IPPN

Published: 30 October 2012

IPPN consists of 3 different layers of organisation:

• Local Principals' Support Groups
• 26 County Networks - forming the National Council
  
• The National Council elects Directors, forming the Board of Directors.

Local Principals' Support Groups

Support Groups form the main 'cell structure' of IPPN. Principals' Support Groups have been in existence and sustained with the support of local Education Centres. Every Support Group has its own dynamic. The most common shared characteristics of successful support groups are:

• one member co-ordinates the date and venue of the next meeting
• one main topic selected by consensus as the focus of the next meeting
• each meeting used to discuss a variety of current issues
• regular monthly meetings e.g. second Thursday of the month
• meetings immediately after school or by night - some groups meet in the afternoons of administration days
• small groups - normally 8 to 12
• a high degree of confidentiality and discretion
• a regular social dimension
• frequent sharing of resources, ideas and strategies
• no formal agenda
• no minutes or reports
• no external speakers.

By definition, a Principals' Support Group does not include deputy principals as the main motivation of the group is to support those who are in the role of principal. Deputy principals who are acting up as principal can become a member of a Principals' Support Group. Other DPs can of course set up or become a member of Deputy Principals' Support Groups. There are some examples of such groups around the country.

County Networks

When a member joins IPPN, the location of the school determines the county network to which the principal/ deputy principal belongs. Each County Network will typically organise one professional development event per term, i.e. 3 per annum. These professional development events are funded through IPPN nationally and are open to all principals and deputy principals of member schools.

National Council and its Committees

Each member of the National Council:
• ensures effective two-way communication between the National Council and the City/County Networks and Local Support Groups
• represents the key professional issues, concerns and needs of the member’s City/County Network to the Board, National Council and its Committees and Working Groups
• assists the Board of Directors and National Council in developing IPPN policy
• attends the Annual General Meeting of the Company.

The 93 National Council representatives (3 from each of the 31 City/County Networks) serve on one of the three committees of the National Council:
1. Advocacy & Communications
This committee is involved in the advocacy work of IPPN, informing and shaping IPPN’s engagement on relevant issues with the education stakeholders.
2. Professional Development
This committee impacts and shapes the professional development opportunities that IPPN designs and delivers, ensuring that the CPD that members need and want, is provided.
3. E-services
This committee impacts and shapes the web services supports that IPPN offers to members, ensuring that those services do what members need them to do in terms of functionality and accessibility.

Click here for an online list of current National Council members by county.

In Autumn each year, each County Network will elect / nominate two members to act as its representatives to the National Council. Two Representatives from each of the 26 County Networks form a 52-person National Council. The IPPN National Council elects Directors at its AGM each year to manage the affairs of the organisation. These Directors are collectively referred to as theBoard of Directors.

Vision, Mission, Values

The importance of school leadership as an influence on, and key determinant of pupil learning, has been clearly established. The equation is simple – effective school leadership leads to school effectiveness, which in turn leads to better outcomes for children. It is, therefore, a priority that school leaders should be empowered and supported to deliver that effective leadership in our schools, thereby maintaining their focus on what is most closely aligned with their core purpose – leading teaching and learning.

IPPN aspires to empower school leaders to provide the most effective leadership of their school communities. We do so through the provision of supports and services that enable that empowerment, and through our advocacy for the enhancement of leadership capacity, effectiveness and sustainability. This work is shaped directly by our engagement with our members to ensure that it reflects their needs and perspectives. We also advocate with our fellow Education Partners in the best interests of children, schools and school leaders.

The way in which we work to achieve our stated objectives is underpinned by our values of respect, trust and professionalism, which define us as an organisation.