development exercise. Gold et al (2002).

● Consistency of approach (pedagogy) and assessment across the school which develops a learning community.

This is not an exhaustive list but simply some elements which seemed to be common and which are all part of the strategic planning that is such an important part of the principal’s role, if successful learning is to be sustained.

An important aspect to consider is that to maintain school performance, building capacity within the school at individual, collective and community levels is vital for sustainability. To achieve this, the principal needs to develop relationships and to be able to focus on the core business of the school, creating an environment of trust which acknowledges strengths, skills and expertise of others and allows for personal growth and development. This can be achieved by ensuring the school’s vision and mission (purpose/goals) are developed collectively and reflected consistently, being inclusive and acknowledging the opinions of others. This is all part of the distributed leadership model, which truly does help “grow leadership”, and empowers others. This demonstrates that: (a) the purpose or vision of the school is indeed shared, not just one person’s “dream” and that (b) the principal has absolute confidence and trust in others to do the job well, thereby empowering them to accept leadership challenges.

This strategy of distributing leadership is a sound strategy but there is a danger that low level delegation is passed off as distributed leadership.

Distributed leadership should be based on a set of values, reflective of the school mission/vision and should be directly related to the agreed

What has emerged for me is that school leadership is a complex role and for sustainability recognition needs to be given to role the principal plays in developing and maintaining successful schools. Texts based on empirical leadership research either emphasise quality of passion and commitment (Sugrue, 2005), strategic direction (Leithwood and Jantzi 1999) or principles of sustainability (Davies 2006, Day 2005, Fullan 2005, Hargreaves and Fink 2006).

It is important that the role of the principal is clarified, not through a job description or a set of tasks but rather an understanding of the role The texts also acknowledge the need for principals to be resilient as they face persistent and potentially eroding challenges from contexts ranging from personal to professional to organisational.

Sustaining Resilience, Christopher Day and Michael Schmidt.

The self-managing model that we have enjoyed in New Zealand schools for two decades, and is now becoming more evident overseas, presents an enormous advantage for school leadership, as we have the capacity and the authority to establish goals and direction with our staff and community that best reflects our school’s needs and aspirations.

What I also see, however, as a danger or downside, is the current expectation that the principal is responsible for every aspect of the school leadership, management and governance.

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This has in part eroded the ability of the principal to always be able to focus specifically on teaching and learning.

Leadership needs to be set within a nest of variables and any established dimensions should come out of both local and international evidence. Currently overseas studies show a direct relationship between high achieving schools and school leadership. Part of this is the inter- and intra-personal relationships developed within a school, ensuring that there is ongoing sustainable capacity-building or critical mass which focuses on the specific goals and purpose of the school. An important part of this is the performance management or appraisal system.

An understanding of goal-setting and a process which is robust in its execution will help develop and sustain pedagogical practice, while improving teacher capability and allowing leadership to be developed. The principal must also be part of the process ensuring their own practice is evolving and developing, therefore sustaining quality leadership.

It is important that the role of the principal is clarified, not through a job description or a set of tasks but rather an understanding of what the role of the leader is actually all about and “identify the focus and purpose and develop the climate and environment to pursue it” Professor Viviane Robinson.

We need to adopt the Hedgehog Concept – “simplify a complex world into a basic principle/concept, a single organising idea that unifies and guides everything” Jim Collins, Good to Great.

Perhaps not easy, but certainly achievable and no one would or could ever suggest the job of the school principal is easy!

Madeleine East is the Principal of a large middle school in Auckland, New Zealand.

She is passionate about children and learning and strongly supports the notion that principals are indeed a critical component of the teaching and learning process.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

by Ruairi Quinn, TD, Labour Party Spokesperson on Education and Science When I became Labour’s spokesperson for Education I concentrated on areas which required priority attention. The crisis in the primary schools building programme was an obvious one, given my training and experience as an Architect and Town Planner.

It is normal practice for the Architect to make an assessment of needs and a survey of resources before formulating initial design responses to the client. The complication that arises with the primary sector now is the identity of the client! Historically, we know that it was the patron and the parish who were responsible for building or extending the school. But that no longer applies since the State has assumed total responsibility for the financing of primary school building programmes. The words ‘piper’ and ‘tune’ readily come to mind, but the Minister is insisting on maintaining that the past is still the fiction of the present!

The Central Statistics Office projects a possible growth to 650,000 by 2025 – at least an extra 200,000 students in the next seventeen years.

The growth in population over the last twenty years has been replaced with a new reality. In 2006 there were 460,000 primary students.

The Central Statistics Office projects a possible growth to 650,000 by 2025 – at least an extra 200,000 students in the next seventeen years.

The cost of meeting this challenge is enormous.

The National Development Plan 2007- 2013 anticipates a total capital spend of €5,361billion out of a total of €58,127billion for Education.

This is a vast amount of tax payer’s money. It is essential that it is spent wisely and that we get Value for Money (VFM).

The Department do not have an overview of the condition of our primary schools. The

information on the 3300 schools is contained in separate files. No horizontal comparison or analysis is possible!

In the light of a growing student population we urgently need to take stock of what we have.

The Minister must move quickly and gather a comprehensive overview of the location, ownership, size and physical condition of each school. Armed with that information, it could be linked to the physical and economic planning process at local and national level.

This would then enable us to think strategically about what we want to do and how.

The Minister must move quickly and gather a comprehensive overview of the location, ownership, size and physical condition of each school.

Schools may need to be clustered or amalgamated. Do parishes need to have separate Boards of Management if they have more than one school in their area? Do we still need separate boys and girls schools in the same parish and side by side?

If the survey of the primary school infrastructure was linked to a similar survey of our secondary schools then we could move towards a policy of building and consolidating educational campuses. These would provide a rationalised and a better resourced school system. The results of the survey could also be used to serve wider community needs like the provision of playing fields, sports halls and related activities which would compliment the educational role of our teachers.

If we were setting out to design a school system today we would not produce the present one.

But this is where we are now. We cannot begin to deal with issues of governance and diversity unless we have a clear idea of what we have.

We need to analyse just how efficiently we are using the infrastructure, given the massive

PAG E 1 6

constraint on financial resources which the government has now announced. It seems to me the current models of patronage at primary school level are not compatible with the new reality of Irish society.

We need to analyse just how efficiently we are using the infrastructure, given the massive constraint on financial resources which the government has now announced.

Leadership must come from the Minister for Education and Science. We have to find a way of finding the best infrastructure at an economic cost that matches our needs.

The Catholic Church controls 93% of the primary school infrastructure. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has indicated his willingness to relinquish control of some of the primary schools in his Dublin diocese. The question arises as to how he is going to decide which schools are to be affected. What message he is giving to the schools he retains and those that are presumably to be handed over the State.

I regard the job of the Minister and the Department as one of enabling Teachers to do their job of education. At present, the structure, the management and the political leadership of the Department seems to be more of a frustrating hindrance than a liberating facilitator.

One final observation: does the Minister really need to be a Teacher? No other Department, since 1973, has had so many professionals from their own discipline end up in the Ministerial office. Knowing so much about the minutiae of the job can colour your judgement. Does it prevent the Minister from seeing the bigger picture?

Primary Curriculum Review - Phase 2

by Dr. Anne Looney, CEO of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) KEY FINDINGS

NCCA RESPONSE

Structure of the English Curriculum

Additional support material: Structure of the English Curriculum (2005)

Information for parents

Tip sheets and information leaflets at www.ncca.ie

Methods of teaching

ACTION website (Assessment, Curriculum and Teaching Innovation on the Net) www.action.ncca.ie

Assessment

Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools (2007) (pdf and browsable versions on website) Report Card Templates (2008) at www.ncca.ie

DVD for parents, The What, Why and How of children’s learning in primary school (2006)

It’s hard to believe that it is almost ten years since the Primary School Curriculum (1999) was launched. During the 2003/2004 school year, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) gathered information about how the curriculum was shaping the classroom experiences of teachers and children, with a particular focus on English,Visual Arts and Mathematics. The NCCA responded to the findings of this first review in various ways: The NCCA has just published the findings from the second phase of review.

This phase focused on Gaeilge, Science and SPHE. A team in St. Patrick’s College also gathered more detailed information from children about their experience with Science.

200 schools nationwide were invited to return questionnaires. In early 2007, almost 1,400 teachers and Principals responded. 12% of respondents were Deputy Principals and Principals. 50% of these were Teaching Principals.

Children, parents, teachers and Principals in eight schools took part in a school case study.The NCCA is grateful to all who participated in this second phase of Primary Curriculum Review.

SO WHAT DID WE FIND OUT? The key findings may be of particular interest to Principals and Deputies as leaders of teaching and learning in their schools.

CURRICULUM SUCCESSES Teachers noted children’s increased enjoyment in learning Gaeilge and Science in particular. Indeed, the active,‘hands-on’ learning methods used by teachers across the three subjects were credited for this. An increase in the amount of oral Gaeilge being used informally by children was reported, as well as their growing sense of pride in, and love for, their language, culture, heritage and community. Success in developing the skills of ‘working scientifically’ was commented on and children in the case study agreed that they liked learning Science very much. Parents too were enthusiastic about the subject.Teachers identified the growth in children’s self-awareness, self-confidence and selfesteem as a particular success of the SPHE Curriculum. They spoke of children’s increased awareness of environmental issues and how they increasingly recognise their role in protecting the natural world.

too referred to insufficient time to meet the needs of all learners, especially in large classes and in multi-grade settings. The challenge of time in relation to planning was also raised.

METHODS OF TEACHING Principals and teachers reported challenges with differentiation and integration.They noted the difficulty of adapting approaches, methodologies and learning outcomes for children with different capabilities in large class groups. The data also indicated that children had limited opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills.The lack of age-appropriate, modern and interesting teaching and learning resources and ICT infrastructure was highlighted for all three subjects, as was the difficulty of locating, assembling and storing resources.

ASSESSMENT Principals and teachers highlighted the challenges they faced making judgments about children’s progress in learning given the absence of ‘standards’ in the curriculum.The data also suggested that they would welcome support in developing strategies to provide feedback to children on their learning.

CURACLAM NA GAEILGE A range of issues emerged across the findings from Principals and teachers concerning language production.These included a possible reluctance on the part of the Principal/teacher to produce language which had not been preformed in the guise of a language game or rhyme. The data also suggested that too great a focus was being placed on basic communication and too little focus on form—possibly due to limited support in Curaclam na Gaeilge on this aspect of teaching and learning. Some Principals also referred to a perceived mismatch in curriculum priorities across primary and post-primary regarding spoken Gaeilge and how this had created challenges in teaching the language.

CURRICULUM CHALLENGES Alongside the many successes, Principals and teachers also reported some challenges.

WHERE TO NEXT? The NCCA hopes to address the identified challenges in a practical way by working with children, teachers, Principals and parents through a network of primary schools. The Primary School Network, comprising school clusters, will look at the issues raised and develop a range of resources that will be made accessible on the recently launched ACTION website (Assessment, Curriculum and Teaching Innovation On the Net) www.action.ncca.ie. With the help of a multi-media approach this website ‘shows’ rather than ‘tells’, highlighting sample activities that teachers can use in their own teaching.

TIME Lack of time was identified as a key challenge across SPHE, Gaeilge and Science. Principals commented on the difficulty in ensuring that children had opportunities to experience the breadth and depth of the curriculum.Teachers

You can access the report of Primary Curriculum Review, Phase 2 and the report on the first part of the commissioned research, Science in the Primary School, at www.ncca.ie. In addition, a leaflet detailing the key findings and the NCCA’s proposed responses will be available shortly.

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Student Teachers - A Code of Good Practice

by Virginia O’Mahony

When Student Teachers come to our schools for Teaching Practice, it is an important and valuable opportunity for them to experience the real life and work of a school, warts and all.

Many may not have been in a primary school since they left sixth class and so there is much to assimilate in a few short weeks. Apart from the preparation and teaching of the actual lessons it is important that students experience all the other aspects of school activity and the important relationships that are the cornerstones of an effective school. They have come not only to hone their craft as teachers but also to absorb the ethos and the atmosphere of a real school. They will benefit from the experience, good practice and common sense of the entire school community. From that cohort will come the school leaders of tomorrow and we would want to provide them with the best possible preparation.

Hosting student teachers is also a valuable experience for the school.When we must share our daily routines with others, who are unfamiliar with them, it causes us to cast a critical eye once again on our systems, policies and procedures. We are obliged to step outside the comfort zone and try to see ourselves as others might see us. It is also a great testament of a school to have the confidence to openly share its traditions, its values and its good practice with a future generation of teachers and Principals. The Principal

Many Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) might well find themselves faced with the prospect of taking the classes which the more senior members of staff choose to avoid.

● An open and positive relationship with College Authorities is desirable and will make for the smooth organisation of the Teaching Practice. ● The primary aim of Teaching Practice is to develop the professional competence of the student teacher. It should be made clear that the expectation of the school is that they would aspire to the highest professional standards at all times. ● As the success of any relationship is based on respect it is important that respect is shown to the student teacher by all members of the school community.

The task of preparing and delivering class work to pupils/students of different academic abilities is a formidable one and it is far removed from the pre-service “staged” teaching practice. ● When the student teacher first visits the school for planning purposes, he/she should be met initially by the Principal, followed by the class teacher ● A warm welcome is important followed by a clear outline of the rules and policies concerning: a) Punctuality b) Child Protection c) Dress Code d) Health and Safety e) Code of Behaviour f) Anti Bullying Code.

and teachers will find much to interest them in observing the current approach to teaching methodology, classroom management and curricular content. It would be very likely that positive cross fertilisation of ideas would occur in these circumstances. For the children it brings the possibility of an exciting experience, a fresh approach and the benefit of having two professionals co-operate to further their learning.

In order that both the student teacher and the school community emerge with a positive experience of Teaching Practice, a number of ground rules are necessary for both parties.The following simple guidelines have proven to be both a safeguard and a recipe for success.

PRINCIPAL AND STAFF ● It clarifies matters for everybody if the school has a written policy on Teaching Practice. It is very useful to outline what categories of students will be given first preference in the event of over demand for placements from so many colleges.

Copies of these policies should be given to the student to take away and read in advance of coming to the school. ● It should be clear that the students will be regarded as members of staff for the duration of the period of Teaching Practice, with many of the rights and responsibilities that entails. The children will also be required to be respectful and co-operative at all times. ● The students should have a copy of the School Information Booklet and all relevant timetables ● Other than exceptional circumstances, students should be included in the distribution list for all internal staff communications, memos etc. ● The Principal should clarify that ultimate responsibility for the class remains with the class teacher and that all aspects of the teaching programme, including activities and field trips, should be discussed with the class teacher in advance.

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● When space allows it is good to welcome students to the staffroom for coffee breaks and lunch. Where space does not allow, this should be explained and a slight alteration to the timetable might allow them to use the staffroom at an alternative time.

● A positive attitude of giving of their best to the children and the school would be of enormous benefit. They are each capable of leaving their mark even in a short period of time.

● Teachers need to stay in the classroom with the student teachers; teachers’ overall responsibility for the class is in no way trasferrable to the student. Consequently student teachers should not be seen as ‘substitute teachers’. Nevertheless, the energy and enthusiasm of the students should be harnessed both in terms of their voluntary contribution to whole-school activities and where appropriate to extra-curricular activities also.

● They should aim to experience as much of school life as is practicable during their short stay. Teachers are usually very positive about involving students in whole school activities.

● Yard supervision is an integral part of school life and should be experienced by the students during their time in the school. While they cannot supervise alone, they could be asked to accompany other teachers in the yard and should be made aware of the school’s system of supervision.

The task of preparing and delivering class work to pupils/students of different academic abilities is a formidable one and it is far removed from the pre-service “staged” teaching practice.

● Where possible it is a positive gesture to be generous in making school equipment and resources available to the students during their stay.

● They must understand and acknowledge the primary responsibility for the class rests with the class teacher and all their work in the class must comply with the teacher’s plans and with the Plean Scoile.

● Flexibility is always necessary in school and students may need to be flexible when the unscheduled occurs.

● On the first morning of Teaching Practice it is essential for the Principal to welcome them warmly and to assure them of the willingness of the whole school community to support, assist and advise them.

● They should become familiar with the school policies they have been given and comply with school rules and norms especially in the areas of Punctuality, Dress Code, Preparation of Work, Child Protection and Code of Behaviour.

STUDENT TEACHERS ● It is important that they show respect for the school community that is welcoming them and providing them with the opportunity of seeing the reality of school life. No school is obliged to take student teachers!

Teaching Practice is an important professional opportunity for the student teachers and for the school. If we manage it effectively it will be a positive experience for the children and especially for the teachers and school leaders of tomorrow.

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PAG E 1 9

Creating a School Website

by Seaghan Moriarty With the new year well underway and hopefully many of the initial teething challenges dealt with, now’s the time to focus on some of your strategic objectives for your school.

At first glance, a school website may not seem high priority, but think of all the following benefits that a website has to offer: ● A modern, professional medium to update pupils, parents, staff and community on school news and events ● An easy way to make school policy, mission statement, administrative forms, newsletters and other information easily accessible ● A place to publish your school calendar which can be updated at a moment’s notice ● A communications hub, where you can email all parents as well as text parent groups (for example by using www.textaparent.ie – and have copies of all communications available on your website.

Your one defining decision will be to source someone with expertise (staff, parents, contacts, outside professional) to build a website according to your design THE REAL VALUE OF A SCHOOL WEBSITE However, the real value of a school website is not only in the above – but also in the learning that takes place by pupils and teachers in publishing schoolwork. The most effective learning takes place in the process of undertaking a task rather than the product we arrive at. The educational psychologist famous for learning ‘flow’ theory, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi asserts: “...it seems increasingly clear that the chief impediments to learning are not cognitive in nature. It is not that students cannot learn, it is that they do not wish to”.

“... if educators invested a fraction of the energy on stimulating the students' enjoyment of learning that they now spend in trying to transmit information we could achieve much better results”.

With this principle in mind, can we engineer situations where we can stimulate and motivate pupils to publish their work to the school website? Examples could include: ● creative writing stories from various classes ● photos from a nature walk, or sporting event in a photo gallery ● projects undertaken by groups or classes, perhaps a talking slideshow ‘as Gaeilge’ showing pictures and names of all the various types of leaves / insects / fish / etc. ● audio files saved as MP3s – perhaps of a historical debate or interview with a local person who lived through the war years.

Just imagine the amount of responsibility, delegation, planning etc. that would have to go into such a project! ● Video footage of hurling skills, science experiments, ‘working as a historian’ and many other engaging options.

SO WHAT ARE THE STAGES TO CREATING A SCHOOL WEBSITE? 1. Planning: Review other school websites and borrow their best ideas! Draw out a tree structure for your website with all your ‘leaves’ (pages) belonging to one of 5 or 6 ‘branches’ 2. Develop and Publish: There are a myriad of tools and services available to help you build your website – but for most Principals, choosing which technologies / software / facilities is simply too specialised. A good position would be to start at the end-point, (easy to update, facility for pupil publishing, photo galleries, news, calendar, etc.) and

then get advice and estimates to enable you to get there.

3. Maintaining and growing: Once your website infrastructure is built, it is essential that you have simple, uncomplicated procedures to ensure that the website is maintained. For example, a staff member or school secretary could maintain the calendar and news; a class could be in charge of the photo galleries for a week to categorise and upload photos; other classes could upload projects as the need arises.

SO HOW DO I CREATE A WEBSITE FOR MY SCHOOL? The simple answer for most Principals is you don’t! Unless you have a passion and expertise for web design, you should focus on getting someone else to create an easy to update website. Your one defining decision will be to source someone with expertise (staff, parents, contacts, outside professional) to build a website according to your design which will facilitate the process of pupil engagement, and can easily be updated.They will easily decide such issues as where to host the website, which software or

if educators invested a fraction of the energy on stimulating the students' enjoyment of learning that they now spend in trying to transmit information we could achieve much better results. which ‘Content Management System’ to use, how to build easily-updated calendar and gallery facilities etc.

For these reasons, local student help, learning web design yourself, or ‘flying in’ a professional are strategies that may not work – unless they produce not just a website, but an online publishing facility that will reflect the overall learning mission of your school, as well as the day to day publishing needs of your school and its pupils.

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Buying for Schools 2 Photocopiers

by John Curran One of the best and most used tools in the school, the photocopier may also be a significant cost both at initial purchase and in ongoing costs. What factors do you need to think about before you buy? This is not an exhaustive list nor will it make you an expert on photocopiers but it will help you to make sense of the sometimes confusing information that salespeople may throw at you.

CAPACITY Get the right size machine for your needs. Copiers are rated in “Copies per Minute” (CPM). This also relates to a monthly recommended usage e.g.

30CPM is for 30,000 copies per month. Get a higher capacity machine than you think you need - usage always increases! Don’t buy a small capacity machine and work it flat out all the time; this is a false economy.

Get a copier with a paper tray that takes a full ream (500 sheets) at a go. You can then open and load a full ream and not have loose pages lying around.

FEATURES You probably do not need many extra features for a workhorse copier. Most copying will be straightforward one-sided A4. A document feeder is useful if you regularly copy from loose A4 originals. The ability to handle copying on to A3 paper is also useful and if you think you will use this, it is probably worth having a second paper tray for A3 paper.

Other complex features like copying from double-sided originals or making double-sided copies should be thought out carefully in terms of cost and how often you think you will use these features. There are sophisticated machine extras that will organise originals into a booklet, print, fold and staple these for you including adding a cover. Quite expensive and usually temperamental and may be prone to jamming if not used by the same operator all the time.

Consider getting the copier linked to your computer network to function as a network printer. This can be a very effective way to quickly produce copies of something that originates on your own or a teacher’s PC. You could scan copiable resources and store these on a school PC for use by all.

RISOGRAPH Consider a Risograph copier if the bulk of your work requires making more than 20 copies of an original. A Risograph machine works differently to a copier and can be very cost-effective as a workhorse machine for classroom

use. A good set-up might be a smaller capacity laser printer/copier for the office and a Risograph for whole-school use.

LEASE OR BUY? Do a comparison exercise between buying outright and leasing or borrowing.

The copier company will probably be able to quote a leasing rate which you can compare to a loan rate from your own bank, building society or credit union. It may suit your school’s circumstances better to borrow rather than tie-up scarce funds.

COPY COST AND CONSUMABLES Copier companies will try to get you to take out a maintenance contract. They base this on a “cost-per-copy”. This can range from .5c per copy to more than 1.5c per copy. Check what is included in this and how it operates. Are you restricted in the number of call-outs you can make in a month or year? Will they charge extra for more call-outs? Are all replacement parts included? Is labour included? Does it include toner? Aside from toner, there are other parts that must be routinely replaced in a copier – the drum and rollers. These have a limited life and are usually rated for a certain number of copies. Check what the life of these is and their replacement cost before you buy.

The ideal copy-cost contract would be one that includes all toner and other consumables, unlimited call-outs and replacement drum and rollers. A contract should also specify call-out response time. Does the company have enough engineers to be able to guarantee same-day or 4-hour response time to call-outs?

If you have access to a reliable independent engineer for maintenance and repairs, consider acquiring a copier without a service contract.

Pay as much attention to negotiating the cost-per-copy as you do to the purchase price.

HOW TO USE Ask yourself how best to use a copier in the school. Is it located in an office?

Staffroom? Can anyone use it or do you get specific people to do copying for all? Does this cause problems? Is it over-used? Under-used? Do you need a smaller capacity printer/copier for admin use and a workhorse machine for general use? Would a Risograph make economic sense for your situation?

This list of pointers is by no means exhaustive but should help you to get the right machine for the job, ask the right questions and negotiate the best overall deal on your new copier.

Section 29 Appeals Statistics The below figures represent the number of Section 29 appeals against primary school, from January 2008 to date PERMANENT EXCLUSION:

REFUSAL TO ENROL:

Upheld Not Upheld Withdrawn Pending

2 4 1 1

TOTAL

8

Upheld Not Upheld Withdrawn Pending Local Resolution Facilitator Resolution TOTAL

SUSPENSION: 16 32 29 6 15 20 118

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Local Resolution Facilitator Resolution

1 2

TOTAL

3

Toraíocht – a programme of professional development for future school leaders

by Carmel Lillis, Assistant National Coordinator, LDS (Toraíocht - a journey or quest) This programme, offered jointly by the LDS team and NUI Maynooth, leads to a postgraduate diploma in educational leadership (PGDEL). The programme aims to support teachers in developing their leadership knowledge, understanding, skills and capacities with a view to enhancing their current work and preparing them for leadership roles in schools now and in the future. The LDS team acknowledges the support and goodwill offered to the programme by IPPN and all the partners in Education.

Toraíocht was formally launched in NUI Maynooth on Friday September 5th. President John Hughes welcomed 160 teachers who registered, having met the criteria laid down by LDS and NUIM. They were addressed by Professor Tom Collins, Professor of Education and Dean of Teaching and Learning NUIM, Mr. Paddy Flood, National Co-ordinator LDS, Ms. Caroline Clarke, Assistant National Coordinator, LDS and Anthony Malone, lecturer

in the Department of Education, NUIM. On Saturday, NUIM and LDS personnel gave participants a more detailed description of the content of the six modular topics that form the basis of the programme: The Person, Human and Professional; Leading People; Leading the Organisation; Leading Learning; The Enterprise of Education; Research Methodologies. They stressed the practical, school/ classroom-based nature of the tasks to be completed for assessment and the responsibility of teachers to become reflective practitioners, learning in and through the work they do.

At the time of writing, the programme is in its third week in the Education Centres of Carrick-on-Shannon, Cork and Galway. It is a privilege to be part of this learning community and to witness the commitment and sincerity of the teachers involved. We in LDS are heartened by the interest in this programme nationally.

Deputies and Principals of the primary school sector of LDS warmly welcome our

primary colleagues who are taking part in the programme and we encourage others to consider applying. We want to assure them of our support and encouragement throughout their engagement. The leadership of primary schools has become more demanding each year and prospective school leaders need to have developed the capabilities and skills necessary.

The Tóraíocht programme is constructed to fill the void of leadership preparation, giving teachers a solid foundation on which to base their development as strong, accountable and dynamic school leaders.

Brochures and information about the programme will be sent to your schools in the near future. The LDS team and our NUIM counterparts welcome your support in publicising this course of studies amongst your colleagues so that we can best serve the teachers and pupils in our primary and postprimary schools now and in the future.

For further information or for any queries you may have, please contact Carmel Lillis by email - clillis@lds21.ie or directly on 087 – 6935451.

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PAG E 2 4

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Leading & Learning

‘Glossing Over’ - the reality of what happens to glossy reports in Schools

by Damian White More and more, networking@ippn.ie is becoming the 'pulse' of what Principal Teachers are actually thinking. When the topic of glossy DES and agency reports came up recently, it drew some of the sharpest and wittiest comments! When one of those glossy reports was titled 'Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools 2008 – 2013’ the wits went into overdrive. The circulation of reports on Irish in the Junior Cert to all Primary Schools caused much chortling.

Some of the comments on Networking include: 'Imagine another report on ICT for schools!!! Now one copy would be bad enough, but when half a forest has to be cut down to tell us what we all know, it beggars belief.'

'Do the DES or the expensive courier they paid to deliver this stuff (Junior Cert Irish Report) realise that we are a PRIMARY school'.

'Did no one see the irony in one of the documents 'Investing Effectively'.

'Since I became Principal the only new P.Cs I have been able to put in our classes have come from parent's bag packing or Boston Tea Parties'.

'All extra copies of the report should be returned to sender'.

With tongues firmly in cheek, some Principals suggested practical uses to be made of multiple copies of reports. Suggestions were made that they be used for the following: ● Door Stops ● Put under Overhead Projectors to help get the angle right ● Fire kindling ● Support for school cabinets when the wheels fall off ● Useful for pressing flowers and leaves ● Dry lying for the class gerbil or rabbit ● Stacked to make goal posts (moveable) While all of these reports have been assembled in good faith and at great cost, here are a number of suggestions from the Network on how the DES and other agencies circulating these reports might save a lot of money and distribute information more effectively. ● A one page executive summary by letter or email of pertinent reports to schools and allow interested people to download

and read the full document in English or Irish from the DES website. ● Hard copies (if desired) of all reports to be available from the Government Publications Office in Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. ● Information on where to access reports included in 'Leadership+', 'In Touch', 'Solas' and other relevant magazines, periodicals or newsletters.

One Principal recently measured the height of a box of reports from NEWB on Developing a Code of Behaviour. He then calculated that a stack of these boxes which were distributed to all Irish Primary Schools would be ½ km high.

The cost of printing, packing and distributing this amount of reports which, judging by the comments on Networking are never read, could certainly be put to better use in the funding of Primary Schools.

Who knows, if some of our suggestions are taken on board it might lead to the DES 'Investing Effectively in ICT!'

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Social Inclusion in Action

Rotemi Adebari Mayor of Portlaoise 2007/2008 Education Background: I attended St James's Primary School in Oke Odan, Ogun State, Nigeria and Reverend Kuti Memorial Grammar School in Abeokuta, Ogun State. At third-level I studied Economics & Political Science at Ogun State College of Education, Ijebu - Ode, and then went on to receive a B.ED Economics from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. I recently completed a Masters in Intercultural Studies at Dublin City University, Dublin.

Your experience of Primary School memories of a particular teacher who had a positive effect on you: I had an interesting and exciting time in school.

One of the teachers that had a positive effect on me was Mr Femi Adelusi and we later taught together in a secondary school when I finished from Ogun State College of Education. He was very proud to show off to fellow teachers that he taught me in primary school.

Your first thoughts on arriving in Ireland.

I arrived into a country that I considered very cold but later realised that it was one of the warmest days of the week. It was 18 degrees Celsius on the day and to us this was very cold having come from a country where the coldest

is 20/22 degrees Celsius. And when it is 20/22, we went around in jumpers. Generally we found the people to be very warm, friendly and welcoming. You come across a few people that call you names but you find that everywhere.

How did you first become involved in Politics in Portlaoise?

My first time in politics was in 2004 when I was elected into Portlaoise Town Council. I got involved because I believe there is a need to highlight and represent the issues of the marginalised and the vulnerable i.e. immigrants, unemployed, single parents, Travellers, elderly, youth and people with disability.

I also got involved in politics so that future generations of immigrants can have something to look back on that they can also do it. My involvement in politics was also a demonstration that the multicultural / diverse Ireland has come to stay and we should live up to that reality.

You have recently completed your year as Mayor of Portlaoise. What kind of experience has it been?

It was an exciting year and above all a great honour to be the Mayor of Portlaoise. It gave me an opportunity to represent the town at

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As a father, how have you found the Irish Primary school system?

I always imagine the daunting challenge of managing a multi-cultural classroom / primary school system. I mean challenges such as language, culture, learning and teaching style etc.

What are the key issues facing the new Irish children in Irish Primary schools today?

Language usage, culture differences, prejudice, learning and teaching styles, identity etc.

Tell us about your Career in Broadcasting and your show 'Respecting Difference'.

Respecting Difference is a radio show on Midlands 103. The show is an hour-long programme that is broadcasted live on Saturday evenings at 7pm and it's been ongoing since 2004. The show celebrates and promotes cultural diversity and also highlights social inclusion issues.

IPPN CONFERENCE 2009 Primary Education – Who Pays?

Plans for Conference 2009 are now well underway. It will take place at the INEC, Killarney from Thursday January 29th – Saturday January 31st, with 2 days substitute cover for Teaching Principals.

Please Note: ● Registration will take place on Thursday, January 29th from 9am ● Conference Expo will also commence at 9am ● Workshops commence at 1pm ● Conference Opening Session at 5pm A hard copy application form will be distributed to all schools on November 17th and will also be available to download from the home page of ippn.ie. In previous years, applications for Conference have exceeded capacity; therefore we would encourage all members to submit their applications as soon as possible, as places are allocated on a ‘first come – first served’ basis.

WORKSHOPS TO INCLUDE:

SNEAK PREVIEW Conference Facilitator – Olivia O’ Leary, Guest Speakers to include – Jim Spinks & Micheál Rea, Walterstown NS, on the School Resourcing Project.

Managing Relationships

CONFERENCE TRADE EXPO We have over 80 school suppliers exhibiting this year, details of which will be available to view at ippn.ie/events from December 1st. This facility will allow you to identify the suppliers you are specifically interested in and also arrange a meeting while attending the conference if you wish.We will also be opening the Conference Trade Expo to teachers and other school staff at dedicated times across the weekend in order to give them an opportunity to view the wide range of products and services on show.

Managing SNAs

Marcella O’Conluain

Classroom management of In-class Support Fiona King Induction of Newly-qualified Teachers

Mary Burke

Boards of Management:

Eileen Flynn

Financial Management of your school

Seán O Láimhín

Managing relationships with challenging adults

Joe O’Connell

Parent/Teacher Relations

Brendan McCabe

Effective Staff Meetings

Seán Gallagher and PPDS team

Teaching Principalship – coping with the 2 roles

Seán Gallagher and PPDS team

Accommodation is available from the Gleneagle Central Reservations Office on (064) 71550.

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Conference Bags