IPPN

Published: 16 April 2015

The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, has welcomed the establishment of the Centre for School Leadership (CSL). 

It is being established for an initial pilot period of three years, with an investment of almost €3m over that time. It will be operated on a partnership basis between the Department of Education and Skills, the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD).

The CSL is intended to become a centre of excellence for school leaders, and the partnership will have many benefits for the profession in terms of the quality of training programmes, co-ordination of provision, and increased accessibility. 

The Centre will be headed by a Director who will be an experienced school principal. He or she will be supported by two other experienced school leaders, one each from the primary and post-primary sectors. The team will be recruited in the coming weeks.

 The Centre’s responsibilities will cover the range of leadership development for school leaders, from pre-appointment training and induction of newly appointed principals, to continuing professional development throughout careers.

 Minister O’Sullivan said: “The quality of school leadership is central to setting direction in a school and achieving the best education outcomes for students.

 “We know that we need to better prepare people to become school leaders, and that we need to improve supports for them when they are in leadership roles.

 “My Department, together with the IPPN and NAPD, have been collaborating for some time on creating a more strategic approach to meeting the needs of both newly appointed and serving school leaders. The decision to establish the Centre on a partnership basis presents a unique opportunity to develop the supports needed.

 “Positive environments, filled with the joy and wonder of learning, are what we want for all our children. We achieve that by providing top quality teachers, working alongside highly trained, confident school leaders. The CSL is another step in making that vision a reality, and will build on existing support services.”

She also welcomed the appointment of Ms. Áine Lawlor as Chairperson of the Steering Committee, which will oversee the governance of the Centre.

The Minister paid tribute to the IPPN and NAPD, and acknowledged their positive and constructive engagement over recent months in reviewing leadership supports and exploring how to share expertise amongst school leaders.

 She also acknowledged the support of Clare Education Centre, where the CSL will be based.

Clive Byrne, of the NAPD, said: “The establishment of the Centre for School Leadership recognises the vital importance of leadership in delivering a quality education to our students. The Centre will support, resource and develop our leaders, helping to create a cohort of aspiring leaders and to sustain and inspire our existing colleagues so they can lead strategically. The new Centre is an important investment, a concrete example of the need to grow leadership capacity by investing in our school leaders. The Centre is testament to the commitment of NAPD, IPPN and the Department to supporting the work of principals and deputy principals in our schools”.

Seán Cottrell, of the IPPN, said: “Considering that instructional leadership is central to the role of school principal, it goes without saying that investing in school leaders, offers the optimum value for money in bringing about school improvement. The commitment to investing in the development of principal teachers at this time shows the understanding that the government has of the importance of school leadership. In the words of John F Kennedy ‘Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”.

ENDS