Leadership and Management days prioritised for Teaching Principals
The Annual Conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), titled ‘Sustainable Leadership’ taking place on Thursday and Friday, 24 and 25 January in Citywest Convention Centre in Dublin, highlights the needs of Teaching Principals and the fundamental need for further investment in school leadership at primary level.
In the Irish primary school system, close to 2,000 primary school principals (56%) are ‘Teaching Principals’ defined solely on their enrolment figures being fewer than 177 pupils. IPPN’s top priority at present is to secure a minimum of one leadership and management day per week for teaching principals.
IPPN Conference 2019 focuses on making school leadership sustainable
The Annual Conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), titled ‘Sustainable Leadership’ takes place on Thursday and Friday, 24 and 25 January in Citywest Convention Centre in Dublin.
The Conference will host over 1,200 primary school leaders and invited guests who will hear inputs from a range of educationalists and leaders. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend numerous professional development seminars throughout the two days. Plenary sessions will be facilitated by Anton Savage.
Managing the pace of change and reform within the primary education sector
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) welcome a long-awaited announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh, T.D. to slow down the pace of change and impact of reform on the primary education sector.
Over the last number of years IPPN has been engaging with the Department of Education and Skills and education partners to operate a ‘Calendar of Reform’, whereby new initiatives are staged and coordinated, ensuring an agreed, prioritised plan and an adequate communication process. This should eliminate any duplication or unnecessary workload.
IPPN welcomes recent review of Special Needs Assistant Scheme
Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) is pleased that the proposed new model, issued by the NCSE today, is not a cost-cutting exercise. In fact, the DES have increased the number of SNAs (to be referred to as Inclusion Support Assistants) working in our schools by almost 1,000 this year (totaling 15,000 by the end of this calendar year). IPPN also welcome the recommendation to have ring-fenced funding available for an in-school therapy service.
