IPPN

Published: 19 February 2004

By now you will have received your copy of IPPN's interim report on The Future of Small Schools & Teaching Principalship in Ireland. During the last 10 years Teaching Principals have observed the leadership and management needs of their school change dramatically. This report provides evidence and hope that we can find our own creative and innovative solutions to this worldwide challenge.

BACKGROUND

IPPN has consistently called on the DES to acknowledge the serious challenges facing the 75% of Principals who are also full-time multi-grade class teachers. In the absence of any policy statements about the future of small schools, IPPN committed itself at its Conference in February 2003 to undertake significant research on this topic. An IPPN sub-committee led by Tomás O Slatara, (Teaching Principal in Grange NS, Clonmel, Co Tipperary and IPPN Deputy President) worked in collaboration with project partners led by Dr Mark Morgan, (Head of Education, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra), to produce this interim report. Mr. Pat Cox, MEP, President of the European Parliament launched the interim report at IPPN Conference 2004.

RATIONALE

IPPN believes that if we are to secure the future of Ireland's small schools and arrest their steady decline in numbers, we as principal teachers must be proactive in identifying new, appropriate and workable management structures. The current 'one size fits all schools' thinking by the DES and management bodies clearly doesn't work. Despite this understanding, no other authority seems willing to seriously address the issue. However, it is important to state at this point that IPPN is neither prescribing any one solution nor predicting what future lies ahead for small schools. The interim report serves only to help us ask the right questions, encourage lateral thinking and help explore creative solutions to the myriad of serious challenges encountered by small schools and their teaching principals. Ultimately, any change that might be adopted will only be successful if it brings about real benefits for the whole school community, is taken ownership of by everyone concerned and is resourced adequately by the DES.

CONTENT OF REPORT

This is primarily a consultative report with 'Green Paper' status. The report contains significant research on the educational viability of small schools and the considered views of teaching principals brought together in facilitated focus groups. The interim report also outlines in practical terms how small school clusters operate with different governance and management structures in Sweden, France and Catalonia.

NEXT PHASE

The next phase in the process involves the research sub-committee getting feedback from the other education partners and most importantly from individual principals and teachers throughout the country. This document should be shared with your teaching colleagues, Parents Association, Board of Management and Community Associations ensuring the optimum level of feedback prior to the final report. The document is available as a downloadable file from the homepage of www.ippn.ie. All feedback, opinions and suggestions should be forwarded by e-mail to Tomás O Slatara at deputypresident@ippn.ie

Note: It has come to our attention that during the printing process, a mechanical error led to incorrect page numbering in approximately 25 copies of the report. If you discover that your copy is incorrectly page sequenced, please contact our office by telephone: 1890 21 22 23 or by e-mail: office@ippn.ie and we will forward you a replacement report immediately.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director