Professional Guidance - Learnings from the Pathways to Sustainable Leadership
- Published: 29 November 2023
In preparation for the publication of the progress report on the Sustainable Leadership project, we issued a member survey to which over 1500 school leaders responded. Your responses to that survey indicated that you are doing some very positive things in your schools with regard to the maintenance of a focus on core purpose and the effective sharing of leadership. The Pathways to Sustainable Leadership session, at this year’s Principals’ conference, was an opportunity for attendees to talk and hear about the things that are working for others so that the wisdom of the collective can shape and enhance our own individual leadership practice.
Attendees were divided into three groups and each of the three groups reflected on and discussed one of the following
- How can I focus more on my core purpose?
- How can I share leadership more effectively with my deputy?
- How can I share leadership more effectively with the wider team?
Having considered these questions, each attendee was asked to identify something valuable that they had learned or heard. The following is a synopsis of those learnings.
Some of the reflections may resonate with you and others may not. At the very least, they may remind us of some important messages that we already know but that we may occasionally lose sight of in the busy-ness of the daily routine. We are sincerely grateful to the hundreds of school leaders who participated in the sessions and who so generously shared their wisdom and insights.
What might assist me to be able to better maintain a focus on my core purpose?
- being clear about what that core purpose is
- reframing “leading of teaching and learning” as “enabling teaching and learning”
- recognising the agency we create in our schools by managing all the non-curricular issues that enable the high quality leadership and delivery of teaching and learning by all staff
- valuing the impact of our emotional intelligence in cultivating the environment in our schools that promotes teacher and student agency
- recognising the importance of the quality of relationships that exist in the school
- remembering that we have agency as leaders to ensure a focus on the schools’ stated priorities and to have the courage and confidence to do so
- setting ambitious but reasonable goals for ourselves as leaders and also for our school communities (including having realistic “to do” lists!)
- challenging our assumptions about what constitutes instructional leadership and who might be involved in it
- remembering that the principal does not have to be the one providing the instructional leadership, they can promote and facilitate it
- recognising the expertise and wisdom of others
- remembering that it is ok to say that I don’t know
- remembering that it is ok to say no
- remembering to trust your own understanding of your school context and the decisions you make in the best interests of that school community
- remembering that leadership of teaching and learning is a shared responsibility
- planning staff meetings to ensure that there is time for informed discussion and professional conversations about teaching and learning
- ensuring such discussions and conversations are time bound and lead to decision making
- valuing the opinions and suggestions of others while being true to your own focus/vision
- availing of the professional coaching opportunity now provided through Oide
- remembering to recognise, enjoy and celebrate progress/success
- prioritising the maintenance of connections with teachers and children
- remembering to be fully present in such situations
- creating good habits around having time to think, reflect and focus on teaching and learning
- ensuring that boundaries are created and respected
- acknowledging that there are things you cannot control
- remembering that whatever the current “crisis” is, this too will pass and there will be something valuable to be learned from it
- recognising that being good enough is good enough
- prioritising our self-care
o making sure that we are on the list of people that we are worried about
o feeling less guilty about things we do for ourselves
o putting on our own oxygen masks first
o honouring our own needs
- recognising the value of collaborating and consulting with other school leaders
- asking ourselves the question – “how do the children benefit from this?”
- remembering that some things don’t need an immediate response and sometimes they don’t need any response
- remembering that a resistance to change is natural and that sometimes people just need time to adjust
- avoiding using the phrase “leave it with me” when someone comes with a problem – ask questions about what they have tried, as opposed to trying to offer a solution
What might assist me to be able to better ensure a partnership/co-leadership approach to the leadership of the school with my deputy?
- remembering that it is ok to relinquish control
- remembering to proactively foster and cultivate the relationship
- finding creative ways to “release” the deputy principal so that we can have structured time to work and plan together
- ensuring that we are on the same page in relation to our vision and ambitions for the school
- challenging each other’s thinking privately before presenting a unified face publicly
- challenging our own assumptions about the deputy’s willingness and capacity to co-lead
- being mindful of how our actions as principals may limit or undermine our deputies capacity to co-lead
- recognising the value of having complimentary skillsets
- prioritising the facilitation of the deputy’s professional development
- encouraging the Board of Management to invest in the deputy’s professional development
- encouraging the deputy to collaborate with other deputies and to participate in local support groups
- encouraging the deputy to avail of professional coaching
- availing of opportunities to learn together – Forbairt, team coaching
- recognising the potential of the relationship between principal and deputy principal to model a culture of effective shared leadership
What might assist me to be able to better share leadership effectively with the wider team?
- recognising that the sharing of leadership is a necessity and not a luxury – failing to share leadership limits our own leadership effectiveness and also school effectiveness.
- recognising the central importance of trust
o building an environment that is open, inclusive and respectful of differing opinions
o trusting the capacity of others to lead and manage with responsibility
o creating a culture of shared responsibility and accountability - respecting the competence and expertise of others
- ensuring meetings are planned and structured to facilitate engagement and participation
- engaging in active listening
- recognising that there may be other and better ways of doing things
- recognising a diversity of skillsets
- maintaining a state of “relaxed vigilance”
- avoiding the temptation to micro-manage
- availing of professional opportunities for the leadership and management team – team coaching, Comhar
- investing in the professional development of emerging/aspiring leaders
- avoiding assumptions about a lack of willingness on the part of teachers without promoted posts to become involved in the leadership and management of the school
- remembering that empowering others builds not only capacity but also confidence
- remembering to acknowledge and celebrate achievement/progress/success
- adopting the “apple tart” approach – cut the apple tart into slices and allow people to take their slice as opposed to serving it to them
- using the PIEW model to agree and ensure the focus of the leadership and management team is on shared priorities
- remembering that what works in another school may not suit your context – there is no one-size-fits-all approach
Professional Guidance: Review of Teaching Staff Leave Policy
- Published: 22 November 2023
As we approach the end of the calendar year, it is timely that all school Boards of Management and School Staff consult on a review or the development of a new Leave Policy in preparation for 2024 applications.
This highly important school policy is governed by the regulations and procedures set out in circular 0054/2019, which covers all types of leave available to teaching staff with approved contracts. Employers - or Boards of Management - are charged with implementing the said regulations and procedures and, along with teachers, must agree to the terms and conditions as stated within the circular.
Many types of leave are covered within the policy, including Sick Leave, Maternity Leave, Adoptive Leave, Paternity Leave, Parental Leave, Carer’s Leave, Career-Break, Job-Sharing and the Temporary Re-Assignment Scheme.
Each Board of Management must develop and maintain a policy on teacher leave. The welfare and education of the pupils must take precedence over all other considerations.
Due regard must be given by the school Board to the capacity of the school to meet its obligations to its pupils. Therefore, it may apply a limit to the number of teaching staff that may avail of leave - career-break and job-sharing in particular - at any one time. This must be considered in the context of the availability of qualified teachers as a teacher supply crisis continues.
Important dates:
1. Applications by Feb 1st
2. Board written decision no later than March 1st
3. Applications can be withdrawn by April 14th.
A Board decision is final. A refusal decision must include grounds for refusal.
Sustainable Leadership Project - Progress Report
- Published: 15 November 2023
As the professional organisation for primary school leaders, IPPN’s mission is to enhance leadership capacity, leadership effectiveness and leadership sustainability as all the research confirms that effective leaders mean effective schools and effective schools mean better outcomes for children.
If we can ensure the existence of that leadership capacity, effectiveness and sustainability, we can empower existing school leaders to thrive in your roles, while also encouraging greater numbers of potential or aspiring leaders to embrace leadership roles in our schools. However, our direct engagement with you has highlighted that this isn't the case and that is what prompted us to undertake this Sustainable Leadership project.
This time last year, we published the Sustainable Leadership report - Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action – A Roadmap to Sustainable Leadership.
The first part of that report was an evidence-informed analysis of the current reality of primary school leadership focusing on the extent of the work you have to do, the nature of that work, how it is impacting on the sustainability of your leadership role and how it is impacting on your health & wellbeing.
The second part of the report explored key issues and made specific recommendations in each of its sections - all targeted at enhancing the practice and experience of school leadership. This has been the focus of our advocacy work since the publication of the report.
In order to keep you up to speed with what actions have been undertaken, as part of that advocacy work, we've collated a progress report on the project which can be accessed here.
We are hopeful that the progress report will serve to
- reaffirm the rationale underpinning the project.
- highlight what actions have been undertaken and what progress has been made since the publication of the original report.
- provide an up-to-date evidence base which demonstrates an ongoing need for urgent action.
We are indebted to all of you who took the time to provide us with that evidence, through your participation in our member surveys and the health & wellbeing research.
It is crucial that you are given the opportunity of doing, not only the job you signed up to do, but the job that we should all want you to be doing. This will be a key focus of IPPN’s ongoing advocacy work on Sustainable Leadership.
Networking Mailing List - Update
- Published: 08 November 2023
As part of our ongoing review of the supports and services offered to members, we conducted an internal audit of our mailing list facility. Arising from that audit, the need for a redevelopment of the mailing list facility was established to better support and protect members. That redevelopment commenced in early September.
During the redevelopment phase the networking@ippn.ie, advice@ippn.ie and advocacy@ippn.ie mailing lists will be prioritised and maintained. Such prioritisation will ensure the ongoing facilitation of:
- requests for peer-to-peer help, advice & support
- offers of peer-to-peer help, advice & support
- sharing of resources (equipment, furniture, policies, etc.).
Requests for professional guidance can continue to be emailed to advice@ippn.ie and observations on current issues impacting on leadership practice and on schools can be emailed to advocacy@ippn.ie. All communications with other mailing lists, such as county mailing lists, will be facilitated directly through the support office.
We assure you of our continued commitment to enabling the peer-to-peer support and collegiality that underpin this network and which help to inform our leadership practice.
Professional Guidance - Preparation for teaching and learning
- Published: 18 October 2023
As school leaders, we want to promote quality learning, teaching and assessment for all pupils in our schools. While Rule 126 of the Rules for National Schools sets out the general requirements for teacher planning and preparation, teachers use their professional discretion to decide how to plan and prepare.
As a new school year is now well under way, it may be timely and important to review the practices in our schools in relation to preparation for teaching and learning.
Some key points to consider as part of this review:
- There needs to be agreement at school level about planning approaches and documentation.
- Engagement at class level and review each year is recommended.
- Teachers to agree on a template/format that all will use. This makes it far easier for the principal to review and sign off on planning.
- Should include the approach to planning work during planned and unplanned absences.
There is a clear link between the quality of learning achieved by the pupils and the quality of the teacher preparation. The DE Inspectorate highlights a strong correlation between lessons deemed to have satisfactory learning outcomes and the quality of the preparation for the lesson (Incidental Inspection Findings 2010, DES 2010).
Planning forms one part of teacher preparation. The planning resources made available by the National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) are a suite of materials providing practical support for the planning and preparation process. One example is the Short-term Planning and Preparation Guidelines.
Planning and preparation go hand-in-hand as per Circular 45/2019 Primary Language Curriculum-Support and Implementation. When we speak about preparedness to teach, we ask ourselves whether there is sufficient clarity around the
- learning to be achieved by the pupils
- specific approaches chosen by the teacher to support pupils in achieving those outcomes
- teaching approaches and rich learning experiences to be provided
- way in which the teacher will assess and monitor pupils’ progress.
Given the changes to the new curriculum, the templates used by teachers for short- and long-term planning will probably need to be reviewed. For example, PE now comes in under Wellbeing, the new strands and elements of the new Primary Maths Curriculum and the 3 pillars of SSE planning are among some of the changes.
Resources
There are a number of useful resources available, including:
NIPT
Short-term Planning and Preparation
NCCA
Guidance on Preparation for Teaching and Learning launched in April 2021, aims to make planning and preparation more purposeful, useful and practical for teachers and school leaders in all school settings.
Guidance on Preparation for Teaching and Learning
Preparation for Teaching and Learning
Oide
Templates for long- and short-term classroom planning and thematic planning (PSDT website)
IPPN
There is a wide range of curriculum and planning-related resources submitted by members available in the Resources/Curriculum & School Planning section of ippn.ie.
