DE Update – New Information Note
- Published: 04 November 2021
In the latest Information Note issued by the DE, measures to increase the availability of substitutes for primary schools for 2021/2022 are outlined. These include:
Supply Panels - 100 additional teachers are being added to existing/new areas where significant challenges have been demonstrated in sourcing substitution. Where possible new bookings for the Supply Panels should be limited to absences occurring within a maximum of two weeks in advance.
Teaching Principal Release Days: Schools work together to combine their allocation of principal release days into clusters so as to form a full-time fixed-term post to cover each school’s principal release days for the 2021/22 school year.
Job Sharing teachers: Substitution restrictions for job-sharing teachers have been temporarily suspended which allows these teachers to work additional days if available to cover vacancies in their own and other schools.
Career Break: Teachers on career break can carry out substitute work without restriction.
Student Teachers: Colleges have been requested to be flexible with student teachers to facilitate their availability for substitution work.
Note: Non PME Student Teachers may not be paid for more than 5 consecutive school days’ employment at any one time. It is advisable that a school seek confirmation of the student teacher’s last working day to ensure payment by the Department of Education. A condition of employment is that the non PME student teacher’s contract will terminate if the school is in a position to employ a registered teacher.
Documentation Required by School:
Student substitute teachers may be required to provide the necessary evidence for verification and suitability checking, including:
- Vetting Disclosure (Circular 31/2016)
- Statutory Declaration Form & signed Form of Undertaking (Circular 31/2016)
- Garda Vetting (Non PME Student Teachers - To be completed by school)
- PME Students (Teaching Council Registration if applicable)
- Photo identification e.g. driving licence or passport
- PPS Number
- Contact details of relevant recent employers for independent reference checking.
Deputy Principals’ Conference 2021 – One week to go – last chance to book your place!
- Published: 04 November 2021
This year’s event will be held next Thursday, 11th November from 9:30am to 3:30pm. For more information and to book your place, click here
Featured Keynote Speaker: Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD
Norma Foley is the Minister for Education. She was appointed to this role in June 2020.
Norma was elected to represent the Kerry constituency in the 2020 general election.
She was previously a member of Kerry County Council for the Tralee area, serving from 1994 until her election to the Dáil in 2020. She also served as a member of Tralee Urban District Council until its abolition in 2014.
You can contact Ms Foley at norma.foley@oireachtas.ie
Featured Seminar: Proactive Coping and Caring for Yourself in Challenging Times
The COVID pandemic and its aftermath continue to pose significant challenges for schools and school leaders.
This presentation will outline what is involved in caring for yourself and coping in these difficult times, with particular reference to:
- accurate self-assessment to what you can and cannot do
- facilitating a conflict positive school environment
- preventing destructive conflict
- communicating assertively
- Effective strategies for stress reduction.
Presenter:Jacinta M. Kitt, M. St.
Jacinta is a Lecturer/Researcher and an Organisational Advisor. She is a former primary teacher. She lectures part-time in Trinity College on the M.Ed. programme, in Marino Institute of Education on the B.Sc. and B.Ed. programmes and provides guest lectures for other colleges. She also provides professional development training and presentations for schools, colleges and various other public and private organisations. The focus of much of this work is on the characteristics, skills and benefits of creating and maintaining a positive/effective work environment.
Providing strategies for improving how we communicate/ interact with each other in every environment is the theme of much of her work. She regularly works with school leaders on examining the impact of their behaviours, relationships and emotions on school effectiveness. She frequently speaks at conferences and seminars on workplace environment-related topics. During the Covid pandemic she provided Zoom presentations for numerous schools and other organisations on aspects of caring and coping in challenging times.
Her Master’s thesis had workplace bullying in schools as its theme and she is an acknowledged expert on that subject. She provides expert witness reports to tribunals and court cases relating to employment law. Her book entitled Positive Behaviours, Relationships and Emotions…. The Heart of Leadership in a School was published by the NAPD in March 2017.
Q&A Facilitator: Sandra Dempsey
Sandra Dempsey, Deputy Principal of Scoil Bhríde, Clara, Co. Offaly
Deputy Principals’ Conference 2021 – Book your place before the break!
- Published: 21 October 2021
This year’s event will be held on Thursday, 11 November from 9:30am to 3:30pm. For more information and to book your place, click here
Featured Keynote Speaker:Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector at the Department of Education
Dr Harold Hislop became Chief Inspector at the Department of Education and Skills in 2010. Prior to joining the Inspectorate, Harold taught at primary and university level and worked as an education and development officer at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment during the development of the Primary School Curriculum.
Since 2010, he has led a series of reforms in the inspection and evaluation of schools in Ireland and has lectured to international conferences on evaluation and inspection in France, Ireland, the UK, Malta and Abu Dhabi.
He is a member of the senior management team at the Department of Education and was closely involved in the development of the Department’s Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011-2020, which includes a broad range of actions for system improvement in the early childhood, primary and post-primary sectors. He is a current member of the Governing Board of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation at the OECD.
Featured Seminar: Ready, Set, Differentiate
In this hands-on and practical session, Mags and Andrea will explore how to plan for and organise effective differentiation to create an inclusive classroom experience for children. They will outline a range of useful teaching approaches and learning strategies, based on their shared years of teaching experience. Central to their approach will be the inclusion of the voices of key stakeholders, most especially children.
By the end of their session, Mags and Andrea hope that their Deputy Principal colleagues will have considered differentiation in a new or refreshed way and gain some practical ideas and approaches as they return to their own schools.
Presenters: Mags Jordan and Andrea Roche both work in Scoil Mhuire, Coolcotts, Wexford, a DEIS Band 1 school of almost 600 pupils. Mags is Principal and Andrea is SEN Coordinator. Both are Wexford natives.
Q&A Facilitator: MJ Malone, Deputy Principal of Clarecastle NS, Clarecastle, Co. Clare
NCCA Draft Primary Curriculum Consultation is now open
- Published: 21 October 2021
Consultation with primary schools and special schools by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework has now reopened. In February 2020, the NCCA published the draft framework setting out proposals for a redeveloped primary curriculum. The consultation was originally planned to run from late February to December 2020. However, in response to the challenging circumstances brought about by COVID-19, we postponed consultation with schools in late 2020.
We have now relaunched our online questionnaire, written submission form and consultation workshop materials for schools which are available here. Continuing into early 2022, we look forward to hearing from and engaging directly with teachers, school leaders, children and parents through online seminars and focus group events. If possible, depending on public health advice, we will hold face-to-face consultation events. Consultation with children will also take place throughout this period.
There will be further updates on the consultation with schools in the weeks and months ahead. You can also view this information video. If you would like to receive consultation updates or find out more about the draft framework visit our website www.ncca.ie/primary and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also sign up for regular updates from NCCA by registering to receive our newsletter.
Headstart – Supporting Newly Appointed & Acting Principals
- Published: 14 October 2021
Headstart is designed specifically to bring IPPN’s supports and services directly to newly appointed and acting principals during their first year. Many of them will already have registered with Misneach and received a CSL mentor. Throughout the school year, Headstart facilitated by a dedicated team of experienced principals will inform, guide and support these school leaders. Headstart is further enhanced by the Support Office and Leadership Support Teams.
A dedicated email has been set up in order to provide direct access to information, professional guidance and support during the year.
One of IPPN’s most important messages is that you can do this job, you cannot do it all and you cannot do it on your own. Headstart will deliver resources, tips, video clips and professional guidance to make this particular challenge less onerous and help to deliver better outcomes for the children and school community served by the newly appointed school leader.
An initial communication has gone to newly appointed and acting school leaders outlining the resources and supports planned for the year. If you have not received an email from the Headstart Team, please email jackie.oreilly@ippn.ie to be included in this support service.
