IPPN

Published: 26 April 2022

Please see staffing 2022/23 key information synopsis

1. Circular 0025/2022 confirms a reduction in the primary staffing schedule by one point bringing class size to an average of 24 in mainstream classes, with lower thresholds applying in DEIS Band 1 schools.  

2. The Circular includes at Appendix C the allocation of NCSE hours on foot of the reprofiling of schools.

3. A separate Circular 0020/2022 outlines the basis for this allocation.

4. 620 additional posts are to be allocated as follows:

• 100 to meet the needs of new and developing schools
• 120 to meet the expected outcome of Exceptional Needs Reviews carried out by the NCSE over the year, and
• 400 posts to be distributed proportionately across those schools showing a need for an increased allocation under the SET Allocation model.

5. For the 2022/23 school year, increases/decreases in allocations are being capped at 20%, so 66% of schools will receive an unchanged allocation.

Supports for Teaching Principals
6. Circular 0026/2022 confirms the retention of one leadership and management day a week. This has proven to be very successful in alleviating workload for teaching principals.

This year, 217 groups of five small schools pooled their days to create a shared teaching post, thereby giving consistency and certainty to each of the 1,085 classes being taught by a teaching principal (Source INTO).

It is hoped that any remaining schools with teaching principals will create similar clusters from September 2022. 

Substitute teacher supply panels
7. The retention of the substitute teacher supply panel scheme to support schools during the next school year. This scheme is vital in ensuring availability of substitute cover for short-term absences and that the scheme must be extended to all primary and special schools.

The current level of posts in supply panel areas will be reviewed at the end of the school year.

Base schools will be notified of supply panel allocations for next year at that time.

Key date
8. Mon 9 May 2022 is a key date for staffing arrangements in Primary Schools for the 22/23 school year.
By Monday 9 May 2022, teachers and schools should:

• Notify the relevant Panel Operator of any permanent or fixed term vacancy;
• Return Main Redeployment Panel Application Form (Appendix E) for surplus permanent/CID holding teachers to the Department’s Primary Teacher Allocations Section;
• Return Form S.ET cluster 2022/23 (Appendix D) to the Department’s Primary Teacher Allocations Section to notify new Special Education Teacher cluster arrangements;
• Return CID Declaration Form 22 (Appendix G) in respect of all teachers awarded a CID in or before the 2021/22 school year and a Main Panel Application Form, if applicable, to the Department’s Primary Teacher Allocations Section;
• Submit completed Staffing Appeals Form (Appendix F) for the May meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board to the Department’s Primary Teacher Allocations Section; and
• Submit applications for Principal Release Day clusters.

The Main Redeployment Panels will be published in early June.
9. As a general rule, SET hours can only be clustered with SET hours for the purposes of this Circular.

Schools who need further, or school specific advice or help, should contact their normal contact in Allocations directly.