IPPN

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.
 

Published: 02 October 2023

As the date of 30th September has now passed, it is in order for schools to complete the Annual Census Return’s process, which is done via the Pupil Online Database (POD) system.

The number of pupils who are enrolled in the school on 30th September is a critical factor in the determination of grant payments and teacher allocations to schools. To ensure the accuracy of such enrolment figures, it is imperative that a record exists on POD for each pupil enrolled in the school.

The Board of Management of the school should satisfy itself as to the accuracy of the Annual Census Return. When it has done so, the signature sheet should be signed by both the school principal and the chairperson of the Board of Management (or manager(s)) and, in the case of community national schools, by both the school principal and the Chief Executive (or their delegated officer), prior to its submission to the DE.

The deadline for the completion of this process is 30th October 2023.

Published: 27 September 2023

Dealing with queries from Teachers, SNAs and Ancillary Staff (Secretary, Caretaker, Cleaner, Bus Escorts etc.) can be confusing at times due to the sheer number and complexity of Leave and Absence categories.  All leave and absences for teachers and SNAs are governed by DE Circular, whereas leave and absences for Ancillary Staff will be governed by their individual contracts with the BoM.

IPPN has produced a Resource Bundle on Leave and Absences

Click here to access the Resource Bundle

The DE website now has a dedicated page dealing specifically with Leave and Absences for teachers and SNAs.  This useful and comprehensive guide can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/56e999-breaksleave/

Please share with members of the Board of Management

Published: 20 September 2023

When can the process of admissions for 2024/25 be initiated?

Schools are permitted to initiate the process of admissions for the 2024/2025 school year from 1 October 2023. It is a matter for each individual school to determine when they wish to initiate the process of admissions after that date.

What needs to be done in preparation?

• Ensure that the most up-to-date version of the Admissions’ Policy is on your school’s website.
• Update the school’s application form and ensure it is available on the school’s website, so that it can be downloaded by parents seeking to enrol their children.
• Prepare the annual Admissions’ Notice and ensure it is available on the school’s website at least one week prior to the admissions’ process being initiated.

What could also be done in preparation?

• Review the school’s procedures for communicating with parents of current pupils with regard to admissions.
• Review the school’s procedures for managing and processing the applications.

What is in the Annual Admissions’ Notice?

• Details of how the school’s Admissions’ Policy and Application Form can be accessed
• What the timelines for the admissions’ process are:
  • commencement date for receipt of applications
  • closing date for receipt of applications
  • the date by which applicants will be notified of a decision
  • the period within which applicants must confirm their acceptance of an offer of a place
• The number of places being made available for 2024/25
• Information regarding the 2023/24 process
  • The number of places made available
  • The number of applications received
  • Number of offers made under each of the criteria in the school’s admissions’ policy
  • The total number of offers made
  • The number placed on a waiting list.

What needs to be on the school’s website?

• The Admissions’ Policy
• The Application Form
• The Annual Admissions’ Notice.

What else could be on the school’s website relating to admissions?

• A short overview detailing the process of application
• A Frequently Asked Questions document.

Clear communication, readily accessible documents and open sharing of information will minimize the number of queries likely to be received by the school relating to Admissions.