E-scéal 15th May 2025
- Published: 16 May 2025
Subject: Main Panels issued/ Inspectorate Updates
Stay informed via your weekly E-scéal
- Planning Prompts
- DE Circulars
- Sectoral Updates
- 25 Years of IPPN – Interview with President Tomás Ó Slatara
- Leadership+ Issue 138 – May/June 2025
- Be Well, Lead Well
- Did you know?
Planning Prompts
This week, the focus is on the questions we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis in order to lead more effectively.
What am I doing that somebody else could be doing/should be doing/is being paid to do?
What will I start doing/stop doing/continue to do? The time spent reflecting on these questions will be time well spent. The Leadership Effectiveness Reflection Tool, Appendix 1 of the Guide to the Leadership of Teaching and Learning, will aid this reflection process.
Circulars
0035/2025 - Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Teacher Professional Learning for Special Education Teachers, 2025/2026
0034/2025 - Graduate Certificate in Autism Education for Teachers Working with Autistic Pupils in Special Schools, Special Classes or as Special Education Teachers in Mainstream Primary and Post-Primary Schools, 2025/2026
Updates
Main Panels issued to panel operators on 12th May
Schools have until Tuesday 27 May to fill their vacancies from the panel. After that date, panel officers will be appointed.
Summary of Main Panel 12th May https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/Summary_Of_Main_Panel_12_may_2025.pdf
Foghlaim Chomhtháite Ábhar agus Teanga (FCÁT) don Ghaeilge
Tá an Roinn Oideachais ag lorg Léirithe Spéise ó bhunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna a fheidhmíonn trí mheán an Bhéarla chun páirt a ghlacadh i dtionscadal Foghlaim Chomhtháite Ábhar agus Teanga (FCÁT) don Ghaeilge sa scoilbhliain 2024/25.
Tá gach eolas ar fáil ó https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/3dd069-none/#tionscadal-foghlaim-chomhthaite-abhar-agus-teangacha-fcat-don-ghaeilge Beidh fáil ar an fhoirm iarratais ar-líne idir seo agus Dé hAoine 13 Meitheamh.
Bheinn buíoch dá mbeifeá sásta an t-eolas seo a chur faoi bhráid bainistíocht scoileanna nó páirtithe leasmhara lena bhfuil tú i dteagmháil leo.
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The Department of Education is seeking Expressions of Interest from English-medium primary and post-primary schools to participate in a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project for Irish in the 2023/24 school year.
Further information is available from https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/f67134-20-year-strategy-for-the-irish-language-2010-2030/#content-and-language-integrated-learning-clil-pilot-project The online application form will be available between now and Friday 13 June for primary schools.
Inspectorate Update for Schools – May 2025
Includes updates on review of school inspections, how inspections are conducted, new approach to corporate reporting, and useful resources.
The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Report on Focus Groups with Teachers / Ról na gCúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta: Tuarascáil ar Fhócasghrúpaí le Múinteoirí
25 Years of IPPN – Interview with President Tomás Ó Slatara
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 Tomás Ó Slatara, IPPN President 2005-2007.
Leadership+ Issue 138 – May/June 2025
In this issue, some of the articles by IPPN members:
- The Power of Positive Relationships - Emma Stokes, Phoenix Park Specialist School, Dublin
- The Léargas PsyTales Project: Supporting pupils and educators’ health and wellbeing - Deirdre Kelly and Catriona Donohoe, Members of the IPPN Board of Directors
- Amalgamation - Feel the fear and do it anyway - Una Feeley, St. Comán’s Wood Primary School, Roscommon
- Rethinking Wellbeing for School Leaders: A Principal’s Perspective - David Cashman, South Lee Educate Together in Cork
- Early on the road of my AI journey - Richard Carroll, Grange NS, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
- Two-campus school: Fighting the good fight on two fronts - Adrian Cregg, Swinford NS, Co. Mayo
Be Well, Lead Well
Tip #19 - 10 Easy Lunch Ideas That Don't Need to Be Refrigerated
https://kr.pinterest.com/pin/703756182265273/
#BeWellLeadWell
Newsletter of the international Confederation of Principals (ICP)
IPPN is a member of ICP and contributes to its work
https://icponline.org/icp-magazine-april-may-2025/
New DCU Master of Education in Arts Education Practice
This new programme takes a progressive approach to arts-based education and integrates professional arts practices and creative pedagogical practices.
Read More https://www.dcu.ie/courses/postgraduate/institute-education/master-education-arts-education-practice
Children's School Lives: Migration and ethnicity
This report, funded by NCCA and conducted by DCU School of Education, examines the profound impact of social background, highlighting how differences in poverty and wealth in children’s out-of-school lives—within their families, communities, and wider society—influence the resources they can draw on and their capacity to engage fully with their schooling.
Read https://cslstudy.ie/downloads/CSL_8c_Migration-Ethnicity.pdf
External Research - UL: Followership in Irish Schools
This research explores how school leaders perceive followership in their schools, including both the benefits of engaged and proactive followers and the challenges associated with disengaged or resistant followership behaviours.
Survey https://unioflimerick.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bJgf0jLRZx0AxH8
NPC training for parents - Transition to post-primary
Virtual training sessions have been planned for parents of 5th or 6th class pupils who are getting ready to move from primary school to post-primary school
Mon 19th to Thurs 22nd May at 10am, 4pm or 7:30pm and Fri 23rd May at 10am
Parents can register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TPPP_May_2025.