Leadership+ Issue 118 May/June 2021

ISSUE 118 / MAY/JUNE 2021

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

What’s Another Year?

SPONSORED BY

AUTUMN COUNTY MEETINGS 2021 Supporting each other at local level September – October 2021

Attend the location that best suits you • Join/Create a local support group Don’t miss a chance for your opinion to be heard!

Brian O’Doherty, IPPN President & Páiric Clerkin, IPPN CEO will be virtually visiting each county in Autumn 2021.

IPPN will be bringing members key updates, discussing the current hot topics and offering support at the start of the school year. Most importantly it is an opportunity to meet your peers. There is also an opportunity to become more involved with IPPN by representing your county at Committee and National Council level. See below the dates and times that best suit you.

You can register on www.ippn.ie

Date

Time County

Wed 1 September 3.30pm Mayo Thurs 2 September 3.30pm Limerick Mon 6 September 3.30pm Monaghan Tues 7 September 3.30pm Tipperary Wed 8 September 3.30pm Clare Mon 13 September 3.30pm Roscommon Tues 14 September 3.30pm Galway Wed 15 September 3.30pm Waterford

IPPN EVENTS

Thurs 16 September 3.30pm Cork Mon 20 September 3.30pm Donegal Tues 21 September 3.30pm Wicklow Wed 22 September 3.30pm Meath Thurs 23 September 3.30pm Cavan Mon 27 September 3.30pm Wexford Tues 28 September 3.30pm Sligo Wed 29 September 3.30pm Offaly Thurs 30 September 3.30pm Louth Mon 4 October 3.30pm Carlow Tues 5 October 3.30pm Leitrim Wed 6 October

3.30pm

Kerry

Thurs 7 October 3.30pm Westmeath Mon 11 October 3.30pm Kilkenny Tues 12 October 3.30pm Laois Wed 13 October 3.30pm Longford Thurs 14 October 3.30pm Kildare Mon 18 October 3.30pm Dublin Irish Primary Principals’ Network National Support Office, Ballinglanna, Glounthaune, Co. Cork t: 021 4824070 • e: info@ippn.ie • w: www.ippn.ie

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A Work Full of Meaning

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Sometimes when our lives get busy, we forget why we do it all in the first place. Only when we stop and reflect do we begin to realise the true meaning of our profession.

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Class Size in DEIS Urban Schools

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The DEIS Plan 2017 included a clear commitment to undertake an evaluation of teaching resources in schools participating in the school support programme, to inform future policy in this area.

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Guidance for Use of Social Media

In the Teaching Council, we recognise the important role that social media plays as a communication tool for teachers, parents, students and across the broader school community.

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Post Covid World

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In a post Covid 19 world, school leaders need to ensure their voices are heard.

IPPN Conference

12 to 18

PAGES

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THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS

We take a look at the IPPN Principals’ Conference that took place this year.

Putting the well into being

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+ Leadership

In St. Brendan’s NS, Blennerville, we place an emphasis on well-being.

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

n n n n

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

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

Signposts ISSUE 118 / MAY/JUNE 2021

1

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Sub Seeker

Latest developments to help schools find a sub MAEVE O’MAHONY EDUCATION POSTS.IE SUPPORT Seeker. This is crucial, as it provides accurate statistics that can be presented to the Teaching Council and the DE as evidence of the scale of the issue in schools.

Sub Seeker now has over 6,100* registered substitute teachers including over 4,000** at primary level.

To assist schools in finding substitute teachers at short notice, EducationPosts.ie has launched a number of updates to Sub Seeker: ■

■

■

■

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Schools can offer a substitute vacancy to multiple teachers. Teachers shortlisted for a substitute position will be notified by email. The system works on a ‘first come first served’ basis, whereby the first teacher to accept a position will be successful The number of available days on a teacher’s Sub Seeker calendar was increased from six days to ten days, to allow schools to search for substitute teachers farther into the future Sub Seeker now allows teachers to mark themselves available to substitute at both primary and post primary levels at the same time. This has led to an increase in available teachers on the system for schools Teachers qualified under Routes 1-4 are available on Sub Seeker for substitute teaching If you cannot find a suitable sub teacher, please let us know by using the ‘No Suitable Subs’ button on Sub

* This figure refers to teachers who have registered for Sub Seeker, they may not all be actively using the system ** 4,080 users registered at primary level At the time Leadership+ went to print, 545 teachers marked themselves available over the last 10 working days and 263 teachers confirmed availability over the next 10 working days to sub at primary level.

Ireland’s most widely used website dedicated to EDUCATION RECRUITMENT Visit EducationPosts.ie for all your education-related advertising requirements: l Approved by the DES – Circular 0062/2008 (Primary) and Circular 0020/2012 (Post Primary), compliant with DES circular 44/2019 l 17,000 education related job posts advertised annually l Over 3,000 registered Job Advertisers l Up to 120,000 email alerts issued daily to Job Seekers l Save a copy of your adverts

Visit www.educationposts.ie now Contact us on info@educationposts.ie Follow us on social media for regular updates

l All Education related job posts - teacher, SNA, school leader, secretary, caretaker, chaplain, guidance counsellor, learning support / resource teacher, substitute / panel of substitute teachers and tutor posts l Adverts across all levels - Pre-school, primary, postprimary, higher & further education, other education and international job posts

May /June 2021

EDITORIAL

What’s Another Year?

The recent sad passing of the late Shay Healy featured heavily in the media in recent weeks and, as a consequence, his most famous song; the Eurovision winning ‘What’s Another Year?’ serenaded us from our every radio station, sung by Johnny Logan. Shay lived with Parkinson’s for many years and was the embodiment of the spirit eschewed by our former IPPN Director Seán Cottrell, who in 2009 defiantly announced ‘I’ve got Parkinson’s, but Parkinson’s hasn’t got me’. The iconic song has never gone away, mainly through regular ‘Reeling in the Years’ repeats, though thankfully a brief flirtation with white suits as worn by the evergreen Johnny Logan was no more than a passing fashion crime.

It wasn’t lost on DJs that ‘What’s another year’ was getting airplay in the days after we’d passed the anniversary of the first Covid lockdown. One even suggested changing the title to ‘What? Another Year?’ In doing so, he probably voiced the frustrations of every school leader who has spent the past year in firefighting mode; dealing with a compendium of logistical, digital, educational, personnel and health issues, the likes of which could not have previously been remotely contemplated.

The iconic song has never gone away, mainly through regular ‘Reeling in the Years’ repeats, though thankfully a brief flirtation with white suits as worn by the evergreen Johnny Logan was no more than a passing fashion crime.

The most challenging year ever faced by school leaders has brought many issues to the forefront, including responsibilities for overseeing the safety of colleagues and students, the complexities of dealing with

PÁIRIC CLERKIN AND DAMIAN WHITE positive Covid cases, the provision of appropriate PPE, remote education, digital devices and the distribution of school food. Social distancing became central to every interaction and serious questions arose over the safety of pupils and staff in indoor settings with open windows.

Many school leaders have understandably asked themselves Johnny Logan’s other philosophical question ‘Why Me?’ in times of doubt and despair over the past year. For the experienced person and the newly-appointed alike, the scenarios being contemplated on a daily basis were unprecedented.

Combining NPHET directives with common sense has proven to be the most successful antidote, and the one with the least side effects. During the recent ‘Blether’ event co-hosted by CSL, we got to hear real stories from school leaders across Scotland, Wales and Ireland, which were reassuring in the similarities between the problems faced and solutions applied.

Everywhere, the resourcefulness of those leading schools and the sharing of ideas have been front and central to the successful way schools have operated since Covid.

The latest problem, which has moved from crisis to critical, is the availability of substitute staff. Recommendations for pregnant staff and those over 60 to stay out of school has meant that most ‘normally available’ substitutes are like much sought-after prizes for lucky schools to get. That is before we consider staff who test positive

or are deemed close contacts. Supply panels are completely overwhelmed with the demand. Sub Seeker is an incredibly busy site each morning, and is being constantly modified to meet with the unforeseen challenges that each new situation brings. While it is difficult to record every day that a school is unsuccessful in securing a sub, you can help us to highlight the crisis by indicating, via the Sub Seeker site, that you failed to fill a position. The data collected allows us to highlight just how critical the situation is. In seeking to prioritise school staff for vaccination recently, the issue was really about ensuring that schools have sufficient personnel to remain open and functional. For special schools, the issue is all the more acute due to the levels of close contact between staff and students.

Many school leaders have understandably asked themselves Johnny Logan’s other philosophical question ‘Why Me?’ in times of doubt and despair over the past year.

The past year, to stretch the Eurovision metaphor even further, has seen school’s dealing with ‘All kinds of everything’. ‘Hold me now’ might be still be some way off. Yet, facing our second pandemic-affected summer, there is some evidence of ‘ A little peace’ returning.

Is sinne le meas,

Damian White Páiric Clerkin President CEO

3

LEGAL DIARY

The Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018

WHAT NEXT? DAVID RUDDY BL You don’t have to be a lawyer to be a school leader, but some knowledge will give you confidence in dealing with the myriad of legal issues that confront you on a regular basis. One example is the area of family law. Feedback from IPPN indicates that school leaders encounter issues concerning the legal status of some parents and carers, and the rights and responsibilities of same.

The Mason, Hayes & Curran Education Team receive hundreds of queries each year, seeking advice concerning the above. We have represented boards of management where disgruntled parents have taken cases of discrimination against schools.

The latest census figures indicate that the numbers of divorced, lone, and separated parents have increased substantially over the years. Schools are a microcosm of society and these trends impact on the family units of our pupils.

Common issues that arise include: ■ custody and access arrangements; unclear or unknown ■ establishing legal status (guardian/non-guardian) ■ the role of non-custodial guardians.

GUARDIANSHIP 1. Guardianship is a matter determined by reference to the circumstances of a child’s birth. The decisions reserved to guardians are decisions on the child’s place of residence, his/ her religious, spiritual and cultural upbringing, medical matters, placement for or consent to adoption of a child, and the issue of a passport for a child.

Guardians are entitled to have access to school reports and attend parent/teacher meetings etc.

2. Married couples are joint guardians. A non-marital father will automatically become the guardian of the child if he lives with the child’s mother for at least 12 consecutive months, 4

including three months after the child’s birth.

3. A person other than a parent may become a child’s guardian.

A person can apply to the court to be appointed as a child’s guardian if married to or in a civil partnership with the child’s parent or if s/he has cohabitated with the child’s parent for over three years, and if the person has shared responsibility for the child’s day-to-day care for more than two years. It will be possible for the court to appoint a person i.e. (grandparent) as a child’s guardian, if that person has been responsible for the child’s day-to-day care for more than one year and if no parent or guardian is willing to assume the responsibilities of guardianship.

CUSTODY 1. Custody essentially means physical control and care.

2. A parent’s spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of not less than 3 years will be able to apply for custody where s/he has shared parenting of a child for two years. A person can also apply for custody if s/he has parented the child for a year, and if there is no parent or guardian willing or able to exercise the powers and responsibilities of guardianship.

3. A grandparent or other relative will be able to apply to court for custody of a child where s/he is an adult who has undertaken the child’s day-to-day care for more than 12 months, and again no parent or guardian was willing or able to act as guardian.

ACCESS & MAINTENANCE 1. Relatives of a child such as grandparents, or those acting in loco parentis, will be able to apply to have access to children more easily in the context of relationship breakdown.

2. The court can impose enforcement orders where a parent or guardian has been

denied custody or access. These may include requiring that he or she get compensatory time with the child, that his/her expenses be reimbursed, or that one or both parties attend parenting programmes, family counselling or receive information on mediation.

3. A maintenance responsibility may be imposed on a cohabiting partner for a partner’s child, where the partner is a guardian of the child.

CIVIL PARTNERS A child co-parented by civil partners will have the same protections as are enjoyed by a child or family based on marriage. The court will be able to order a civil partner to pay maintenance for the support of a dependent child of the civil partner, including where the child is the child of only one of the civil partners.

PARENTAL DISPUTES It is inevitable that parental disputes spill into school. One day a parent may claim that the other parent can no longer collect his/her children. In situations like this, it is advisable to seek sight of a copy of the court order giving this new power to the particular parent. Court orders can be temporary.

If you are not clear about the order, or think it has expired, seek a solicitor’s letter confirming the arrangements.

A solicitor is an officer of the courts.

If you find yourself under pressure to make a judgement call, defer your decision in order to seek advice.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE COURTS A child’s best interests will be the paramount consideration for the court in proceedings on guardianship, custody or access. School leaders would be well advised to follow the same road map in relation to parental disputes.

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

May/June 2021

A National Priority for the

Post-COVID World TIERNAN O’ NEILL PRINCIPAL OF CORPUS CHRISTI PRIMARY SCHOOL, MOYROSS, LIMERICK

‘Advocates of transformational leadership have confidence that the arrangements of the past should not be the guide for the future. They believe that successful transformational leaders create clear and compelling visions for the future.’ Ahmad Nuaz, Khan 2016.

In a post Covid 19 world, school leaders need to ensure their voices are heard. Our positions provide us with a unique perspective into the impact of this pandemic on our children and our under-resourced education system.

Ironically, the light that has been shone on education, and the constant spin and chatter pertaining to, for example, children with additional needs and disadvantaged children, provides us with a timely opportunity to advocate for real change in the systems that underpin our educational landscape. Political soundbites need to be actioned and we, as school leaders, have a key role to play in this process.

Children have been amongst the worst affected by the pandemic and must be at the centre of the transformational recovery strategies that are a prerequisite if we are to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. A culture of risktaking and exploration emerged, that, in my opinion, was unprecedented in modern day Irish Primary Schools.

lessons are learned from the last 12 months as an improved culture of trust and respect, I hope, emerges from this pandemic amongst all educational stakeholders.

Sadly, our school, like many other Looking to the future, we, as principals, schools, also saw how the pandemic now need to ensure that the status has further amplified the plight of quo does not remain in our education many children who are living in system. We cannot just go back to homes that are impacted upon by the normal, things must go back to better many societal ills that pervade in 21st in our schools. Back to normal is fine century Ireland. Homelessness, mental for a lot of children but children who health, and addiction are but some of suffer from discrimination, poverty, the many barriers to education that or who have disabilities, deserve the lockdown further exacerbated. In the best in our post pandemic world. It midst of this plethora of contexts, the was Alan Bloom who said ‘education is care, encouragement and guidance the movement from darkness to light.’ that teachers provided children As school leaders, we need to ensure and parents with throughout the the illumination of these educational pandemic, is something that deserves pathways is a national priority in this to be lauded but has been sadly lost post-Covid world. This extraordinary in the maelstrom of agendas that very context requires an extraordinary often try to undermine the profession. response from us all.

Our education system is ultimately built on relationships and trust at both If you would like to contact Tiernan a micro and macro level, and is vital about this article, you can email him at to the smooth running of our school iCard_Leadership_Advert_2021-04.pdf 1 26/04/2021 oneilltiernan@gmail.com.

09:54:16 communities. It is imperative that

Unfortunately, transformational change within our educational system has traditionally been a slow process, as schools are often forced to deal with change as one monolithic process, C overseen by statutory and department M guidelines, which is slowly introduced in an often piecemeal manner. Schools Y often work for months in ‘focus CM groups’ compiling SWOT analyses as MY we painstakingly manoeuvre our way through a myriad of aims and CY objectives.

CMY

K Ironically this modus operandi was turned on its head by Covid-19 and the onset of ‘online teaching on demand.’

Teachers, literally overnight, had to become digital wizards with no time for engagement in SWOT analysis or risk assessments. As a Principal, it was awe-inspiring to witness teachers’ ability to pivot and reinvent themselves

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Dignity in the Workplace

Optimising the School Working Environment

DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM Schools are workplaces. Unfortunately, some have a culture of disrespect and hostility which mars the daily lives of those who work in them. Too many school leaders and staff members suffer from stress and anxiety as a result. This must stop. To be treated with dignity and respect is a basic human right.

How can school leaders ensure an optimum working environment? My 20 years of school leadership lead me to believe that the following are important factors for consideration in this regard.

APPRECIATION Human beings need to have their work recognised and they need encouragement. Leaders must provide that recognition, affirmation and encouragement.

SUPPORT Staff need to know that their leaders will support them – realising, of course, that no one can defend the indefensible. They also need to know that, if they are in the wrong, their school leaders will point that out, but not publicly. Having a leader who supports staff builds trust.

VISION V ETHOS Every school has a beautiful Vision Statement full of wonderful values, in its Plean Scoile. The difference between the vision and the ethos i.e. what the actual climate and working environment really is, can cause great distress to staff. School leaders must be constantly aware of that gap.

Sometimes, the ethos and vision require re-alignment. This means facilitating staff to consider their values, the school vision and the reality of life in the school. Sometimes this is best done by engaging an outside facilitator.

TEAMWORK It takes a team to successfully run a school. Leaders need to encourage 6

and develop teamwork among the staff, ensuring that teams have clearly defined goals and that team members develop trust and good communication to achieve them. A staff which is functioning in a secure and stable workplace, where they are accorded dignity and respect, will naturally respond with trust and cooperation, which is the basis of all teamwork.

Too many school leaders and staff members suffer from stress and anxiety…

This must stop. To be treated with dignity and respect is a basic human right.

FAIRNESS Nothing destroys teamwork faster than unfairness, or the perception of unfairness. A situation in which staff feel that they are not being treated fairly will result in lack of motivation, negative relationships, unethical behaviour or even destructive practices. Leaders must ensure fair opportunities, fair processes and fair communication for everybody. This means not only being fair, but being clearly seen to be fair. It is the individual staff member’s perception of fairness which influences their behaviour, regardless of whether or not that perception is accurate. Leaders should ensure that contentious issues such as class allocation andpromotion to posts of responsibility, are clearly covered by school policies or DE circulars.

COMMUNICATION A fundamental requirement of leadership is to articulate a shared vision for the school community and to communicate this clearly. This depends on the leader’s communication skills, which must include active listening as well as broadcasting. We should

always monitor our communication, or lack of it, with staff.

LEADERSHIP Unless you are prepared to ‘Walk the walk’, your staff will lose faith and trust in you. You must show that you truly believe in what you are saying; that the values you are espousing are truly your values. You must model the behaviour you want to see and communicate your ideas clearly to individuals and to the team.

FUN Fun is one of the 5 basic human needs. The evidence that fun boosts productivity is compelling. A happy work environment means fewer sick days, harder work, and greater productivity. Individuals with a positive mind-set, are 31% more productive than those with a negative mind-set (according to a recent Harvard Business Review research article on positive intelligence*) – or even a neutral one. Fun also increases interaction among staff, enhances teamwork and fosters creativity.

LINK

Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie

Dignity and Respec t in the School Workplace

Part 1 Meeting the Basic Needs of All Staff

Part 2 The Workplace Agreements and Codes which guide us

Part 3 The How, What and Why of developing your own DaW Charter / Policy

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

School Leadership:

A Work Full of Meaning

DR JOLANTA BURKE AND DR MAJELLA DEMPSEY MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY Sometimes when our lives get busy, we forget why we do it all in the first place.

Only when we stop and reflect do we begin to realise the true meaning of our profession. As part of our latest research, we asked 861 Primary School leaders to push a ‘pause’ button on their busy lives and take 10 minutes to think about their role. The responses we received from the leaders were, as always, inspirational.

‘I love the daily interactions with the children around the school. They are always so enthusiastic to tell me their news. They brighten my day.’ The majority of leaders mentioned their relationship with children as the most important reason why they liked their jobs so much. They were driven by the difference they make to them, ‘I like being a principal as I feel I can make a positive impact on children’s lives.’ They are committed to giving them the best education ‘Teaching the children and making sure they get the best education they can get from the best educators I can find.’ They love the challenge of creating paradigm shifts as they see their pupils grow ‘the moment the penny drops and the joy of reading the class novel.’ Some have also mentioned the joy of working with children with special needs.

They love ‘making a difference in the lives of children with autism’. ‘I like the challenge of helping children with special needs to learn. I like being able to build their confidence to show them that they are able to learn, even if it is in a different way’. These are just some of the main reasons why leaders like their job. There are plenty more.

Leaders also talk about the collaborative nature of their role, where they get to work with parents, teachers, special needs assistants, secretaries, caretakers, and the community in providing a rich learning experience for their pupils. They talk about ‘meeting people and trying to constantly improve the school.’

‘Variety of work, camaraderie and 8

relationships.’ This camaraderie leads to leaders’ sense of belonging ‘I like the sense of community and belonging that is embodied in a caring child-centred school’. This ethic of care is evident in how leaders talk about working within a community ‘with a team that are hardworking and caring towards children’. Although they remind us that ‘It is an incredibly important job and I am confident that I do it well. I believe I am positively impacting on an entire school community - pupils, parents, and staff… although it comes at great personal cost - to personal relationships and to physical and mental health’.

Living an ethic of care can be draining, but working collaboratively makes it more enjoyable and doable.

aspect of their work. Coupled with autonomy is the feeling of being competent to do the job and that they make a difference. As one respondent put it: ‘My job matters - a lot to a lot of people. People depend on me’.

Another tells us ‘I have always enjoyed the autonomy and sense of purpose.

I am good at my job’. Autonomy is linked to leading a community, and to working for the good of the pupils, with leaders telling us that ‘Autonomy to make decisions which positively affect pupils’ educational experience.

The power to make decisions and steer the school forward’ is what they value about the role.

Leaders’ passion for work makes them focus their attention primarily on the needs of their pupils, staff, parents, external agencies, DE, and others. When we love our jobs, it is not uncommon to lose ourselves in it and forget about our own health. Pulled in so many directions, it is important that leaders stop and begin to mind themselves, with just as much passion as they muster for others.

As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life, and variety is a positive for many respondents. Our respondents talk about liking the variety in their role, but this also leads to a complexity of tasks that can lead to time pressure for some. As one leader said ‘I need to be a jack of all trades’. Having good administrative support is essential and many leaders talk about their wonderful ancillary staff and wish for more such support. One leader described it as ‘I am a practical person.

I have good interpersonal skills. I enjoy seeing children and staff happy and learning around me. I enjoy the job as no one day is the same. I enjoy the variety within it. I enjoy the successes I see all around me’.

Our research revealed that, while leaders engage in many healthy behaviours such as eating well, exercising, spending time with friends, they often do not take their breaks during the day. A quarter of our respondents admitted to never taking sos beag, and a further 40% admit to taking it only occasionally.

Furthermore, 11% of leaders we surveyed did not stop for lunch, and another 42% did so rarely. This means that the majority of leaders may feel seriously depleted by the end of the day, leaving them with little energy for their families to enjoy. We all need our breaks throughout the day to replenish our energy. We are not machines, so our mental, emotional and physical resources are limited.

Research links autonomy with transformational leadership and, for our respondents, this is a very important

Research shows that taking sos beag and lunch breaks leaves us feeling more energised and engaged in the

May/June 2021

afternoon. Having regular breaks during the day is also associated with higher levels of personal wellbeing, more motivation and vitality. These short breaks leave us with more energy when we get home, so that we can spend quality time with our family. This is why, regardless of how passionate you are about your job, it is crucial to give yourself a break. A few 5 min sosanna beaga here and there can give you 5 hours of renewed energy.

They are worth it!

Teaching

Community

Making a difference

Teamwork

Impactful decisions

Confidant

Belonging

Children

Collaboration

Please see ippn.ie for the full report.

Jolanta Burke, Ph.D. is a chartered psychologist and assistant professor at Maynooth University Department of Education. She lectures on leadership, positive education and wellbeing. She is the author of “The Ultimate Guide to Implementing Wellbeing for School”, and soon to be published “Undertaking Capstone Projects in Education: A Practical Guide for Students”.

For more information, please go to www.jolantaburke.com Majella Dempsey, Ed.D. is a is associate professor and researcher at Maynooth University Department of Education.

Dr Dempsey lectures on curriculum

Feeling competent

Autonomy

Variety

Teaching and leading

Making a difference

Problem solving

Decision making

Communicating

Figure 1: What leaders report that they like about the role. studies and STEM education. She researchers in curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment. She is the author of “Undertaking Capstone Projects in Education: A Practical

Guide for Students” which will soon be published by Routledge.

LINK

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Supports & Services

Are you engaging with networking@ & E-scéal?

IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM

You know what it is like to be a teacher, but not everyone in your school knows what it is like to be a school leader. It used to be a lonely, isolated role, but the conception of IPPN created a network that fostered collegial and peer-to-peer support. In keeping with IPPN’s mission – Tacaíocht, Misneach agus Spreagadh - a virtual world of instant support became readily accessible to members with IPPN’s mailing lists and E-scéal.

E-scéal: In recent years, the changing education landscape has seen an increase in the issuing of E-scéalta to members from once a month to every Thursday. The frequency of distribution reflects its importance as a crucial reference point for school leaders every week. It contains key information on current issues within the education sector, professional guidance, FAQs, departmental circular releases and details of IPPN’s events and services. The value of IPPN’s E-scéal as a support and reference has been critical during the past 15 months, with guidance and supporting documentation being easily accessible to schools to assist in the re-opening and keeping schools open. In addition, Planning Prompts have returned. These are not a ‘to do’ list, but may assist school leaders in planning the week ahead. School leaders will also have become familiar with IPPN’s PIEW in supporting SSE and SIP planning. An archive of all E-scéalta is available on www.ippn. ie and can be easily accessed via the E-scéal widget on the homepage of the website.

Mailing Lists: IPPN’s mailing lists are one of the most informative and immediate supports available to the school leader, in answering queries encountered on a daily basis. There is no question too great or small that will not be answered by colleagues who may have dealt with a similar situation in the past. They are closed 10

mailing lists - the content of the emails is intended for IPPN members only principals and deputy principals.

Networking@ has in excess of 4,000 members and the vitality and viability of the service was evident during the pandemic, when the highest level of engagement was reflected in the volume of emails moderated by the team. Everyone in this community receives a copy of any/all emails sent via this special email address. It provides a mutually-supportive forum for IPPN members to ask questions, seek advice and share best practice.

Every email submitted to the mailing list is moderated before release and sent to your email account.

The moderation team is comprised of members of IPPN’s Leadership Support Team. This service is available Monday – Friday 9.00am -5.00pm.

To maximise the benefits of this service, you may wish to consider a separate email account for networking@ emails, or alternatively, create a dedicated folder in your email account to route networking@ emails.

This is to avoid clogging up the school email account and reduce the risk of missing a work-related email. Some days, there can be a high volume of emails. It can also be a reference point for you. The searching of key words can return a discussion thread on a particular topic in which you may have an interest.

If you wish to create a dedicated email address to subscribe to networking@, complete the following steps: Step 1 1. Log in to your www.ippn.ie member account 2. Go to ‘Supports, Mailing Lists, Manage My Mailing Lists’ on the menu tool bar

3. The email address is listed in the ‘Email Address’ field 4. Select the ‘Unsubscribe’ field 5. Scroll to bottom of page and select ‘Submit Changes’ button.

Step 2 1. Update the email address listed in the ‘Email Address’ field 2. Select the mailing lists that you wish to be ‘Subscribed’ to 3. Scroll to bottom of page and select ‘Submit Changes’ button.

Rachel.Hallahan@ippn.ie

THE PRESIDENT’S PEN

Collaboration for

lasting supports DAMIAN WHITE IPPN PRESIDENT Back in 2000, I was privileged, as a young principal, to tag along on the coattails of several more experienced colleagues, to launch IPPN. Time and tide waits for no one and now, along with IPPN Board member and friend, Íde Ní Dhubháin, we are the last serving principals from a landmark group photo, taken on the staircase in Dublin Castle after the then-Minister for Education Dr. Michael Woods had bestowed us with legitimacy, and made a memorably eclectic speech which included advice on how to grow tomatoes.

I’m not sure if any of my retired friends have spent time in the greenhouse, but I imagine it’s down to Íde and I, at some stage, to ensure that Dr. Woods’ lecture hasn’t gone completely to waste.

Our aim 21 years ago was to provide opportunities for principals to network and to share good practice, and to link up local support groups already in place throughout the country. The overall aims of the original pioneers have been refined over the years, yet remain broadly the same. While nationally, IPPN has gone on to become the voice for school leaders, success at local level has ranged from very well-organised to sporadic. Support groups have in many cases been successful, as long as one or two committed organisers have led the way, but have reduced in activity or disappeared, as those people have retired or moved elsewhere.

As an organisation, we have made it a priority to ensure that every school leader has a support group in their area available to them. One organisation which reaches every school in the country is ESCI, or Education Support Centres Ireland - every school is affiliated to an Education Centre.

An already strong relationship was consummated when a sub-committee was established between IPPN and ESCI to explore how we could build support structures designed to last, while respecting and supporting those already in place. It was agreed

to research the possibility of training numerous meeting facilitators across the country and to have at least one in every county by the summer holidays. Funding was sought from the Department, who were immediately enthusiastic in their support. The Centre for School Leadership (CSL) saw huge parallels between the supports they provide, and what IPPN and ESCI were planning, and also came on board.

As an organisation, we have made it a priority to ensure that every school leader has a support group in their area available to them.

A steering committee has now been established between IPPN, ESCI, CSL and the Department, to run the Facilitator Training Programme. The group has enlisted the services of Coaching Consultant Paul Dicker who, over a 4-week programme, trains 15 people at a time as facilitators, for one hour per week. Donal Kerins expands further on the process in his article.

The skills gained are applicable in any meeting situation, and will be especially useful to school leaders in their own schools. The aim is to have a sufficient number of trained facilitators in all counties and Education Centre catchment areas, to lead meetings of local support groups. Collaboration at local level holds significant benefits for school leaders and their schools.

Collaboration on policy development, local logistics, enrolment policy, resource sharing (post pandemic) etc. all helps to increase the sustainability of the role of school leader. Arrangements regarding shared staff are more easily managed. As regards well-being, friendships are solidified, and problems shared are problems halved.

Meetings of local support groups will be designed to have three components;

some CPD, some discussion on local issues of common interest and perhaps most importantly, a lighter or social element, which is essential for the health and well-being of all.

While we don’t expect to start many new groups before the end of this school year, we aim to have many up and running from September onwards.

We will be working with the directors of Education Centres and IPPN county representatives to ensure that new groups are up and running where needed as soon as possible, and existing groups are fully supported.

While meetings are currently only possible by digital means, hopefully it will soon be possible for people to meet face-to-face.

Support groups can be based on area, school type, or size. They can support both principals and deputy principals, or can be exclusively for either, as long as nobody is without a group.

For IPPN and ESCI, CSL and the Department, collaboration has many advantages and no drawbacks. Akin to the legend of the Stone Soup we have taught in senior classes, everyone contributes some ingredient, all of which add to the flavour. The ‘soup‘ in this case is the knowledge that, for principals and deputy principals, there is now sustainable support, empathy and professional guidance just up the road.

Twenty-one years on, coming of age brings with it, at last, a mechanism by which we can guarantee durable and active support groups, regardless of where you work or live.

The forefathers, I’m sure, would approve.

Damian.White@ippn.ie

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IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

Leadership in Times of

Crisis and Uncertainty

STEVE MUNBY CEO OF THE CENTRE FOR BRITISH TEACHERS EDUCATION TRUST No development programme can possibly prepare leaders to help them to deal with the current issues and challenges that they face. We are in uncharted territory. School leaders are having to deal with issues that even the most experienced ones have never had to deal with before. There is no manual or mental map to fall back on. There are some general principles of leadership that do apply in times of uncertainty and crisis, and that is what I want to talk about here.

In doing so, I am going to draw on some of the content of my book ‘Imperfect Leadership – a book for leaders who know they don’t know it all’. 7 principles on imperfect leadership in a crisis and in times of uncertainty: Principle 1 - Show Up and Walk into the wind In times of crisis, we don’t delegate unless we are actually too ill to be there in person, or it is physically impossible for us to be there. We don’t hide away doing strategic planning, confident that our team has it all under control.

In these situations, the community and those you lead need their leader – the boss, the person ultimately in charge - to be there, to empathise, to connect, to show how important it is.

But we don’t just show up, we walk into the wind. Leadership can sometimes be extraordinarily hard and for many school leaders this is one of those times.

Walking into the wind is when you know that it is going to be a really, really tough thing to do, your stomach is churning and you want to run away, but you do that tough thing anyway.

Principle 2 - We adapt our leadership to our new context Every leader has had to respond to very different ways of working and in a very different context since the pandemic.

This context keeps changing. Is our leadership appropriate for what is now needed from us in this new context, as opposed to the leadership that was needed from me a year ago?

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Principle 3 - Ask for help – internally and externally There are lots of reasons why leaders feel they shouldn’t ask for help.

Sometimes it’s because of a fear that asking for help might be misinterpreted as a sign of weakness or incompetence by others. In other cases, it might be a fear that asking for help could harm our image as a leader or damage our credibility in the eyes of the team.

More often it’s because, as leaders, we sometimes feel that we should already know what to do, and what decision to make, in every situation! Would asking for help expose an inadequacy? Some leaders fear that asking for help can feel like an imposition, and we wouldn’t want to burden others with our problems or dilemmas as a leader. Of course, leaders who never know what to do, and ask for help on everything, may develop a credibility problem! But, overall, being invitational – inviting others in and asking for help – is a highly effective leadership strategy, and one that can be developed.

There are several reasons why this is important.

We get better strategies and outcomes if we ask for help from experts 1. We develop a sense of collective responsibility 2. Asking for help from our team builds trust amongst the team and encourages others to ask for help too 3. If we don’t ask for help, we may fall over and struggle to get back up again.

Principle 4 - Be decisive but be quick to review and, if necessary, amend We are all imperfect leaders. People will forgive leaders who sometimes make mistakes and admit to them, but they hate a cover-up or a blame culture.

urgent can become compelling and almost attractive. The adrenalin flows, you feel important, you are making a difference and responding to immediate needs. Even in a crisis, it is important to set some resource aside to look at the big picture. What do we want to happen in our school and in our system that is positive, as we build back to a new normal? How are we building-in the time to think this through?

Principle 6 - Lead with empathy and authenticity. Do the right thing.

One of the fundamentals of good leadership is to embrace the concept of fairness in the organisation. People have a deep-seated view that if you are asking them to do something, to take a risk, to go the extra mile, then you should do it too. In the end, if we want people to follow us and we want to have an impact as leaders then we need to lead with integrity. We need to choose to the right thing over the wrong thing.

Principle 7 - Pragmatic Optimism Part of our role as leaders is for our colleagues and our children to see us being positive about the future; that we will get through this and out of the other side; to tell the story of what it is going to be like and the positive future ahead.

Our role is not to be blindly optimistic, it is also to prepare people for tough times. We must be honest about bad news and about the challenges ahead.

We need to confront the brutal facts.

On the other hand, cheerfulness is an essential element in these challenging times. Our colleagues need it from us.

Let’s make sure that cheerfulness can still break through.

None of us were taught how to lead in a pandemic and it isn’t on any leadership development program. But what we can do as imperfect leaders is to show up, with optimism and resilience, to reach out and ask for help and, do what is right and remember to let cheerfulness break through.

Principle 5 - Deal with the urgent but build in some space for the strategic and for the future The urgent is essential - people need If you would like to contact Steve in you to lead and to address what’s relation to this piece, you can email coming at them and it sometimes him ippn.ie at steve@munbyeducation.co.uk.

Keep anthe eye on and your E-scéal

for notification of event registration

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

Damian White IPPN President It is 21 years since our first official IPPN conference. For those who came into the job for the first time since spring 2020, you have faced challenges of Everestian proportions, which you have surmounted with admirable courage and zeal.

We must also acknowledge that our Minister has faced challenges, the likes of which were never before experienced by any previous Minister and we compliment her on her stoicism in the face of it all. We acknowledge the supports her Department has provided to schools as we all battle to defeat this dreaded virus. I wish to particularly acknowledge the day per week administration granted to all teaching principals, which has been IPPN’s highest priority for many years, and I welcome the recent positive soundings from the minister about its retention, post pandemic.

This pandemic has forced us to adapt to new ways of teaching and communicating with children, their parents and amongst peers. That new tools such as SeeSaw and Zoom, for which school staffs had previously had little or no training, were implemented during the first lockdown, and improved upon during the second, is testament to the extraordinary leadership and support you have provided in your school communities.

That you did this while 55 % of you had full teaching duties yourselves is even more remarkable. That for some teaching principals, also includes an ASD or another special class. What you have achieved is incredible, but unsustainable in the long term. That you did it while helping to distribute school meals in DEIS schools while seeking to get every child access to IT is phenomenal. The lengths that many of you, particularly those leading DEIS Band 1 schools, went to, to keep your pupils engaged in meaningful learning during the lockdown, has been heroic.

For all the trouble and stress caused by the pandemic, some opportunities emerged to do things differently.

We have discovered how to meet remotely. We have attended staff meetings, support groups, webinars and CPD events from our own homes.

In the post-pandemic world, we will all

have a blended approach to meetings and courses from now on.

For local supports groups, or CPD organised from the local Education Centre, there is now a greater opportunity for all school leaders to connect and to feel connected. I want here to compliment the outstanding work of all education centre directors and staff in supporting school leaders through the various lockdowns.

The pandemic has also seen the excellent work of PDST in providing webinars on digital and blended learning, school support, the Tánaiste programme, restorative practice and other important areas.

Likewise, our thanks to all at CSL for so many reasons, not least of which is the great support given to our new principals through mentoring over the course of this pandemic.

SEN To visit a special school or a special class is to enter a world of exceptional love and care for our most needy students. Staff in special schools face many issues above and beyond what the majority of us in mainstream schools meet day to day. In addition to teaching the curriculum, they provide for each child’s physical and mental well-being in a capacity which sees them handling, lifting, supporting and providing personal care in the unique, warm and empathetic way they do. This involves a great deal of understanding, respect and trust between parents, pupils and staff.

School staff should be provided with anti-Covid vaccines as a matter of priority, but for staff in special schools and special classes, whose work, in terms of the close contact is equivalent to frontline health staff, they should all be vaccinated as a matter of extreme urgency. For special schools also, IPPN supports the undertaking of a review of the 1993 SERC report which is long overdue in terms of determining the needs of the special school in the modern context.

It is important to acknowledge the role played by schools who have opened special classes, the majority of them

catering for children with ASD. In this country now, a total of 1321 special classes are spread over 678 schools, meaning one school in 5 now has a special class, with some counties having as many as one in 3.

There has been tremendous work supporting children with special needs and providing opportunities for integration. The administration workload increases substantially on schools with SNUs, and the Department, as a matter of urgency, should move towards appointing Administrative Principals to all schools with 2 or more special classes where units are attached to smaller schools.

The Pandemic has also raised the question of equitable access to education. Access, or lack of it, to digital devices for pupils and families, highlights the gaps existing. Many schools and community initiatives oversaw the distribution of digital equipment to children without access, or with limited access at home. Many children suffered for lack of space to study at home, with whole families seeking to share devices. Internet access ranges from the good to the practically non-existent, depending on where you live.

The frontloading model for determining access to special needs supports in our schools has been widely discussed, if worryingly not widely piloted, to determine and address the potential issues.

For schools who need to contest their allocation on the basis of larger than expected numbers of children in need of extra support, the appeals process is cumbersome, hugely time consuming and ultimately, off-putting. This needs to change. Out of respect to all involved, the announcement of SNA allocations needs to be made much earlier in the year.

With SET allocations maintained for the 2021/22 school year, consideration must be given to the serious negative impact on children in developing schools, as these schools will not have sufficient teaching supports to meet the needs of their growing numbers of pupils. Schools classified as 13

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

‘developing’ should be reassessed on a year by year basis if equity of access is to be achieved. I urge the Minister and her Department to put in place the necessary measures to support the education and welfare of our most vulnerable children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Proper psychological services should not be a luxury. In fact, it will prove in time to have been money well spent.

Recent world events have shown a rise in race-related events, activities, demonstrations and crimes. As a nation, we are only a few decades removed from a time when people were our biggest export. In recent years, the tide has turned, and many are arriving on our shores. Many are fleeing war and persecution. We as a nation must embrace all new Irish and newcomer families, and we as a profession must hold ourselves to the highest standards in support of the education, health and well-being of each and every child. It is vital that in our policies and practices, we provide a happy, positive and tolerant learning experience for all children. By addressing these issues together, we will go some way towards a more equitable future for all our children.

You will have heard Drs. Jolanta Burke and Majella Dempsey outline their research and what needs to happen if we are to support the health and well-being of our school leaders. That can only happen where work is manageable, supports are in place, oversight is exercised with ‘trust’ and professional respect is central. What leaders need to do is to look after themselves, as well as what the system needs to do for school leaders. As school leaders we have to take responsibility for looking after our health and physical wellbeing and keeping ourselves first. To quote Dr. Harry Barry, ‘It’s not being selfish to put yourself first. It is a simple fact that if you’re not putting yourself first, you’re not going to be at your best for anyone else – physically, emotionally, intellectually.’

The mental health of our members is of critical importance to us and we are all too well aware of how the pressures of the job have had significant effects on the well-being of some of our colleagues. For some, work pressures have been amongst the factors driving them to a dark place. We currently operate the Covid-19 out of hours support service for school leaders which we know from the response of members, has been widely and deeply appreciated. When the Pandemic passes, and it will, we propose to maintain an out-of-hours service for those in the profession for whom the pressures of work require an outlet, by way of a nonjudgemental and listening ear, to help members to avoid those dark places.

As President, I finish up at the end of August after 2 years in the role, and I look forward to resuming as Principal in Killeigh NS. All the shortcomings of working from home, travel restrictions etc. have been far outweighed by the support and friendship of the wonderful IPPN family, the support and kindness of our incredibly dedicated staff, Board, Council, County committees and members across the country.

I am very proud of how our profession has responded to the recent crisis. To paraphrase the great Seamus Heaney ‘We are wintering this, and while we may not quite Summer anywhere, there are brighter days ahead.’

Go n-éirí libh.

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Sustainable Leadership Project BRIAN O’DOHERTY

PRINCIPAL OF ST. PATRICK’S LORETO PS, BRAY, AND IPPN DEPUTY PRESIDENT

IPPN’s consideration of the concept, the importance of and issues relating to the sustainability of school leadership began in earnest in July of 2019 with a symposium attended by guests drawn from the broad spectrum of education stakeholders.

The symposium was facilitated by Dr Karen Edge and, while a lot of ground was covered and much sharing of ideas took place, it was the fundamentally differing perspectives that emerged, when considering the perception of school leadership, that left a lasting impression.

In truth, the room divided down the middle between practitioners and policy makers. Karen asked us to put a number out of 10 on the value attributed to, the impact of and the scope for professional fulfilment associated with school leadership. The average score that emanated from the policy making side of the equation was 8 while practitioners offered an average score of 4. When practitioners were asked to elaborate on the issues that contributed to their low score, the common refrain from policy makers was, “I never realised” or “I had no idea”. The disconnect between how school leadership was perceived, as opposed to experienced, was stark.

The importance of addressing this disconnect as well as impacting positively on the sustainability of school leadership became clearer as a result of the further discussion and facilitation that took place at the IPPN Conference in January of 2020. It became readily apparent that this was an issue that not only had implications for the retention of existing school leaders but also for the recruitment of future leaders. It also highlighted the potential wider consequences both for leadership effectiveness and school effectiveness which are inextricably linked. Understandably, ensuring the sustainability of school leadership has emerged as a strategic priority for IPPN and the Sustainable Leadership project has been commenced to address that priority.

Academic and practitioner research, both nationally and internationally, has demonstrated conclusively that effective school leadership is second only to effective classroom teaching as a positive influence on and determinant of pupil learning. As the professional body for primary school leaders, IPPN aspires to empower us to provide dynamic leadership of our school communities resulting in inspired learners. From the system’s perspective, it makes sense

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE that having the most effective people in school leadership roles will have a consequential positive impact on the effectiveness of those schools – the right people in the right positions, focusing on the right things.

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Anything that supports and facilitates effective school leadership will have a positive impact on our leadership practice, school effectiveness and, ultimately, learner outcomes. However, the opposite is also true, in that anything that negatively impinges on or detracts from our potential effectiveness as school leaders has a detrimental impact on us, on our schools and, more importantly, on children. It behoves IPPN and the wider education system to ensure that any such impinging or negative factors are addressed to better ensure those entrusted with leadership roles are facilitated to lead our schools, as reflective practitioners, and true to our own contexts.

AIMS By means of the Sustainable Leadership project, we hope to ■ examine the sustainability of current school leadership roles and, in particular, that of the Principal ■ identify the main contributing factors that compromise the sustainability of that leadership and, most importantly, ■ examine proposals and identify opportunities that will contribute to sustainable school leadership in the future.

To assist us in achieving these objectives, we propose to explore and provide a coherent analysis of the context and current reality in which school leaders are operating.

Furthermore, we intend to provide an overview of the issues impacting on the sustainability of that leadership.

Arising from that analysis, we then plan to identify areas to be addressed and to suggest alternative approaches which could have a positive impact on the critical issue of school leadership for the education system as a whole.

THEMES In our consideration of the issues to date, some of the early themes emerging are ■ the absence of a shared understanding of what constitutes effective school leadership ■ the challenge in maintaining a focus on our core purpose of leading teaching and learning ■ the absence of a systematic

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process of preparation for leadership the vexed issue of having the requisite time to lead our schools which has a particular resonance for teaching principals the lack of adequate infrastructural supports including leadership & management posts and administrative support and one which will come as little surprise to any of you the inadequacies of the current Governance structure and the consequential impact in terms of workload on the Principal.

We intend to explore each of these themes in greater depth. We also intend that our analysis will be underpinned by relevant research and data derived from the Irish context and reflective of international leadership practice.

This is one of the most important and challenging aspects of the project as much of the evidence in the system is anecdotal. We are in the throes of conducting a research needs analysis and look forward to engaging with you and the education stakeholders to address this deficit in current, relevant and meaningful data. This may also involve the commissioning of specific research.

CONSULTATION Thus far, we have engaged with the DE with regard to the project and welcomed their constructive feedback on our project scope document.

The Board of Directors and National Council members have been briefed and I had the opportunity of briefing the attendees at Conference. We will continue to keep you updated as the project progresses.

Core Team

2021

However, by far the most important aspect of the project will be our engagement with you, the wider membership of IPPN, in terms of informing the process of identifying both issues and potential solutions.

We will provide further detail on how we will structure that engagement at the County AGM’s in the autumn and we also hope to take advantage of the network of support groups throughout the country in order to secure your direct feedback and opinions.

The hope is that whatever emanates from this process by way of a report will go some way to ■ improving the sustainability of school leadership ■ enhancing the effectiveness of school leaders with its consequential impact on school improvement ■ increasing the attractiveness of the role for those aspiring to leadership positions ■ providing greater clarity around roles and responsibilities ■ ensuring improved infrastructural supports ■ addressing the considerable concerns of IPPN’s membership on this issue PROJECT TEAM The project team is listed in the panel below.

The project team looks forward to engaging with you further in the coming months and to bringing the project to a successful conclusion.

If you would like to contact Brian about this article, you can email him to editor@ippn.ie.

Post

Areas of Responsibility

1. Damian White President

Time & space to lead / Teaching Principalship / Special schools

2. Páiric Clerkin CEO

Preparation for leadership / Recruitment / Induction

3. Jack Durkan Supports & Infrastructural supports /

Services Manager Middle Management / Co-leadership 4. Geraldine D’Arcy

Advocacy & Communications Manager

5. Brian O’Doherty Deputy President

Research & Statistics / Data Analysis / Project Management Effective leadership / Core Purpose / Governance / Project Lead 15

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

Páiric Clerkin IPPN CEO

As we move towards the end of the school year, it is worth reflecting on what we have all achieved over the last 14 months, what we have learned along the way, and how this may shape the future of the education sector.

As we reflect, we need to acknowledge what we have achieved in leading our schools through what has been an unprecedented situation for which there was no blueprint or recent experience to draw upon.

It has been an immense challenge for every school principal. Protecting your school community has been a constant strain and worry. We were constantly told that our schools are safe. However, it’s the school principal who feels that ultimate personal responsibility towards every member of the school community. We were honest and told our communities that schools were safer but not risk free, because trust is a key component for positive relationships.

And we will continue to be honest in dealing with the daily challenges facing us each day, such as the struggle to keep schools open due to lack of staffing, lack of substitutes and challenges around the vetting of substitute SNAs. Everyone in the system must do more to support school principals who are doing everything possible to keep the school gates open, but they need the basic resources and staffing to do so.

You have all done so much over the past 14 months to help calm the waters to support families struggling to cope, supporting your staff, while at the same time trying to look after your own family and their needs. You may well have asked ‘who is looking after me?’.

Again, the importance of the IPPN network is highlighted. All of you are IPPN. You are the network and that’s what IPPN is, a network. We are all here to help each other. As a professional association, we are here to provide each other with peer-to-peer support and professional development, so that we can all provide the very best leadership for our own school communities.

No one understands your situation like 16

a fellow school principal. I want to thank all of you for the collegial support you offer to each other, because leading in an imperfect world is hard work, and impossible to do well, without the support of our colleagues.

That’s why IPPN has been working closer than ever with the education partners, to ensure that you, your school, and your children received the most effective supports, to help guide the learning in our primary schools during this difficult time.

We are working closely with ESCI - the national network of education centres, with CSL and with the Department, to ensure that every principal and deputy principal in this country, no matter where they are, has access to a local support group and a trained facilitator.

We have worked with PDST to further develop the Tánaiste programme, to support the professional development needs of our Deputy Principals. CSL, PDST, IPPN and NAPD, have worked together to design a comprehensive induction programme for newly appointed principals, with a suite of supports, including the immediate needs of the newly appointed principal.

We have an ambitious, yet simple, achievable objective of supporting every Newly Appointed Principal, within two weeks of their appointment.

We will also examine how the Headstart Programme – now aligned with the PDST Misneach programme - can promote school leadership and support aspiring leaders on their leadership journey.

The past 14 months has also been a time for some deep reflection about the importance of relationships. It’s also been a time when so many were willing to give, to do whatever they could, for the most vulnerable in society. So many school leaders found innovative ways to provide support to families and staff members going through a very difficult time, to keep the school meals programme in operation at the height of the pandemic. That’s what community is all about.

How can we build on this deeper appreciation of the importance of community, the importance of kindness

and of looking after one-another?

Community is all about relationship building, and relationship building is probably the most important function of school leadership. That’s how the leader sets the tone and influences the ethos and culture in the school.

We cannot emerge from this pandemic and go back to the way things were.

We must reflect and take forward this renewed appreciation for family life, for slowing down, for making time to spend with others.

This is our opportunity to press the reset button, to prioritise what is truly important. We as school leaders, should lead the way within our own school communities. Look again at the P-I-E-W model. Will children and staff be happier and less anxious, if we make a conscious effort to slow things down in our own schools? Is that the first step towards taking back some control of our destiny and designing a more sustainable way forward, for school leadership?

The pandemic has highlighted the inordinate pressures on principals, on our voluntary chairpersons and our voluntary boards of management at primary level. Too much is expected of these volunteers. The board of the one teacher school has the same responsibilities as the large urban school. Unfortunately, these unreasonable expectations of voluntary community members, in most cases, fall back on the shoulders of the Principal. That’s one imperfection that our system cannot allow to continue.

There is a critical need to focus on the sustainability of school leadership. It is at the very top of IPPN’s priority list.

I wish you all well as we move into the final months of the most challenging year any of us have had to deal with.

We look forward to the next school year with optimism and in the hope that the worst is behind us, that the new normal will be brighter and better.

Keep an eye on ippn.ie and your E-scéal for notification of event registration

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

Teresa Griffin

CEO of the National Council for Special Education The NCSE is the independent policy advisers to the Minister for Education on the education of students with additional needs. We take this function very seriously and to ensure that we provide the best advice. Another function is that we commission research into special education current and best practice. We also provide advice and support to schools and parents on special education through our: ■ 260+ TPL seminars ■

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Our In-school (which this year was mainly on-line) support services particularly around behaviour, individual disabilities, differentiation and so on Our Information Booklets – augmented this year by a number of videos SENO led parental information sessions Sanctioning additional special classes; SNAs; AT; school transport etc.

More information about our resources and support can be found on our website www.ncse.ie Teacher Professional Learning We have over 30 autism specific seminars. These include a four-day course for teachers where a school is opening its first special class.

These schools can also apply for an exceptional closure day to allow for a full-day seminar for the whole staff, not just teachers. Other courses cover literacy, numeracy, language & communications, intensive interaction, and a 2-day condensed course for new teachers in established special classes. This year we are introducing cluster support pilots for new special class teachers; webinars on promoting positive behaviour, visual teaching methodologies.

Specifically for Principals, we have a webinar on Leading Inclusive Learning; a workshop based webinar for principals with established special classes and a webinar for principals opening new autism special classes.

We are also considering, in light of learnings from Covid19, how best to

proceed with our TPL offerings. Up until Covid, it had been thought that TPL was best delivered face-to-face .

What we have found is that some of our seminars – all of which had to be reworked for online delivery – worked really well as webinars and others not so well. So, we might retain a number of courses as webinars – but still to be decided.

interests of children and their needs should be fundamental and first.

School Inclusion Model In March 2018, we published our comprehensive review of the SNA scheme. We recommended a new school inclusion model to deliver the right supports at the right time to students with additional care needs.

The Government agreed to fund a pilot on a key element of the model which was to fund 31 SLT and OT therapists to work in schools in 2018/19 followed by a SIM pilot in 2019/20.

NCSE engaged with the IPPN and many school principals about the exceptional review process for SNAs last year. We know that you found submitting applications and supporting documentation by email and or post, cumbersome and not user-friendly. Many schools ended up submitting applications by post and email, sometimes a number of emails and this is not efficient or easy for the school and to be frank, we found it difficult as well given we were working remotely.

So, what is SIM? ■ 10 regional NCSE teams comprising SENOs, Specialist Teachers, SLTs, OTs and Behaviour Practitioners (two teams fully staffed in the pilot) ■

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No need to await a diagnosis for a child to access support

Additional Psychologists

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Additional Clinical Services

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Therapy supports – in and out of school

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SNA Exceptional Reviews We know that huge improvements have been made in supporting students with additional needs – however, as with everything else in life, we can always improve and do better.

Upskilled SNAs – UCD certificate course started in January this year with 500 students – next intake is September 2021 with 1,000 students. Enrolment is underway and is open until 28 May

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We hope to have a much better process this year by using our online school portal for applications for 2021/22 The new process will be familiar to many principals who have used it when applying for school support or funding for CPD Each school has a log on to the portal. We will resend all schools their log on details over the coming weeks as there are some schools who have not activated their accounts.

A school nursing scheme – not yet up and running

I heard recently that there is some confusion between SIM and our policy advice. Our policy advice on special schools and special classes has been significantly delayed for a number of reasons, including COVID. It will be finalised and published this year. Notwithstanding Ireland’s commitments under the UNCRPD, the NCSE is of the view that the best 17

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2021

IPPN Principals’ Conference 2021

Leadership for an Imperfect World Access to CPD materials IPPN’s first online Annual Principals’ Conference took place on May 7th. This is our biggest event in the school year, attended by school leaders, education partners and advocates. The event was a combination of Education Expo, professional seminars and plenary sessions with national and international keynote speakers. All of the seminars and plenary sessions were recorded and will be available for the

next 12 months only on our event platform for those who successfully registered for the event.

If you did not register for the event and wish to access the materials, please email info@ippn.ie with your request.

There will be a cost of €130 to access the material.

SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS Sincere thank you to all of our exhibitors and to our premium conference sponsors Allianz and Compu b, as well as our seminar sponsors Barnardos Online Safety Programme, The Daily Mile, EducationPosts.ie, Epson, Nexus, and the SEAI.

The support of exhibiting companies helps IPPN to deliver our Annual Principals’ Conference – please consider these companies when making purchases for your school over the coming year.

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May/June 2021

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Raising awareness and hope for school leaders and teachers DR MAEVE HURLEY AG EISTEACHT Evidence points the way to optimising children’s potential The World Health Organisation has identified Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as a significant public health issue, and estimates that 250 million children worldwide do not reach their potential as a result of early childhood adversity.

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences?

Research on childhood trauma was prompted by the landmark study of ACEs in the United States over twenty years ago. ACEs refer to experiences of childhood trauma, abuse, parental dysfunction and neglect. Toxic stress generated by ACEs can significantly affect the otherwise healthy development of a child and can have a detrimental impact on health, learning and wellbeing throughout life.

How is this relevant for Irish children?

A 2018 report from the Growing Up in Ireland study, found that 63% of 13 years olds had experienced at least one stressful event since the age of 9. The children who had experienced one or more stressful life event in the last four years were significantly more likely to experience more socioemotional and behavioural difficulties than those who had experienced no stressful life events. International research has shown that children with more ACEs have poorer health, educational and social outcomes.

Why is it important to be ACEaware in a school setting?

Research has found an association between ACEs and success in school. The more ACEs a child has experienced, the higher the risk of poor school attendance, behavioural issues, emotional and mental health issues, attention, concentration and learning issues, with consequent impacts on academic performance and outcomes.

Why is Teacher-Child Relationship (TCR) important?

The teacher-child relationship is a pivotal relationship which can influence a child’s social, psychological and emotional development and behaviour. A positive TCR is associated with higher levels of social competence, as well as less aggression and disruption. It is clear that TCRs have the capacity to mitigate some of the negative outcomes children experience as a result of ACEs. However, quite often the behavioural issues that a child experiences due to ACEs, such as aggression, hyperactivity and disruption, can place a strain on that relationship.

Ag Eisteacht has found that inter-professional education (IPE) provides a valuable approach for teaching and supporting members of various disciplines working with children with ACEs. How schools in Ireland can increase awareness about ACEs Irish charity Ag Eisteacht has delivered 18 screenings of the critically acclaimed ‘Resilience: The Biology of Stress & the Science of Hope’ documentary to date. This onehour documentary details research findings from ‘The ACE Study’ and aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and lasting effects of ACEs, while conveying a message of hope for resilience, and demonstrating the power of positive relationships in protecting against and mitigating the effects of ACEs. It provides a comprehensive insight into childhood trauma, which is of the utmost importance for teachers given the pivotal role they play in a child’s life.

Ag Eisteacht‘s screenings are part of a 2.5 hour session with facilitated input, small group discussions and a plenary session to provide a safe and supportive space for people to view and engage with the material. Ag Eisteacht’s 2020 review of teachers’ evaluations of ACE awareness raising screenings suggests that having an awareness of ACEs may help teachers to view behavioural issues in a traumainformed way whilst also recognising the important role positive relationships play in mitigating the negative effects of ACEs. Additionally, Ag Eisteacht has found that inter-professional education (IPE) provides a valuable approach for teaching and supporting members of various disciplines working with children with ACEs.

A trauma-informed workforce for all those working with children and their families, where professionals are provided with practical information regarding ACE research, provides an important opportunity for teachers for prevention, early intervention and optimisation of children’s potential.

Ag Eisteacht is launching a new, evidence-informed course for school leaders later this year. ‘ABLE4School Leaders – how and why relationships matter in schools’ has been accredited by the Centre for School Leadership. www.ageisteacht.com.

LINK

This article was written by Dr Maeve Hurley, Kate O’Connell and Niamh Moran from Ag Eisteacht and Dr Margaret O’Rourke from the School of Medicine, University College Cork (UCC).

If you would like to contact Ag Eisteacht in relation to this article, please email donna@ageisteacht.com.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Developing a culture of

shared leadership PDST LEADERSHIP TEAM

The challenges of school closure, online learning and school reopening have been significant for school leaders and school communities through the COVID period. However, in the midst of these enormous challenges there have been some wonderful moments in schools. As a school principal on the PDST’s Misneach programme said recently ‘We all pulled together and made it work. I have a wonderful staff.’ This particular principal went on to say how the leadership of online learning had been provided by two young teachers in the school, and how this had brought a new understanding to her of what leadership meant.

Developing a culture of shared leadership is a challenge for school leaders, as schools also need executive decisionmaking to function as a coherent organisation. However, schools that are overly dependent on a single leader can struggle to have a healthy and empowering culture. The process of developing culture is painstaking, and sometimes involves deep change in what we think and how we work.

At a fundamental level, building cultures of trust is a critical factor in empowering staff. The capacity to be vulnerable, a challenge for some leaders, is a central factor in developing trust. In many schools, cultures of trust thrive, where staff work together and collaborate to support their pupils. As far back as the 1990s, Anthony S. Bryk and Barbara Schneider demonstrated the critical nature of trust in schools being able to adapt to the needs of their pupils in Chicago. The key elements of building trust are in the competency, benevolence and credibility of others. Developing trust and nurturing our relationships with our colleagues is a key focus throughout the PDST’s suite of Leadership Programmes: Forbairt, Misneach, Tánaiste, Meitheal and Comhar. We explore the importance of: ■

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Appreciating others – school closures have given a new appreciation of the value of teachers. Remember to keep acknowledgements of the work of staff alive in your school Using emotional intelligence to understand situations and to take feedback from others Being an active listener – you don’t have to solve everything but being empathetic matters Maintaining a positive outlook - at a fundamental level schools are places of hope and our role in maintaining hope and possibility is critical for our staff and students.

While relationships are central to developing leadership skills and empowering others within the school, they are not, on their own, sufficient to support the empowerment of others. Schools can develop effective structures to provide ways of working that facilitate opportunities for other leaders to grow their skills and to take on leadership roles. Formal review structures outlined in leadership 20

and management circulars may help in aligning priorities, but it is also necessary to build a coherent structure for communication and shared decision-making. In many schools, such structures exist to support the development of leadership amongst all the staff. These may include: ■ Structured meetings for leadership teams, staff, pupils and the wider school community, to facilitate communication, clarity and effective decision making ■ Professional development – the promotion of professional development is a critical element of developing leadership within the school. The PDST Comhar programme for Assistant Principal (One and Two) provides a leadership programme for Assistant Principals to reflect on their role in school culture, on leading change, and on leading teaching and learning.

More than 500 Assistant Principals have completed this programme which will be available through Education Centres next year ■ Coaching meetings - For middle leaders who are taking on new roles or leading new areas, it can be a key role of leadership to support, provide opportunities to discuss and clarify. Supportive conversations of this nature are critical to motivation and empowerment ■ Creating safety nets - For some leadership in schools, a whole-school initiative may be too large or have too much risk for some leaders. Allowing a ‘practice field’, by having a small-scale pilot or a short taster of a new approach, may allow learning to take place and allow troubleshooting of potential pitfalls.

Critical to all such processes is the development of a reflective stance. There are many ways to lead. One of the challenges for school leaders is to allow others to learn by doing. Supporting reflection and learning where mistakes are made is an important role of leadership and part of the learning journey for pupils, teachers and leaders alike. In the words of Voltaire, ‘Perfection is the enemy of the good.’

For more information, go to https://pdst.ie/primary/ leadership or email lindahogan@pdst.ie, Administrator for PDST Leadership Programmes.

LINK

Keep an eye on ippn.ie and your E-scéal for notification of event registration

May/June 2021

Tánaiste Programme for new Deputy Principals PDST LEADERSHIP TEAM

Tánaiste is a one-year fully-funded professional development programme for newly-appointed deputy Principals, that has been developed by the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) to support deputy principals to effectively develop their leadership and management skills. It is informed by the latest national and international evidence-based research, and is closely aligned to the dimensions, domains and standards of Looking at Our School 2016.

Critical to the success of the programme is the development of skills linked to key professional leadership concepts, including distributed leadership and the role of the reflective practitioner. Over the course of the year, participants

will engage in fifteen modules over five full-day seminars. Topics covered include the Role of Deputy Principal, Communication, School Culture, Leading Wellbeing, Reflective Practice, and Leading Change & SSE. Additional readings and resources are made available to participants and substitute cover is provided for each full-day seminar.

The importance of effective partnership between the deputy principal and the principal is recognised as central to the successful leadership and management of a school. Both principal and deputy principal are invited to attend two additional afternoon sessions which focus specifically on their communication structures and practices,

planning for acting up and reflecting on the leadership and management priorities of their school.

Finally, communities of learners are established at the end of this programme in collaboration with IPPN and the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI). Using a coaching style approach, a facilitator will encourage members to problem-solve through questioning each other and reflecting on their practice.

Over 180 deputy principals participated in the programme this year.

All primary deputy principals appointed since August 2020 are eligible to apply for a place on Tánaiste. Further information is available at https://www. pdst.ie/Tanaiste/Primary. LINK

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

REOPENING SCHOOLS

BACK TO SCHOOL ■ DES Letter May 5th ■ Banking Hours Application Form (DES Circular 45/2020, Section 5.4) ■ Letter to Parents - Class Closure ■ Litir ó Deirdre Shanley dos na Príomhoidí 23 Márta ■ Letter to Principals from Deirdre Shanley, Assistant Secretary - 25 March 2021 ■ Supporting the Wellbeing of School Communities: Guidance for Schools Returning to School: Spring 2021 ■ HSE Memo to all Principals - 23 March 2021 ■ Dept. of Public Health - Updated

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FAQs for School Principals or Designated Contact Person Returning to School Guidance for teaching and learning 3rd - 6th class.

RESOURCES

DES CIRCULARS 2021 ■ Circular 19/2021 - Staffing arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2021/22 school year ■ Appendix A - Schedule of Enrolment of Pupils Governing the Appointment and Retention of Mainstream Class Teachers ■ Circular 21/2021 - Coronavirus (COVID-19): Arrangements for Teachers and Special Needs Assistants employed in recognised Primary and Post Primary schools ■ Synopsis of DE Circular 21/2021.

FORMS & TEMPLATES Admissions Registration Form

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

SUPPORTS

LEADERSHIP+ 2020/21 ■ Issue 117 – February 2021 E-SCÉALS A new E-scéal is uploaded each week to this section. In recent weeks, E-scéals have been issued more often than once a week to ensure that key information is shared quickly.

ADVOCACY

SUBMISSIONS ■ Submission to the Joint Committee - Bullying in Schools and the Mental Health Impact (Feb 2021) ■ Submission to the DE Inspectorate - Evaluation of Remote Teaching and Learning Pilot (May 2021) ■ Submission to the DE - Digital Strategy (May 2021)

ABOUT US

NATIONAL COUNCIL REPORTS Meeting Updates -> 2020/2021 Meeting Reports ■ March 4th - Meeting Report

See pages 36-38 for an overview of IPPN’s Advocacy/Submissions on behalf of members 21

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Commentary on a Review of

Class Size in DEIS Urban Band 1 Primary Schools

MARIA DOYLE PAST PRESIDENT OF IPPN AND INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF PRINCIPALS’ EUROPEAN REPRESENTATIVE The DEIS Plan 2017 included a clear commitment to undertake an evaluation of teaching resources in schools participating in the school support programme, to inform future policy in this area.

Subsequently, a Working Group on Class Size was established with representatives from various education partners (INTO, IPPN, CPSMA, An Foras Pátrúnachta), the ERC, the Inspectorate and other relevant units from within the Department of Education, to progress aspects of this evaluation.

The ultimate task of the working group was to report to the Steering Committee on the Optimum Class Size in DEIS primary schools, and to make a recommendation based on the findings of the group having considered the matter fully, taking into account the evidence-based research and available information. Class size, for the purpose of the report, referred to the number of students ordinarily in a classroom, while pupil-teacher ratio indicates the number of students enrolled relative to total teaching posts.

The class size working group Terms of Reference (TOR) were to consider: ■ the current situation in DEIS schools ■ best practice in the context of international research ■ the legacy posts currently in the system ■ the impact of behavioural and other issues which impinge on class teaching and climate, and how schools might be supported ■ the effect of frontloading the system with teachers at a time when enrolments are at a peak, and will begin to decline ■ the cost of any proposed recommendations ■ how any recommendations will be communicated to schools

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and to prepare and present a report to the Steering Committee and make recommendations as to the optimum class size in DEIS primary schools.

The final summary report on the Review of Class Size in DEIS Urban Band 1 Primary Schools was issued on February 28th, 2021. However, the report was carried out before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and, therefore, does not refer to the utilisation of remote learning during school closures or to additional supports provided to schools to facilitate their reopening in September 2020.

While the report itself provides an extensive outline of all the elements contained in the TOR, hereunder is a personal summary of some of the key findings and focused discussion points from the report. A more detailed analysis can be accessed by reference to the full report at www.education.ie ■

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Recent reports indicate that DEIS is having a positive effect on tackling educational disadvantage, for the majority of young people.

Budget 2012 provided for the subsuming of ‘legacy posts’ allocated to schools under preDEIS programmes, aimed at tackling educational disadvantage.

Many of these additional posts were distributed by schools to support a reduction in class sizes. The practice of subsuming the posts is currently paused following the announcement of the review of the DEIS programme in 2015. However, it was argued that legacy posts present a tension between overall equity on one hand and maintaining stability in existing resources for those schools which have these legacy posts. A strong preference was given by some members of the Working Group that these posts should remain in situ. The issue remains a live topic which requires

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further detailed discussion.

It was acknowledged that a reduction in class size is not the answer to all the difficulties encountered in DEIS schools.

Other areas that were highlighted during discussions within the Working Group included enhanced access to behavioural supports, art and play therapies and DEIS-specific CPD. It was noted that Urban Band 2 schools have the same staffing schedule as non-DEIS schools.

Members of the Working Group felt that this matter should be addressed within the context of the new DEIS resource allocation.

Available research and evidence indicates a modest increase in academic achievement with reduced class size, with the benefits being felt to a greater degree in junior classes.

However, pupils from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds have been shown to benefit from smaller classes more than others.

Literature on class size indicates that gains in learning are more likely when reductions in class size are targeted at younger children.

Research also indicated that reduced class size in DEIS schools supports improvements in classroom management strategies, behavioural management, student attendance and more focused individual student supports.

Given the evidence as set out in the report, it was proposed that within the context of the resources available and in line with the principle of aligning resources for DEIS schools with overall need, consideration should be given to a possible reduction in class size for DEIS Band 1 schools, with a focus on the junior classes (the first four years) as a further support for those schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage.

May/June 2021

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It was also acknowledged that there is a significant need for further targeted research on the topic of class size within Ireland, with a focus needed on longitudinal research and on the considerations of other factors which may be relevant.

Most of the evidence referred to in the Class Size in DEIS Urban Band 1 Primary Schools Report comes from four large scale evaluations of class size reduction

programmes implemented in the USA during the 1980s and 1990s, Project STAR in Tennessee, SAGE in Wisconsin, California’s statewide class size reduction initiative and Florida’s class size reduction programme.

Following the publication of the above report, the Staffing Schedule for Primary Schools 2021 included a one-point reduction in class size for DEIS Urban Band 1 Primary Schools.

This is a most welcome development and gives purposeful determination to all education partners to work together to achieve further class size reductions and improvements in resources allocated to DEIS schools into the future.

If you would like to contact Maria in relation to this article, you can email her at maria.doyle@ippn.ie.

LINK

THOUGHTS FROM ACROSS THE POND

Lightness and Steel RICH BURCHILL RETIRED MASSACHUSETTS PRINCIPAL Some years ago now, I heard a retiring principal described as being a wonderful blend of lightness and steel. At the time, I thought it was a brilliant description and have come to realize in passing years, what a key ingredient that blending is for school leadership. Every school principal is called upon to display both of these qualities, and many more, on a daily basis. For some, the ability to do so is naturally acquired. Others develop it from experience; sometimes painfully.

It is a delicate balance, yet when done well, results in the acclaim afforded the above retiree.

Upon entering the job, we all bring our own set of skills, idiosyncrasies, experiences and influences. Some of us bring a tendency towards lightness while others lean more to steel. For many, prior exposure to principals when we were teachers or students, imprints an image of what principals are or do. Just as it is said that teachers often teach the way they were taught, principals may sometimes lead the way they were led. Of course, as with any bromide, there are plenty of exceptions. I hope that I was a different principal from any of the ones I had while I was teaching. I think I learned a lot about what I wouldn’t emulate. But of

course, like all others, I was certainly imperfect.

No amount of coursework, reading, or predisposition can completely prepare one for leadership in schools. I would say that is true at any time. Leading during a pandemic stretches that to the limit. If perfection is unlikely in the best of times, it is virtually (no pun intended) unattainable these days.

But experience, personal and otherwise, would lead me to say that many principals have difficulty accepting anything less than perfection of themselves.

But experience, personal and otherwise, would lead me to say that many principals have difficulty accepting anything less than perfection of themselves. While being willing to accept humanness in those around us, it is often difficult to accept it in ourselves. During regular times, this contributes to stress and selfcriticism. Not accepting it this year is akin to believing someone won an election while receiving eight million

fewer votes than the actual winner.

It strikes me that a more productive approach is to be realistic about circumstances for what they are, and to balance that reality with a sense of the limitations of what anyone can do.

A good practice when being critical of yourself is to ask how you would think if it was someone other than yourself you were judging.

There is a quote attributed to the singer, Reba McEntire that, ‘To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.’ I wish that in these imperfect and challenging times, you can blend these three bones with a little lightness and steel, to recognize and appreciate the work that you are doing. By doing so, you will hopefully be able to more completely accept how crazy the challenges are, how strong you are to be willing to lead, how human you are to be able to laugh when opportunities present, and how idealistic you are to be able to envision and move towards a brighter future. In other words, perfectly imperfect.

If you would like to contact Rich in relation to this article, you can email him at richburchill6@gmail.com.

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CONFERENCE

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Centre for School Leadership

Coaching for School Leaders FINBARR HURLEY CSL COORDINATOR In private industry and the corporate world, executive coaching for leaders has been an integral part of leadership development programmes for many years. CEOs, company directors and team leaders have been accessing coaching to bring out the best in themselves, and their teams, for over two decades now.

Coaching in education is quite a new concept, and has been defined as ‘a one-to-one conversation focused on the enhancement of learning and development through increasing self-awareness and a sense of personal responsibility, where the coach facilitates the self-directed learning of the coachee through questioning, active listening, and appropriate challenge in a supportive and encouraging climate’ (Van Nieuwerburgh: 2012)

In 2017, CSL launched Coaching for Principals, a DE (Department of Education) funded initiative for school principals to further support them in their role as school leaders.

In 2017, CSL launched Coaching for Principals, a DE (Department of Education) funded initiative for school principals to further support them in their role as school leaders.

This coaching programme has run very successfully over the past four years, offering the support of executive coaches to hundreds of school principals and school leadership teams. In December 2020, the programme was expanded to include 58 coaches in six regions around the country, as well as the option of being coached trí mheán na Gaeilge. All the coaches have extensive experience in leadership coaching in the private sector, and 24

are now bringing that experience to bear in their interactions with school leaders.

Feedback from those who have engaged in one-to-one and team coaching has been overwhelmingly positive with, in some instances, schools continuing to engage with coaches at their own expense, after they had completed the CSL Coaching for Principals programme.

The key themes that have emerged to date from the coaching service are: ■ Developing self-awareness ■ Building productive professional relationships ■ Gaining a greater sense of lifework balance ■ Time and space to hear your own voice and gain perspective.

Recent research carried out by Leeds Beckett University on the benefits of coaching for school leaders found that ‘there was a positive impact on headteachers’ self-belief and confidence, and coaching helped them to place greater priority on their physical health. Coaching also helped to address the feelings of isolation commonly felt by headteachers.

These gains had a reciprocal benefit in managing the demands of the job and reducing the ‘erosion of resilience.’

(Lofthouse, Whiteside: 2020) Any principal who wishes to avail of the programme may do so by accessing the CSL website https:// www.cslireland.ie/coaching-forprincipals and choosing a coach in their area. Each principal is entitled to a ‘chemistry check’ meeting with their chosen coach and, if the principal feels this is the correct match for them, they will then have the option of having seven coaching sessions with their coach, fully funded by the DE. After four one-to-one sessions, a principal may opt to engage in team coaching with their leadership team,

Principals who have participated in the coaching programme have said that it helps to achieve a greater work-life balance; that it gives a safe space to prioritise issues that need resolving, and develops self-confidence in their leadership role. where the team is entitled to four two-hour sessions.

Principals who have participated in the coaching programme have said that it helps to achieve a greater work-life balance; that it gives a safe space to prioritise issues that need resolving, and develops selfconfidence in their leadership role.

Finally, feedback about Coaching for Principals has been described as the most individual form of professional learning available, as it is tailor-made to the needs of the individual in question. Why not take up the option of a chemistry check and see what the programme brings to you!

If you would like to contact Finbarr in relation to this article, you can email him at fhurley@cslireland.ie.

References available by contacting the Editor by email to editor@ippn.ie.

LINK

May/June 2021

Clive Byrne

NAPD PRINCIPALS AND DEPUTY PRINCIPALS

Farewell to an IPPN friend Clive Byrne’s retirement this summer will be the end of an era, not just for our post-primary counterpart NAPD, for whom he has worked as national director since 2008, but also for IPPN. Clive has been a ‘critical friend’, a valued sounding-board and a highly respected system leader to whom it has always been important to listen.

Our advocacy work in particular has been the better for Clive’s support and input…

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His professional generosity in sharing his knowledge and understanding of the education system locally and globally, combined with his ability to ‘tell it like it is’ and give his honest assessment of what works and what doesn’t work, have proven to be among IPPN’s strongest assets.

the establishment of the Centre for School Leadership co-hosted the ICP (International Confederation of Principals) council meeting in 2018 the recruitment of senior IPPN and NAPD staff engagement with our international counterparts to strengthen our understanding of alternative models of resourcing and supporting school leadership joint positions for budget and other submissions sustainable leadership development of the Sub Seeker system on EducationPosts.ie both organisations are members of ESHA (the European School Heads Association) and ICP.

Bannon to name just a few. We look forward to working closely with Clive’s successor Paul Crone. In the meantime, we want to take this opportunity to acknowledge Clive’s impact and friendship, to sincerely thank him for it and to wish him the very best in whatever he chooses to do next. Given his leadership roles over the years in organisations such as ESHA, ICP, the World Education Forum – which he co-founded - and the NGO Aidlink, we have no doubt that Clive will be planning to add even more strings to his well-laden bow!

Our advocacy work in particular has been the better for Clive’s support and input, and indeed the collaboration with his fellow NAPD leaders in recent years – Mary Nihill, Paul Byrne, Shay

IPPN and NAPD have collaborated closely on a wide range of projects over the years, including: ■

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school leaders’ health and wellbeing research in 2014 and 2015 the commissioning and publication of Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System, (2017), authored

by Professor John Coolahan (RIP) et al

IPPN President Damian White and CEO Páiric Clerkin presenting an IPPN plaque and diary to Clive Byrne, Director of NAPD. At left: Mary Nihill, former NAPD president and Director of CSL

Congratulations We congratulate Mr Paul Crone, formerly Principal of Tallaght Community School, and currently Director of Schools in City of Dublin ETB, who will take on the role of NAPD Director from the 1st of September. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with NAPD in the years to come and look forward to working with Paul to advance the common cause of school leadership.

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PRINCIPAL IN PROFILE

Putting the well into being

ROBBIE O’CONNELL PRINCIPAL OF ST. BRENDAN’S NS, BLENNERVILLE, TRALEE, CO. KERRY In St. Brendan’s NS, Blennerville, we place an emphasis on well-being. We have introduced various initiatives, such as pupil suggestion boxes, birthday certificates & lollipops, wellness walls, and hot chocolate Fridays for the students of the week in each class (this year a sachet of hot chocolate is sent home!). The majority of our initiatives are continuing remotely throughout these most recent school closures, as we feel that continuity where as much is possible for children is essential.

Our ‘Keep Smiling’ badges, which featured in a recent Leadership+ publication, have gone down very well with the whole school community.

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They have kept everybody motivated and in good spirits since their introduction.

Our most recent initiative is that of a YAY box, and I discussed this concept in a podcast with AnnMarie Ireland, as part of the ‘Ignite your light’ ESCI podcast series. This podcast is available on www.esci.ie and soundcloud.

LINK

The inspiration for the introduction of a YAY box came from how successful our suggestion boxes were since their introduction last year. Granting the pupils a voice is one thing, but listening

to their opinions and following up on their suggestions with constructive feedback was what the students enjoyed the most.

The YAY box is where pupils submit their good news and achievements they wish to share. I feel it is of utmost importance to celebrate and acknowledge the everyday positives or small wins and to reaffirm these.

Each Friday when in school, I announce over the school intercom the YAY box submissions, and it gives everybody that feel-good feeling on a Friday afternoon. Staff are also encouraged to submit to the YAY box and they often do.

May/June 2021

Our YAY box continued virtually during school closures and the submissions were most uplifting. We found as a school staff that it kept the whole school connected and updated throughout this difficult & challenging time for all.

During school closures, I shared a video message each Friday to the children whereby the YAY box submissions, the students of the week and the weekly birthdays, were all announced. I found that it was paramount to be visible and supportive to our pupils and the school community throughout school closures and that was the rationale behind the weekly video messages.

For Valentine’s Day in February, we sent each & every pupil a Valentine’s certificate from all the staff stating that ‘we love their positive attitudes, we love their gestures of kindness, we love that they always try their best, we love their resilience, and that we love their smiles that brighten up our school each and every day ‘. This gesture was very well received, and gave all the children a much needed

boost. Staff received an Adam King ‘Hug for you ‘card. Valued parents of our school also received a certificate acknowledging their home-schooling efforts and their continued cooperation with school staff.

During school closures, I shared a video message each Friday to the children whereby the YAY box submissions, the students of the week and the weekly birthdays, were all announced.

Schools cannot become the best environments for students to learn and grow unless we make them the best places for teachers to learn and grow. Schools and school leaders cannot put pupils first if they put school staff last. With this always to the forefront of my mind, I, along with the BOM like to acknowledge staff with little gestures throughout the

year. Prior to the Christmas holidays, I penned an individual letter to all staff along with a voucher for a local hotel and prior to the Easter holidays each staff member were given chocolates.

These small gestures are paramount in my opinion at all times and not just in pandemic times.

Creating and maintaining a positive school climate and culture which enhances teaching and learning, along with ensuring that both children and staff are content in school, is paramount and one of my main motivations as a school principal, and to be honest, it keeps me motivated and inspired also. Being positive is not the same as being a Pollyanna, being positive in a negative situation is not naïve, it is leadership, but a fine balance must be struck between pragmatism and inspiration.

If you would like to contact Robbie in relation to this article, you can email him at info@blennervillens.ie

Return to School Forms The HSE Return to Education Facility Parental Declaration Form and the Staff Return to Work Form are both now available on all TextaParent accounts.

The form can be sent to parents and staff via SMS or email. The form is to be completed when pupils or staff return to school after any absence. All form submissions are reported back to your TextaParent account.

If you have any queries, or would like to try TextaParent.ie for yourself, please contact info@textaparent.ie

Irish Primary Principals’ Network Líonra Phríomhoidí Bunscoile Éireann

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Guidance for Registered Teachers about the Use of Social Media and Electronic Communication

TOMÁS Ó RUAIRC DIRECTOR OF THE TEACHING COUNCIL On the 9th of February 2021, Global Safer Internet Day, I launched the Council’s ‘Guidance for Registered Teachers About the Use of Social Media and Electronic Communication’. The guidance was launched via email to all registered teachers and stakeholders, and promoted through the Council’s website and social media platforms.

In the Teaching Council, we recognise the important role that social media plays as a communication tool for teachers, parents, students and across the broader school community. We know from our ongoing engagement with stakeholders, including IPPN, how many teachers and school leaders use social media and electronic communication to innovate in their classroom practice, to introduce their students to new tools, and facilitate their engagement with the full breadth and depth of the curriculum.

We know how schools use electronic communication and social media to communicate with students, colleagues, and the public. This trend has been accelerated during Covid-19, but it is important to remind ourselves of the innovative leadership which principals, deputy principals and teachers had been showing in this space for some time.

As professionals, teachers recognise the expectations of their communities and wider society, due to the nature of their work with children, young people, and vulnerable persons. For this reason alone, best practice in the use of social media should be seen as both important and helpful. As registered professionals, we all need to be aware of the risks that can arise with the use of electronic communications, including social media.

In this context, the Teaching Council has developed guidance aimed at assisting teachers who use electronic communication and social media.

An extensive consultation process took place with relevant stakeholders including Teacher Unions, Managerial Bodies, and Parent Councils to produce this guidance, which has been approved by the Teaching Council. It should be read in conjunction with Section 3 of the Teaching Council publication Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, which relates to communication.

that it be a useful reminder for some, or generate awareness for others, on the appropriate use of social media and electronic communication.

The guidance document may also be of assistance to schools when developing their own social media policy but should not replace or act as a social media policy for schools.

The Social Media Guidance document is available to view on the Teaching Council website.

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If you would like to contact Tomás in relation to this article, you can email him at communications@ teachingcouncil.ie.

This guidance seeks to support teachers in continuing to make the best use of electronic communication and social media tools. The aim is that the guidance will help teachers make the best use of the opportunities afforded by social media, as well as avoiding the most common risks. It is our intention

Academic award winner at Maynooth University 2021 Congratulations are extended to Fran Egan, who was recently awarded the prestigious IPPN prize for the primary teacher who received the highest grade on the Future Leaders Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management at the university. He was one of over 300 teachers from all over Ireland who began their programme of studies at the Department of Education in the university in September 2020.

Fran hails from Arles, Co. Laois and is a 6th Class teacher in Holy Family Boys’ National School, Askea, Carlow. He graduated from St. Patrick’s College of Education, Drumcondra in 2016, having completed the Professional Masters of Education (PME). Prior to that, he graduated from Dublin City University with a B.Sc. in Actuarial Mathematics. Since this significant change in career path, he has spent five rewarding years in Holy Family BNS, teaching a variety of classes in that time. Last December, he received an Assistant Principal 1 post, with responsibility for STEM Education & Health and Safety.

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May 2021

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May/June 2021

Sustainable Leadership

The Role of Middle Leaders in Our Primary Schools

FINN Ó MURCHÚ

HEAD OF SCHOOL AT MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE, THURLES, AND COORDINATOR OF THE BLENDED ONLINE MIDDLE LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAMME

Schools are about relationships of and for learning. Given the year that we’ve had, the last thing school leaders need right now is to be told what to do. If, however, principals and deputy principals were asked, ‘what did you do in the year that we’ve had?’, I’m sure the concept of collaboration and shared problem-solving would come to the fore with expressions of ‘I couldn’t have done it but for the support of...’ In its most basic form, this is leaders promoting and relying on middle leadership. In our diverse range of primary schools, there are those in leadership positions and those with or without formal positions, but who possess, and more importantly are allowed to act upon, their leadership dispositions. At its core, distributed leadership is less about senior leaders telling teachers what to do, and more about teachers and school leaders listening to one another and agreeing on what needs to be done, and by whom.

In our diverse range of primary schools, there are those in leadership positions and those with or without formal positions, but who possess, and more importantly are allowed to act upon, their leadership dispositions.

and students as well as ancillary staff and parents all playing their part and sometimes ‘taking the lead’. That said, such is permitted or denied by the school leader. As per the teacher in the classroom, the senior leadership team set the climate for the school.

In offering our programme on Middle Leadership and Mentoring in MIC Thurles, we have learned that middle leadership is, in part, contingent on senior leadership legitimising actions and creating a culture where taking the lead is encouraged and supported.

Aspiring middle and senior leaders on our course speak of the shift from being a good teacher to being a good leader, and that the skillset required to complete a task on your own is not the same as completing a task that involves others. The latter point being significantly important when such tasks and improvements in practice involve considerations associated with classroom practices.

With change come concerns, and one of the key concerns among middle leaders is potential conflict with colleagues. How we perceive conflict is important, and running from it is not a solution either. In trusting cultures, conflict is seen as healthy, invited and used to good effect. In less trusting cultures, it can be perceived and felt as adding to the existing problems.

Leadership and mentoring are closely intertwined, not just in relation to leading learning, but also in the context of understanding change and sustaining leaders. Relationships of

trust are at the heart of our work, and trust comes through shared action, including the power of proximity and being in each other’s company and classrooms.

I would like to think that a key outcome from our recent experience is a renewed understanding of the importance of schools and of teachers.

I would like to think that a key outcome from our recent experience is a renewed understanding of the importance of schools and of teachers. In turn, I believe there is renewed recognition in schools, of collaborative action being a key driver for success, where leadership is shared and distributed. Another outcome that may support a wider and more effective distribution of leadership in our schools is one born of renewed confidence in ourselves, both individually and collectively. With confidence comes the ability to look at ourselves more honestly and ask the real questions about the real issues of concern in our school. Safe in the knowledge that no one person has, or should be expected to have, all the right answers all of the time.

If you would like to contact Finn in relation to this article, you can email him at Finn.omurchu@mic.ul.ie.

While we recognise that styles of leadership such as ‘hero leader’ are unsustainable in the long term, I’m sure they had a place in recent times. In turn, I’m sure that others also behaved heroically. The tension around middle leadership, often missed by policy statements, is that leadership is context-sensitive and, when highly effective, it is fluid with principals and deputies, teachers 31

CONFERENCE

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

Quality use of research:

Considerations from Ireland and Australia for Irish leaders engaged in SSE

GAVIN MURPHY AND THE MONASH Q PROJECT RESEARCH TEAM The use of research in education is rapidly becoming a strong priority for educators, both in Ireland and internationally. Yet, very little is known about how and why educators use research in their practice. This not only poses unique challenges for school principals, who are often tasked with leading increased and improved integration of research into practice, but also for leadership teams who, as leadership is increasingly distributed, are tasked with the same responsibility.

However, time is necessary to access and review different sources of research and evidence for potential use in practice. As suggested by Murphy, the need to ‘promote time, space, and joined-up thinking about, and focus on, putting research into practice’ is critically important’. How schools go about doing this will depend on many factors unique to them – highlighting a second consideration for using research well - that research must be relevant to, or adapted for specific contexts.

Researchers from the Monash University Q Project have begun to shed light on what it means to use research well, in practice. Following the ideas raised in Gavin Murphy’s recent chapter in ‘Ireland’s Education Yearbook’, this article draws on recent Q Project findings to provide school principals with three initial considerations to encourage improved use of research in their schools.

2. RESEARCH USE IS CONTEXTUAL Similar to how teachers must adapt their teaching to suit the needs of their students, research must also be adapted to suit the needs of schools.

It is not a ‘magic bullet’, as one Q Project respondent observed, it must be thoughtfully implemented, taking into consideration the specific issue or school practice, as well as the school’s and its students’ needs as a community.

1. RESEARCH USE REQUIRES TIME It is well established that teachers’ time is a finite resource. In a recent Q Project survey of Australian teachers and school leaders, 83% of respondents believed that ‘using research would help improve student outcomes’, yet 45% did not feel supported to use research because their school did not ‘make enough time available’. Respondents also expressed concerns about their own capacities to find time to access and review research. The majority did not believe that they had ‘adequate time to access and review research’ (76%), the ability to ‘keep up with new and emerging research’ (76%),or had ‘sufficient access to research evidence’ (68%). Overall, teachers felt more constrained by time and access issues, less supported by their school environments and less confident in research use when compared with school leaders.

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Findings from the Q Project suggest that Australian school leaders feel wellplaced to guide appropriate adaptation

Identify focus

and implementation of research, expressing significantly greater confidence to ‘find relevant research’, ‘judge the quality of research’, and ‘analyse and interpret research’ for their contexts when compared with teachers and other staff.

Alongside leaders’ confidence in their research-related capacities, educational frameworks are useful tools that can help to guide the review and adaptation of research to ensure its relevancy to context. Although there are many different frameworks for guiding this kind of leadership work, one such framework is the ‘six-step, school selfevaluation process’ (see Figure 1), and its associated inquiry cycle. We believe that school self-evaluation represents a unique opportunity to thoughtfully consider how research might be used, and in parallel to this, foster leadership development through research use.

By following this framework, which all Irish school leaders are now familiar with, school leaders can critique and adapt research for their school context.

Gather evidence

Monitor actions and evaluate impact

Put improvement plan into action

Analyse and make judgements

Write and share report and improvement plan

Figure 1: Six-Step School Self-Evaluation Process Taken from ‘School Self-Evaluation Guidelines 2016-2020: Primary’ published by The Inspectorate, Department of Education and Skills.

May/June 2021

Identify Focus: What are we noticing in our school?

Gather Evidence: What other sources of research exist that explore this focus and suggest possible interventions? How do we locate this research? Who can help us?

Analyse and Make Judgements: What are the research findings? How relevant are the research findings to our needs? Was the research conducted in ways that suit our needs? Can the research be adapted to suit our needs?

What is involved in adaptation?

Write and Share a Plan: How can we test or trial the research approach in our context? Who is going to be involved? What evidence do we need to determine if the research makes a difference? How are we going to gather that evidence and reflect on trial outcomes?

Put Plan into Action: What additional considerations are there to ensure that research can be implemented successfully? How do we ensure distributed leadership and shared ownership of research implementation and outcomes?

Monitor and Evaluate: Looking at the evidence from our implementation, what are the impacts?

What adjustments need to be made for improvement?

When the process of adapting and implementing research is viewed from this perspective, it becomes clear that quality research use is not a task for a single principal or teacher; rather, it becomes a team consideration.

3. Research use is collaborative Murphy highlights the need for educators to engage with research ‘collaboratively in teams, rather than [just by] the tokenistic solo research lead’. Using research well involves active buy-in and collaboration from the whole-school community. When asked how they used research in practice, the majority of Q Project respondents (76%) indicated that it was used in collaborative and social ways, especially to ‘discuss best practices with colleagues’. Teachers, in particular, valued relationships to help them make sense of research, significantly relying on ‘word of mouth recommendations from others’ to find and assess different research and evidence when compared with school leaders. Overall, Q Project

respondents indicated that when their schools fostered a collaborative learning environment, they felt more confident to seek out research, interpret its findings and use these findings to reflect on and improve their practice in the classroom.

Accessing research Making time and space for research use, as well as signposting colleagues to rigorous and relevant research in the first place, is an important consideration for leaders. Much published research is located behind paywalls, and although this is slowly changing, there are ways around this in the meantime. For example: ■ the Teaching Council facilitates access to the EBSCO database and through its CROÍ (Collaboration and Research for Ongoing Innovation) initiative offers thematic resources titled ‘Using Research in Our School’.

■ Research intermediaries can be really useful places to find international research. These include: the Education Endowment Foundation, Research4Schools.org, Harvard Graduate School of Education’s ‘Usable Knowledge’ and Edutopia. National sources include the ESRI (Education section), NCCA (Research Series), as well as other initiatives like T-Rex (Teachers’ Research Exchange) and STER (Student Teacher Educational Research).

■ Google Scholar searches often return .pdfs of research or on websites like ResearchGate individuals can find and share research, as well as connect with researchers.

■ Specific to primary school, one important ongoing project is the NCCA-funded ‘Children’s School Lives’ study, which explores the lived experiences of children in Irish primary schools. Its website and social media channels offer useful reports and infographics.

■ Social media outlets and webinars, especially since the onset of Covid-19, are places to hear research be communicated in accessible ways. Many education academics have launched podcasts and webinar series. Details about these are usually found on institutional websites.

■ Consider opportunities to engage in research-practice partnerships.

Engagement in such partnerships has been found to result in educational improvement or transformation in long-term, sustainable ways

whereby teachers and researchers are seen as partners. Furthermore, this provides both partners with an equal voice in the use and generation of research and such efforts can inform decision-making in the school in real time. (Coburn et al., 2021) LOOKING FORWARD In light of these ideas, we offer the following considerations for school principals to foster increased and improved use of research in their schools. These considerations may be integrated into school self-evaluation processes and plans.

■ How can I effectively provide my staff and colleagues with more time to explore research?

■ How might research be used to inform and complement our current self-evaluation practices?

Could research guide and/ or assist leading on our self-evaluative priorities?

■ How can I (and other leaders in my school) foster a collaborative learning environment that empowers colleagues to feel confident and prepared to use research? Can this collaboration be organised to extend beyond the school with other schools, educators, or university-based researchers, developing an infrastructure to draw on and learn from diverse knowledge?

Gavin Murphy is an Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin, where his is leads the Master of Education educational leadership strand. He is contactable by email to gavin. murphy@tcd.ie.

Blake Cutler and Jo Gleeson are part of the Monash Q Project research team.

The project is led by Mark Rickinson and Lucas Walsh, and also includes Connie Cirkony and Mandy Salisbury.

To access the recent Q Project Summary Report, click here.

LINK

For more information about the Q Project, click below or follow @ MonashQProject on Twitter.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

IPPN / ESCI Local Support Group Project

Emphasising the ‘N’ in IPPN DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM IPPN has always been based on principals and deputy principals supporting each other at local, county and national levels. During the current pandemic, the IPPN Leadership Support Team has worked with several Education Centres to facilitate on-line school leader support sessions. Arising from this co-operation, IPPN and Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) developed a project to provide a sustainable local support groups (LSGs) for every school leader who wishes to participate.

While many LSGs throughout the country have successfully operated for many years, some have not survived the retirement or re-location of one or more leading members. This project will train one or more group facilitators in each LSG, thus ensuring that no group in future will be sustained by one person alone.

The Department of Education (DE) was fully supportive and agreed to fund the facilitation training and CPD for the trained facilitators working with LSGs. The Centre for School Leadership (CSL) was also supportive of the project and asked to become a partner with the DE. On this basis, a project steering committee, consisting of representatives of IPPN, ESCI, DE and CSL, was formed and the

project officially launched in early March.

The first group of 15 school leaders has already received group facilitation training. The second group started in April and the third group in May. There are currently plans to train at least three further groups in the first term of the next school year. Follow-on CPD will be provided to these trained facilitators when they begin facilitating LSGs. This project aims to provide a LSG for every school leader, principal or deputy principal, in the country. The number of LSGs for deputy principals (DPs) is steadily growing and we have included DPs among the facilitators trained to date. The PDST Tánaiste Programme is currently populated with 180 DPs from all over the country. They are being organised in on-line Communities of Practice (COP) at present, and some of our trained facilitators are working with PDST to facilitate these COPs. At the end of a year of COP, these DPs will join a local LSG. Our aim is to have one available for each of them.

The project is anchored locally in the Education Centres and the IPPN County Committees. Connections between these bodies are currently being forged, where necessary, and they will work jointly to ascertain

where LSGs are currently operating and where the need exists to create new ones. Trained facilitators are assigned to Education Centres and are deployed, as required, by the Director, following consultation with the local County Committees. It is hoped to have at least two trained facilitators assigned to each of the 21 Education Centres in this school year.

Conscious of the difficulties all school leaders have had during this school year, and not wishing to ask them to undertake any new commitments in this term, the project will be officially launched towards the end of September 2021. Currently, ESCI and IPPN are working together to identify where the needs are, and on selecting school leaders for facilitation training.

The response from IPPN County Committee, National Council members, Education Centre Directors and school leaders we have spoken to has been wholeheartedly supportive and encouraging. If you are currently a member of an LSG, please let us know where the LSG is and who the leading members of it are. You can e-mail the information to jackie.oreilly@ippn.ie.

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

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Deirdre O’Connor

INTO Deputy General Secretary/General Treasurer IPPN would like to congratulate Deirdre O’Connor, who on the 1st of March was elected as Deputy General Secretary/General Treasurer Designate of the INTO, succeeding Noel Ward. Deirdre previously served as Assistant General Secretary, leading the Conditions of Employment Section in the INTO Head Office. Since 2002, she has worked in various areas of the Organisation including professional development, legal and industrial relations, and special education. We wish Deirdre well in her new role, and look forward to collaborating on a number of projects relating to school leadership in the coming years.

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May 2021

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Do you aspire to a leadership position in education?

Trinity has been inspiring generations for over 400 years. Postgraduate programmes in the School of Education are flexibly arranged to fit with the busy schedule of today’s professionals. Check out our course websites and see what Trinity can do for you.

Postgraduate Certificate in 21st Century Teaching and Learning A Level 9 Certificate which can be used as an entry route to a master’s level qualification. Selected topics include digital literacy, collaborative teaching and learning, programming and educational leadership.

Details at: https://www.tcd.ie/Education/programmes/ certificate-21Century-Teaching-Learning/

Master in Education (M.Ed) Study full-time (1 year) or part-time (2-3 years). Specialisms include:

Professional Master of Education (PME) Graduates of this full-time, 2-year degree are recognised by the Teaching Council to teach in post-primary schools. 10 subject areas available.

Details at: https://www.tcd.ie/Education/programmes/pme/

Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) A practice-oriented research-based doctorate especially suited to mid-career and advanced professionals who want to deepen their own practice and/or pursue leadership positions. The flexible part-time format enables professionals to continue working, while advancing their learning and their understanding of research in their area of expertise. Programme involves completion of taught modules and a thesis.

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Critical Perspectives on Education

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Drama in Education

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Early Intervention

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Students select an area of enquiry and work under the supervision of designated supervisors to demonstrate a range of high-level learning outcomes and skills. Students can develop knowledge and skills in research methods, communication, leadership, innovation and career management. Programme involves completion of taught modules and a thesis.

Details at: https://www.tcd.ie/Education/programmes/ doctoral/d-ed/

Programme entails completion of taught modules and a dissertation.

Details at: https://www.tcd.ie/Education/programmes/ doctoral/structured-phd/

Details at: https://www.tcd.ie/Education/programmes/masters/

Application dates vary by programme. Check website for details.

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

35 www.tcd.ie

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

IPPN Submissions

GERALDINE D’ARCY ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Since the last issue of Leadership+, IPPN has made three submissions.

The key points are outlined here. All submissions are available to view on www.ippn.ie under Advocacy -> Submissions.

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EVALUATION OF REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING Our submission was wholly based on feedback received from seven of the 24 primary school leaders who were involved in the ERTAL pilot inspections earlier this year, 14 of which were led by administrative principals and 10 by teaching principals. Given the small cohort involved in the pilot project, the potential benefits and the issues and challenges arising from the ERTAL model that will become evident when it is fully rolled out, may not be reflected in submissions received. A further review may be warranted to ensure that the model is fit for purpose across all school contexts.

Significantly, there was considerable positivity in the feedback in relation to what worked well, including: ■ The experience was generally considered to be positive, cordial, courteous and thorough by the relevant inspectors, and this was very much appreciated by schools ■ Sufficient notice was provided to the school in most cases ■ Both mainstream and special education settings were observed, including both live and prerecorded lessons ■ The post evaluation meetings were affirmative, and recommendations were generally sensible and fair ■ One school commented that their experience of Remote Teaching and Learning has ‘reinforced their Vision, Values and Aims’. Another stated that it had ‘enabled us to build on our strong partnership approaches which has improved outcomes for learners’ ■ Several schools mentioned that the process helped them to affirm that the activities they engaged in during school closure were 36

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appropriate to the inspectorate’s evaluation standards and others that it had provided positive feedback and useful tips and strategies for enhancing their practice The process itself was not considered overly intrusive in most cases, in terms of time or additional demands, on the principal or the staff A few schools commented that they were glad they had participated and felt they had contributed to the process.

There were a number of additional points raised by individual schools.

Overall, the engagement with schools from the inspection teams was considered to be very positive.

What schools found challenging included: ■ organising teachers to facilitate other classes when they were engaging in online meetings with the inspectors ■ observing on-line live lessons has the added concerns that the technology will work etc. over and above the usual stresses of any inspection process ■ A number of schools found it challenging to explain to the inspectors remotely how their learning platform operated ■ A few schools were approached the week before the inspection or had the visit confirmed the week of the visit ■ Several commented that the technology the Inspectorate used – Webex - was challenging and suggested that their own systems be used instead. In some cases, a workaround was agreed, which worked a lot better ■ Online lesson observations - for some of the teachers, this could have been more interactive with the inspectors engaging with the pupils.

Again, individual schools raised a few

additional concerns and challenges.

IPPN Recommendations IPPN has stated that a shift from ‘inspection’ to ‘co-professional evaluation‘ is vital to respect both the professional leadership and engagement of schools and the expertise the inspectors bring to schools. From the feedback received from the seven schools involved in the ERTAL pilot process, it would seem that this co-professional approach was very much in evidence, particularly with the inspectors’ comments that they themselves learned a lot from the process. This is very heartening and we applaud the Inspectorate on its positive engagement with schools, and its affirmation of schools’ efforts during the pandemic.

One school made an interesting suggestion. Five of the six areas of evaluation had a direct focus on learning; one had the focus on feedback between home and school. The school suggested a seventh area - on the effectiveness of whole-school initiatives to support distant learning. There was a significant amount of work involved in putting together the infrastructure to facilitate distant learning and this was not reflected in the evaluation in a structured way. The inclusion of this seventh area of evaluation would highlight for other school initiatives what may be required to promote pupil engagement in distant learning in some circumstances.

While the inspectorate team verbally acknowledged and positively commented on such initiatives in the feedback to the school leadership representatives, the six evaluation areas included in the pilot were limited in their ability to report on them.

Other recommendations: Regarding any requirement for further school closures, principals and teachers need simplicity and clarity from education system leaders and their colleagues in

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May/June 2021

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health If the Department wants to assess ‘distance teaching and learning’ in the future, it is critically important to review and fully resource the Digital Strategy - to pair expectations with support – to ensure all staff have access to high quality digital devices, adequate broadband, appropriate software, as well as IT support to troubleshoot technical issues It would be beneficial for the Department to provide training for inspectors in the use of the most commonly-used systems, so as to avoid technical issues during inspections.

Definitive guidance for remote teaching and learning is required for schools to ensure clarity and equity across schools in the event of further mandated closures - a consistent set of guidelines backed up by a structured CPD plan for all teachers will be essential.

Clarity around what is expected of parents and what to do when they don’t engage A number of the schools commented that the technical infrastructure in the school is so poor, especially relating to broadband, that the schools progressed more with digital learning when everyone was at home!

Flexibility around what is expected of teachers during periods of remote learning would be appreciated It would be beneficial to more clearly outline a pragmatic approach to the evaluation of students’ learning during periods of remote learning, as well as after the return to school buildings, given all of the constraints outlined.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DIGITAL STRATEGY What challenges have schools faced in the integration of digital technologies into teaching, learning and assessment practices?

■ Keeping the school’s digital infrastructure going to support leaning has been a major challenge for a significant majority of schools. A commitment to annual funding for equipment (purchase, maintenance/repair and replacement), school infrastructure (including maintenance/upgrades) and IT support is required.

■ Curriculum Digital Content - With the increasing expectation that

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teachers will become less reliant on textbooks, they cannot be left in a vacuum. There are a number of resources available. However, it cannot be left to private publishing companies to fill this need, by providing (and charging) schools for digital content which is aimed at supporting their textbooks.

IPPN recommends the production and dissemination of high quality interactive digital content for all age groups and in every curriculum area, especially those areas unique to the Irish curriculum Digital Learning Framework (DLF) - This was welcomed by schools, as it promised to give clear objectives and ‘a roadmap to help schools manage the transformation of teaching and learning as a result of new digital technologies.’ However, it was arranged to fit the LAOS framework and a lot of its clarity was lost in this translation. Many schools have found it not to be user-friendly and confusing to negotiate CPD - Primary teachers have been expected to upskill and engage with CPD on a voluntary, goodwill basis, in their own time after school hours. This has been an inherent flaw in the Digital Strategy and its accompanying Digital Learning Framework. The expectation that CPD would just happen is an unrealistic assumption. The completely inadequate provision for upskilling teachers, by organising formal digital learning CPD for school staffs, undermines the entire process School capacity - To ‘realise the potential of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment’ requires an investment in the professional development of all teachers, and focus and drive in each school.

The ongoing moratorium on posts of responsibility is a serious impediment to the development of ICT curriculum leadership and expertise in schools and should be removed.

The key areas and priorities that should be addressed in the development of the new Digital Strategy for Schools: ■ The top priority is funding Commitment to adequate annual funding is a key requirement, and is needed for the areas outlined as being deficient – Equipment, School Infrastructure and Technical

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Support Funding for Local IT Support - Significant additional funding needs to be provided to all schools to acquire local IT support as needed – as mentioned in Section 2 - to resolve technical issues with the digital infrastructure, as well as to upgrade and enhance it to meet the needs of the individual school, making optimal use of their equipment and in-house skills Capacity for ICT Advisory Support - The small number of PDST TiE staff cannot physically support schools over the entire country, while simultaneously delivering their CPD mandate, project responsibilities and other activities. We recommend that the team be expanded to ensure that there is adequate capacity to support all schools with planning, methodologies, pedagogical approaches, good practice, etc. as well as their digital infrastructure options and choices, so as to make the optimal use of the funding available in schools Teacher CPD - Structured professional development for all teachers to ensure a baseline level of skill and digital teaching approaches/methodologies across all schools is essential. There are existing programmes to support those with more advanced knowledge and experience, but provision of the baseline needs to be structured, planned and prioritised as soon as possible to enable all schools to progress their digital journey in an equitable manner.

A number of other points were raised in relation to ■ pre-service digital learning as part of ITE ■ PISA results ■ the EU Digital Education Action Plan and the funding opportunities available ■ Digital Schools - it needs to be reactivated at the earliest possible opportunity, and it should be integral in any future policy relating to digital learning in the primary sector ■ relevant research including IPPN’s Left to their own device.

BULLYING IN SCHOOLS AND THE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT The research that we have drawn from provides compelling evidence of the continued on next page 37

LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

IPPN Submissions continued from page 37

severe impact of bullying – on the ‘victim’, their friends and family, those who witness bullying behaviour, and even on the perpetrator.

Issues to be addressed Given that there is little or no HR training provided for school leaders or Boards of Management, this can lead to difficulties in developing and implementing effective policies to prevent and counteract bullying, particularly in relation to adult bullying, and this leads also to stress and conflict ■ CPD and materials are not fully up-to-date in guiding schools, children and parents in relation to cyber bullying, racist bullying, homophobic/transphobic/gender-based bullying ■ Teachers have significant preparation in dealing with children, but much less in dealing with adults, leaving them ill equipped for interactions with parents. This can exacerbate an already challenging situation and points to a gap in teacher/school leader CPD ■ There is evidence of bullying among adults in school communities also ■ Bullying-related supports and services are not centrally organised and it can be unclear how to access them - a centrally approved antibullying programme that meets all the best practice guidelines that can be delivered, with training, at a local level would be of benefit to all schools ■ Research conducted by Dr Philip Riley for IPPN and our post-primary counterparts NAPD (See Appendix I – Philip Riley) highlights a very worrying point – that school principals experience nearly twice the incidence of threats of violence and actual physical violence at work than other population groups measured on the COPSOQ-II. The incidence is higher for female principals ■ A lack of timely access to counsellors to provide early intervention and support where bullying behaviour has been identified increases the risk of escalation and exacerbation in the behaviour and its impact.

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IPPN recommendations The submission includes recommendations in relation to ■ Structures and Resources ■ Training ■ Standard Policies/Templates ■ Student and Parent Charter ■ Supports & Services ■ Future Research It also highlighted some of the research available and the supports & services currently available to schools.

All submissions are available to view on www. ippn.ie under Advocacy -> Submissions.

LINK

I Spy with my Little Eye

LISA KELLY PRIMARY TEACHER, CURRENTLY BASED IN BELGIUM

This article stems from research for the MEd dissertation in DCU in 2020, which included a meta-ethnography of international data on school CCTV, and a small-scale survey with principals in Ireland.

Many schools are making the decision to install closed circuit television (CCTV) these days. Unfortunately, there is little Irish research on the matter, and schools may install CCTV to simply say that they are doing something in terms of security, even if that something is not proven to be effective. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is clear about the parameters around personal data and CCTV; however schools cannot always rely on private security companies to guide them compliantly in their installation. The GDPR is enforced by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) in Ireland, who clarifies that the onus is on schools to be compliant rather than the companies installing the hardware. The DPC states that: ■ CCTV may be beneficial around the perimeter of schools ■ CCTV should not be installed in classrooms, offices or anywhere there is a reasonable expectation of privacy ■ CCTV should only be installed in certain other areas if the purpose is justified and demonstrable ■ CCTV should only be installed to remedy problems that had previously occurred frequently.

The CCTV journey often begins in a bid to protect the perimeter of the school with a clear philosophy to catch those trying to damage school property. The narrative can shift however, with CCTV moving inside the building. School leaders generally cite continued on page 39

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May/June 2021 continued from page 38

School leaders generally cite crime deterrence as the main reason for installing CCTV. In reality, the reasons are multilayered and may ‘creep’ towards surveillance of the school population.

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referred to a lack of trust at school on account of high-security regimes Young people are less well able to decipher the consequences of their behaviour. CCTV may result in harsher discipline with more serious outcomes British teachers feel largely immune to CCTV. They assert that they do not notice cameras, nor do they feel under continual surveillance from them In contrast, Israeli teachers are conscious of cameras, and either hide from them or play up to them in order to be noticed by management. Teachers in Israel claim CCTV is used to discipline them The majority of pupils and teachers accept that CCTV has a place in society, and desire a balance between surveillance and privacy.

This is dependent on the location of cameras, the rationale for

LOW

TRUST

High Status / Low Trust ■

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May not feel cameras are targeting them due to higher status May feel mistrusted due to cognitive functioning/age and lower trust

Example: Middle/Upper class pupils (particularly post-primary level) Possible effects of CCTV: may not worry about CCTV; may react to it in search of privacy (seeking out unmonitored locations, blocking lenses), may mistrust principals who use it to garner trust

Low Status / Low Trust ■

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May feel targeted/ criminalised by surveillance May feel vulnerable as a result of being watched

Example: Some Israeli teachers, working class pupils Possible effects of CCTV: may feel watched and criminalised.

May feel they are the targets of CCTV, not trusted due to age, development stage.

HIGH

High Status / High Trust ■

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May forget cameras are there May not feel cameras are targeting them Confident in ability to do job

HIGH

TRUST AND STATUS This research intersects trust with status, and argues that effects from CCTV may depend on one’s status and trustworthiness within an environment.

The research implies that where trust and status are high, the effects of CCTV may be minimal (e.g. British teachers, principals). Conversely, where trust and status are lacking,

individuals may feel vulnerable as a result of surveillance (e.g. working-class post-primary pupils). A CCTV effects framework was devised to illustrate this intersectionality of trust and status, and to portray how effects of CCTV surveillance may manifest. High levels of trust, combined with a position of status, may protect individuals from effects. However, those who enjoy less trust and/or status, may experience larger negative effects.

Example: British Teachers Possible effects of CCTV: no/ few effects

Low Status / High Trust ■

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STATUS

EFFECTS OF CCTV ON THE SCHOOL POPULATION: ■ Primary-age pupils may not understand why CCTV is installed or how it is used. This may impact their participation rights, and their right to a voice on issues that affect them. Some pupils believe cameras have all-seeing and allhearing capabilities; limiting the range of behaviours engaged in ■ Post-primary pupils, in particular, employ similar strategies to criminals in order to subvert cameras, which can represent push-back against perceived privacy violations ■ Pupils at schools serving socioeconomically disadvantaged communities feel more criminalised as a result of CCTV. These pupils

installing them, and whether or not they are monitored continuously

May feel trusted in some respects and mistrusted in others.

May lack power due to position/age/cognitive functioning

Example: Some Israeli teachers and some primary aged pupils Possible effects of CCTV: may feel demoralised by surveillance, may feel ‘watched’, may feel ‘protected’ by CCTV as a saviour, may feel superior to other teachers.

LOW

crime deterrence as the main reason for installing CCTV. In reality, the reasons are multi-layered and may ‘creep’ towards surveillance of the school population.

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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals

New members of the

IPPN Board of Directors

As notified in the February issue, three new Board members were elected to the Board of Directors in December 2020 by postal ballot, and Louise Tobin was re-elected to the Board. Padraig McCabe resigned from the board due to his retirement from St. Mary’s Junior NS in Clondalkin.

BRYAN COLLINS Bryan is principal of Scoil Naomh Feichin, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth. Originally from Kilmihil in West Clare, he became a teaching principal at St. Peter’s Church of Ireland National School in Drogheda in 2001 and taught there until 2012. His experience in working in this small 5-teacher school has provided him with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by school leaders with teaching responsibilities. Leading and managing a school under the patronage of a minority community, was also a valuable learning experience.

In 2012, Bryan returned to Scoil Naomh Feichín, where he had begun his teaching career, to take on the role of administrative principal. Bryan has been an active IPPN member for several years and has represented County Louth at National Council level since 2016. He has coordinated the active Principals Networking and Support Group in the Louth/East Meath area in recent years and in 2020 he established a new Deputy Principals Support Group, which is now up and running.

During his teaching career, Bryan has been actively involved in the promotion of Gaelic Games in schools, and in recent years he has contributed to developing school programmes in tennis and golf.

He lives in Drogheda with his wife Eimhear, who is a landscape and seascape photographer. They have three grown-up sons.

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KATHRYN CORBETT Kathryn is principal of Bishop Galvin NS, a large senior primary school in Templeogue, Dublin. Originally from Timahoe, Co. Laois, she graduated from St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra in 1999, beginning her teaching career in Bishop Galvin NS.

CATRÍONA DONOHUE Catríona is a teaching principal of St Michaels NS, Stradone, Cavan. A native of Killeevan in Co Monaghan, Catríona fostered her love of Drama and theatre by completing her Master’s Degree in Drama and Education, at Queens University Belfast in 2006.

Whilst seconded to the National Induction Programme for Teachers as a Regional Development Officer, Kathryn was part of a small team that oversaw a small-scale pilot project, transform into a national programme, supporting over 2,000 NQTs each year. She visited and worked with hundreds of schools to train and support principals and mentors, to induct new teachers into both the profession, and into their school.

She became Principal of St Michael’s NS in 2013, having been deputy principal in St Fiach’s NS Ballinacree, Co Meath for the previous 15 years. Catríona loves being a teaching principal, despite the many difficulties and balancing acts to maintaining the two jobs.

In 2014, Kathryn was appointed as Professional Learning Officer with the Teaching Council. As a member of the senior management team, this role mainly involved working in the process of policy development across the continuum of teacher education (initial teacher education, induction and continuing professional development).

Kathryn completed her M.Ed with Maynooth University, with research focusing on mentoring and induction.

She has a PhD from Limerick University on teachers’ learning, and a Diploma in Counselling Skills, which has been invaluable in supporting colleagues, and developing leadership capacity in others. She has designed and facilitated workshops on a range of topics for the Teaching Council, IPPN, St. Nicholas Montessori, Rahoo.ie and Froebel College.

Catríona is also Chairperson of the Cavan Cumann Na mBunscol and a member of the Cavan County Board.

Her husband Noel is an avid Cavan football fan, so when both Monaghan and Cavan meet, Catríona and Noel prefer to sit in separate stands with their respective county allegiances!

Catríona is a mentor with CSL for newly appointed principals, and is also training with CSL/IPPN to become a facilitator for Principal Support Networks. She was the Cavan representative for the National Committee for IPPN from 2015 until her election onto the Board in December.

We wish Bryan, Kathryn and Catríona every success in their roles as directors of the Board of IPPN.

And Finally…

‘

Anything is possible, in the face of adversity

NS

QUOTATIO

mines r e t e d f e i l Your be your d n a n o i t c your a s your e n i m r e t e action d t you s r i f t u b , s result believe have to n ictor Hanse Mark V

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Michael Daly, principal of Glasheen Boys’ School, Cork Originally shared on LinkedIn and the IPPN Networking mailing list Covid-19 has impacted everyone and there hasn’t been a day in the past year that I haven’t wished we hadn’t been visited by this dreaded virus.

Reflecting on so much negativity, I began to think of the resilience shown by school leaders and school communities, among others.

What a difference a year has made for us all. What we would have considered impossible a year ago has now become commonplace.

In February 2020, like so many other school leaders, I knew very little about Zoom, Google Meets, Google Classroom, Webex, Teams, Seesaw and various other online platforms. Terms such as ‘break-out rooms’ and ‘webinars’ were only vaguely familiar to me.

I could never have envisaged that before long I would be facilitating Board meetings, staff meetings, online learning, meetings with a range of outside agencies, webinars, graduations, induction days, virtual tours of the school and so much more.

What I would have thought was impossible, had suddenly become possible, as we had no other option. This was our new reality.

While there are many negative aspects to Covid-19, we’ve learned that necessity can triumph over adversity. I’ve learned that, in the face of adversity, anything is possible. In schools, we’ve all learned so many new skills and alternative ways of doing things because we’ve had to.

Sometimes, good things can come out of bad situations.

Hopefully, when Covid is finally under control, we will all have learned new skills that we would not otherwise have learned. My hope is that, another year from now, in February 2022, we’ll all be in a better place, with a return to more human contact, while also using the skills we have had to learn, due to Covid-19. It’s so easy to see the negatives at this time, so let’s try to focus on the positives, while acknowledging the great work of school leaders and school communities.

Whales

A little girl called Martha was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. Martha stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, ‘When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah’. The teacher asked, ‘What if Jonah went to hell?’ Martha replied, ‘Then you ask him’. www.funny-jokes.com

‘

QUOTATIONS

Students become good learners when they are in the classes of teachers who are good learners Prof. Andy Hargreaves

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