Professional Guidance: Distributing the Leadership – Recruitment & Appointment to API & APII Posts
- Published: 23 November 2022
“It is generally accepted that the quality of school leadership is second only to effective classroom teaching, in having a crucial impact on pupil learning” (Circular 70/2018). The In school Management Team (ISM) is the beating heart of the school. The standard of leadership it provides will define the quality of pupil care, teaching and learning and will ultimately determine the standard of educational outcomes for pupils. Members of this team will, consciously or unconsciously set the tone of the school and define the limits of achievement of pupils and staff. Ideally, all teaching staff would be familiar with the Quality Framework and its implications for their school before embarking on a process of identifying the leadership and management needs of the school. Even if an appointment is not imminent, it is important to take time and discuss with staff and Board members the rationale underpinning Circular 70/2018 in order to understand the leadership of the members of the ISM team.
The particular tasks assigned to members of the ISM Team will contribute towards the effective administration and management of the school but will also be integral to the leadership functions of the school. Leadership and Management will go hand-in-hand and will have but one common purpose – to provide the best possible facilities, organisation and environment to support and promote teaching and learning, which is the core function of the school.
The Resource Bundle entitled Distributing the Leadership: Recruiting and Appointing Assistant Principals, sets out the sequence of activity in terms of BoM preparation, staff preparation, identifying the leadership and management needs of the school, as well as the interview, selection and appointment process.
