IPPN

Published: 04 February 2005

IPPN statement following the address by Dr Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin to the Irish Primary Principals' Network Conference at CityWest Hotel.

The statement that "The primary ethos of the school should be an educational one" by Archbishop Martin in his address to 700 Primary School Principals has been warmly received by IPPN. This is an important statement coming from the Primate of Ireland in his first major address to an education conference. In a wide-ranging speech, Dr Martin displayed a clear understanding of the challenges facing Principals in their leadership of the modern primary school where diversity and plurality form the order of the day. Whilst 90% of primary schools are under Catholic patronage, it is to be welcomed that the Head of the Catholic Church in Ireland recognises 'that education in the fullest sense of the word' is common across all religious ethos. This is a comforting message for principals in their efforts to reflect the traditions of the multi-ethnic school population within the context of a single denomination school. Archbishop Martin stressed that the Catholic school is inclusive rather than exclusive and should continue to be attractive to parents of all faiths.

IPPN was pleased that Dr Martin displayed a particular insight into the challenging role of Principal Teachers and reflected upon the need for the profession to be both highly regarded and well rewarded. He indicated that the status of the teaching profession in the eyes of the public correlated highly with the quality of education provided. 'Any undermining of that status - which is linked also with remuneration - has serious negative effects on the effectiveness of any education system' stated Dr. Martin.

The Archbishop speculated that the shape of management and governance of our schools is unclear for the future. IPPN welcomes the Archbishops invitation "to get it right together". IPPN is extremely eager that the issue of school governance be addressed as part of any examination of principal's workload. The conference heard research from 850 schools outlining widespread dissatisfaction with the level of support principals receive from their Boards of Management.

In response to Archbishop Martins praise for principals and teachers for the role they play in the religious formation of children, IPPN expresses concern at the extent to which the school is depended upon to pass on the faith. Regardless of the nature of religious ethos, principals believe that parents have primary responsibility for the religious upbringing of children. The parent's role should come first, supported by the parish and its clergy and in turn by the primary school. Principals believe that the opposite is the case at present where virtually all responsibility is left with the school to prepare children for sacraments and provide for children's faith formation and religious instruction. Having left behind an era where all children in a given school shared a similar religious ethos, it is essential that the school return to its true role of supporting parents and parish rather than assuming complete responsibility. Declining numbers of parish clergy has seen a corresponding reduction of 'chaplaincy' to schools. Principals recognise that it cannot be assumed that every teacher is willing or capable of providing religious instruction. In the context of the changing nature of schools, principals would welcome meaningful support from appropriately trained chaplains.

In response to a question concerning the Catholic churches requirement that primary schools remained closed on Church Holidays, Archbishop Martin agreed that progress could be made in this area through dialogue and consultation with IPPN. It was clarified that this issue has arisen as a result of negotiations between unions, management and the DES. IPPN was not party to these negotiations, however notes that it is principals who have to deal with this issue at school level. IPPN welcomes the Archbishops recognition of the need to provide a better solution to the issue of 'Holy Days'.

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Published: 04 February 2005

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Published: 04 February 2005

One of the major talking points among 750 primary school principals attending the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) annual conference in Citywest, Dublin this week is how to provide for children with special education needs.

Principals are calling for a fair and equitable system of allocating resources for children with special needs to be put in place immediately so that they can plan properly for the needs of these children.

More than 50,000 children (12%) in our primary schools need extra support, resources and teaching to cater for their special needs. The integration and inclusion of children with special needs is part and parcel of every mainstream school - large and small - and is welcomed as a positive development. Legislation such as The Education Act, 1998 and the more recent Education for Persons with Disabilities Act, 2004 now underpins the rights of every child to an adequate and appropriate education. What is not so positive is the lack of co-ordinated support that many principals and teachers face every day in providing for all children in our schools.

Over the past few years, allocation of resources to schools to provide for special needs has been fraught with difficulty and the Department of Education and Science has not been able to deal adequately with the administration and allocation of resources to schools. There have been a number of different systems tried by the DES over the years and, last year, a new "weighted system" was proposed. This system divides special needs pupils into two categories: those with a "high incidence" disability such as specific learning disability, and those with a "low incidence" disability such as autism. Schools were to be given an automatic allowance of extra resource teaching hours for high incidence children based on statistical occurrence and would apply separately for low incidence children. A review of this proposed system was announced by the minister, Mary Hanafin, T.D. when it was realised that the ratios proposed would mean that many smaller schools and schools in disadvantaged areas would actually lose resources under the new plan. According to the DES, this review should be completed in the coming weeks. Minister Hanafin has stated that no pupil with special needs will lose resources. IPPN call for this review to be completed as a matter of urgency.

Principals are concerned that they will face yet another school year uncertain of what resources they will have for the new school year in September. Will they have to let Special Needs Assistants go? Will they lose teaching posts or be in a position to employ a new teacher?

"Although the school year starts in September, principals are planning this from April. They must know by then how many teachers they will have, what rooms they need, what extra resources or classroom assistants might be available in order to plan effectively" points out Seán Cottrell, Director of IPPN.

Very often, school principals cannot get a psychological assessment for a child and cannot, therefore, apply for resources. There are still many schools that do not have an adequate psychological service despite the establishment of NEPS (National Educational Psychological Service) in 1999. Many parents have had to pay privately for a psychological assessment for their child with special needs in order to secure extra help for their child. Many other parents cannot afford this. "Parents are worried that this proposed new system might actually make things worse and make it more difficult for schools to get extra help for their children" says Cottrell.

"Provision for children with special needs must be based on what pupils actually need in the classroom to experience quality learning and not on some arbitrary quota system based on a simplistic calculation assuming that all children are the same. A child with autism, for instance, may be in a multi grade class in a small rural school with a teaching principal or in a large urban school with a special autistic unit in place. Catering for the needs of the child is different in both cases and must be provided for accordingly."

Often, Principals are faced with the dilemma of allocating resources to one child while other children with equally pressing needs receive no extra support. This happens because of the administrative anomalies involved.

Every child sitting in a classroom today deserves the best learning experience that we can provide. In determining what resources and staffing a school needs, we must take into account that children are individuals with individual needs and not simply part of some statistical formula.

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Published: 04 February 2005

IPPN President Virginia O'Mahony acknowledged the significance of Minister Hanafin's presence at the IPPN conference and her address to 750 principals gathered there. The Minister was warmly received by the large gathering of primary principals and spoke with great style and humour at what she described as 'the beginning of the Conference Season'.

IPPN is pleased with the Minister's understanding of the challenging role of the Principal and her recognition of the extent to which the Department of Education and Science was responsible for the massive increase in bureaucratic administration which has added much to the principals workload.

We welcome Minister Hanafin's clear recognition of the leadership role of the principal and the need to provide further professional development appropriate to their leadership role. In acknowledging the valuable contribution that IPPN makes to the education system through its support and representation of primary principals, the Minister acknowledged that the DES valued IPPN as an important education partner and would consult on policy issues through its representative network.

In her response to the Minister, IPPN President, Virginia O'Mahony acknowledged the affirmation of principals by the Minister but asked that this would be matched by a more professional quality of service from the DES to school principals - "Principals are seen by parents as the public face of the education system and consequently require accurate information from the DES as well as reliable responses to requests for resources within the promised time frame."

In his address to the Minister, Seán Cottrell, Director, referred to the evidence provided by 850 principals surveyed on the issue of Principals workload. In describing the incremental nature of additional responsibilities placed upon principals he likened it to a lobster placed in cold water with the temperature being turned up slowly. Most principals feel "well and truly cooked now". However, Seán referred to the workload shock experienced by newly appointed principals as the lobster being thrown into a cauldron of boiling water with the instant desire to leap back out again!

On the issue of the Minister's three priorities of Special Education Needs, Education Disadvantage and reducing class size for better educational outcomes, Seán Cottrell called upon the Minister to consider what best strategic approach would assist in achieving her three priorities as Minster for Education and Science. Given the Ministers earlier acknowledgement of the pivotal role played by principals in a school's success, Seán outlined the multiplying and accelerating factor of an effective principal in each of the three priority areas. Similar to the Health Sector, additional resources in their own will not achieve the desired improvement of services without high quality strategic leadership and management.

In reference to the role of teaching principal IPPN was pleased to hear the Minister acknowledge the difficulty of this role. Seán Cottrell compared the plight of administrative and teaching principal to that of airline pilots - a transatlantic 747 with 2 pilots, a cabin crew of 20 and 400 passengers. However in contrast, the Aer Arann flight from Dublin to Knock does not expect a single pilot to load the baggage, serve the tea, answer the passenger call bells as well as flying the aeroplane!

The need to make progress in addressing the principals workload and in particular the workload encountered by teaching principals has dominated IPPN's Annual Conference. A significant feature of the 850 principals responses was their desire to be relieved of non-educational responsibilities and time wasting bureaucracy so they can return their core function of managing and influencing the quality of teaching and learning.

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