E-scéal 1st May 2025 - Free Schoolbooks Scheme Guidance 2025/26
- Published: 01 May 2025
In this issue:
Stay informed via your weekly E-scéal
- Planning Prompts
- DE Circulars
- Sectoral Updates
- Summer Course 2025
- 25 Years of IPPN – Interview with Founding President Jim Hayes
- IPPN Roadshow – Workshops
- Leadership+ Issue 137
- Be Well, Lead Well
- Did you know?
Planning Prompts
As our ‘To Do’ list grows and we are pressed for decisions on just about everything, our chances of positive communication are more likely when we look after ourselves and are not overstretched. Taking even a few minutes to focus on our breathing during the day and considering how we will respond to demands could make all the difference. Notice the tension you are holding in your shoulders. Let your shoulders drop. This releases that tension. See also Be Well, Lead Well in E-scéal.
Free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme 2025/25
The main points of information contained in the updated guidance for 2025/26 are as follows:
- The per capita grant remains unchanged at €80.
- Special schools that have children and young people enrolled in post-primary programmes will receive the per capita rate allocated to post-primary schools in respect of each student enrolled in the relevant post-primary programme (Junior Cycle / Transition Year / Senior Cycle).
- After the costs of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks have been met for all pupils, any remaining grant funding can be:
- carried forward to the next school year;
- used to meet the loan costs where a school has recently introduced a book rental scheme and obtained a loan to meet the start-up costs
- used to purchase additional classroom resources subject to the following three criteria -
- the resource must be used for the purpose of the delivery of the relevant curricula
- the resource must not be allowable under other funding streams
- the cost of the resource would previously or ordinarily have been provided by parents/guardians.
- There has been a small increase to the daily rate of the administrative support grant payable to schools to fund the additional capacity required to implement the scheme. The revised daily rate is €167.54 plus an additional 11.15% to cover the employer PRSI cost.
- The numbers of days allocated to schools to implement the scheme, based on the enrolment of the school, remain unchanged.
| School size | Days |
| 100 pupils or fewer | 3 |
| Between 101 and 300 pupils | 4 |
| Between 301 and 599 pupils | 6 |
| 600 pupils or more | 7 |
Circulars
0030/2025 - Cost Limits for Primary and Post-primary School Buildings / Teorainneacha Costais d’Fhoirgnimh Bhunscoile agus Iar-bhunscoile
Updates
Interim arrangements for the payment of ancillary-related grants (including School Services Support Fund (SSSF), Basic Secretary and SSSF Secretary Grants) to schools for the period January to August 2025 – See Esinet Portal communication on 11th April
Socruithe eatramhacha le haghaidh deontais a bhaineann le seirbhísí coimhdeacha a íoc (lena n-áirítear an Ciste Tacaíochta um Sheirbhísí Scoile (CTSS), Deontais Bhunúsacha do Rúnaithe agus Deontais CTSS do Rúnaithe) do scoileanna don tréimhse ó Eanáir go Lúnasa 2025
New Special Needs Assistants Redeployment Scheme / Scéim nua um Ath-imlonnú Cúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta
Summer Programme
The Department of Education recently launched this year’s summer programme.
Special school summer programme webinar recording
This recorded webinar sets out the nuts and bolts of organising a summer programme in a special school. It looks at building confidence and connections, what works, how do you make it work.
Importantly, the practical advice is shared by three schools that have implemented the summer programme in their special schools, as well as advice from the Coordinator, Ray McInerney, himself a primary principal.
Inspectorate publishes ‘Building confidence and connections: Inspectorate report on summer programme 2024 /Tuarascáil ón gCigireacht ar an gclár samhraidh 2024
The report draws on findings from 115 inspection visits to summer programmes, as well as 34 follow-up visits to schools where the programme had been inspected. Overall, the report found that the 2024 programme was enjoyed by the children and young people, and their participation helped them when returning to school in September. This report offers some recommendations to improve children’s inclusion, participation and engagement in future programmes.
Registration opens for the SNA Certificate in Inclusive Support and Care in Education / Oscailíonn clárúcháin don Teastas CRS i dTacaíocht Chuimsitheach agus i gCúram san Oideachas
399 New Special Classes for 2025/26 School Year / 399 Rang Speisialta Nua do Scoilbhliain 2025/26
Irish launch of UNESCO GEM Report
On 11th April, the Irish Network for Education Worldwide hosted the Irish Launch of the 2024/5 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report on leadership in education in Dublin.
IPPN CEO Páiric Clerkin addressed the attendees and participated in a panel discussion.
The full report, gallery and speaker video snapshots are available below.
New policy measures to boost teacher supply, including permanent contracts after one year / Bearta polasaí nua chun cur le soláthar múinteoirí, lena n-áirítear conarthaí buana tar éis bliana
IPPN Summer Course 2025
School leadership is a key determinant of school effectiveness and better outcomes for children. The role is muti-faceted, responsibilities are diverse and a broad range of skills and competencies are required.
This summer, Ciall Ceannaithe provides you with an opportunity to consider what effective school leadership looks like, and to reflect on and enhance your leadership capacity, your effectiveness as a leader and the sustainability of your role.
25 Years of IPPN – Interview with Founding President Jim Hayes
In this series of interviews, IPPN past presidents Damian White and Pat Goff interview each of IPPN’s presidents - including each other! - from its founding in 2000 to its 25th anniversary in 2025.
These interviews provide an exceptionally rich oral history of the organisation in its first quarter century.
This week, we bring you Damian’s discussion with Jim Hayes, IPPN President 2000-2003.
IPPN Roadshow – Workshops
Coming to a venue near you in May:
Leadership+ Issue 137 - Behaviours of Concern – Responding to Crisis Situations: A Summary of the Guidelines
Caroline Quinn, IPPN Leadership Support Team
The Guidelines focus on creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments for all students, are centred on the rights and well-being of the child, and emphasise strategies to support their growth, safety, and inclusion. The Guidelines acknowledge the depth of the impact that distress or trauma can have on children and young people’s behaviour and well-being. As behaviours of concern are often rooted in complex personal experiences, it is essential that our responses are compassionate, informed, and child focused.
Be Well, Lead Well
Tip # 17 - Buy healthy snacks that you can keep in your desk for those moments when you need a pick-me-up - fresh fruit, nuts, bell peppers, popcorn, homemade oatmeal cookies/energy bars, dark chocolate
Image source: wheelsofwanderlust.com
#BeWellLeadWell
Understanding followership in Irish Schools - Exploring the perspectives of middle and senior leaders
Researchers at UL are exploring how followership shapes leadership in schools.
25 mins, anonymous, open to principals, deputy principals, and assistant principals in Ireland.
UCD Research Study - Women uninterested in senior management
Female teachers are requested to participate in research being undertaken by Dr Mary Cunneen of UCD, exploring the factors that discourage female teachers from pursuing middle and/or senior management roles.
For more information, email mary.cunneen@ucd.ie
Oide Technology in Education
Online Summer Course
'Leading and Managing Digital Learning in your School' is a new online summer course developed by Oide Technology in Education in partnership with IPPN. The course is targeted at Principals, Deputy Principals, emerging leaders and Digital Learning team members. It features real world examples and practical approaches to effectively manage digital learning in your school. AI and cybersecurity are also covered.
Free of charge. 20 hours (10 online). Self-paced. E-tutor supported. EPV days. Self-enrol with a Scoilnet account.
World Autism Awareness Month: Understanding Neurodiversity
