Sub Shortage & 22 October Re-opening
- Published: 14 October 2021
IPPN is engaged in ongoing advocacy work in relation to the provisions of Circular 50/2021, specifically the removal of the banked hours facility and the revised sequence for accessing substitute cover. It is the view of IPPN that the circular will have the impact of disadvantaging all children by limiting teaching time and compromising the leadership and management of all schools.
If you are experiencing difficulties securing substitute cover for the absence of either mainstream class or special education teachers, the DE has made a helpline available to Principals, details of which were included in the circular. The phone number is 057 9324461 and the helpline is open from 9am to 5.00pm daily. You can also use the email address that has been provided in the circular which is covid19_alert@education.gov.ie. It would be important that the DE is kept fully informed of the extent of the difficulties being experienced by school leaders in terms of securing substitute cover for teacher absences and IPPN will continue to provide that information.
IPPN has also urged the DE that any potential updated guidance to schools on the management of Covid after the mid-term break, arising from the easing of restrictions in wider society from 22 October, would issue to schools before the end of this week. This would afford schools sufficient time to take account of any such updated guidance and plan for its implementation.
13th Oct 2021: IPPN’s response to Budget 2022
- Published: 13 October 2021
A chairde
In respect of the measures that have been announced in Budget 2022, the following details IPPN’s response.
IPPN prioritised three key areas for primary education for Budget 2022:
- the funding of supports to make primary school leadership more sustainable
- the retention of pandemic supports for schools
- adequate resourcing of supports for vulnerable children adversely impacted by the Covid pandemic.
In that context, IPPN welcomes the announcement, in yesterday’s Budget, of:
- the lowering of the pupil/teacher ratio
- additional funding to support pupils with special educational needs in terms of additional teacher and SNA posts
- administrative status being given to teaching principals of schools with two or more special classes & teaching principal of special schools
- retention of some of the Covid-19 related funding provided to schools in 2020/21.
However, IPPN is deeply disappointed to note that no commitment has been given to:
- sanctioning at least one leadership and management day per week for teaching principals on a permanent basis
- retaining teacher supply panels on a permanent basis and expanding the scheme to ensure all schools have access to a supply panel
- increasing middle leadership capacity in larger schools
- reinstating the ‘banked hours’ facility introduced in 2020/21 to allow schools who could not find a substitute teacher to avail of them when a teacher became available, thus ensuring vulnerable children did not miss out due to teacher absences.
IPPN will continue to advocate for adequate funding and supports to be made available to enable all school leaders to carry out their leadership and management roles effectively and in a sustainable way.
Is mise le meas
Brian O'Doherty
IPPN President
External Research: Leading Autism Special Classes in Mainstream Schools
- Published: 07 October 2021
Linda Dennehy, Principal of Scoil Íosagáin Infant NS, Mallow. Co. Cork is a PhD student in University College Cork, undertaking a research study of primary school principals’ experiences of leading autism special classes in their schools. The purpose of the study is to create greater awareness and understanding of the principal’s perspectives to enhance leadership skills and student learning experience.
The study will involve speaking with primary Principals who lead mainstream schools with special classes for autism which is attached. This will involve one interview (c. 1 hour) during autumn 2021 with a follow-up interview to be held in spring 2022. Given current circumstances, these interviews will likely be held online. The anonymised data will form the basis of the PhD thesis.
If you would like to participate in this study or if you require any further information, please contact Linda by email to 119226432@umail.ucc.ie or by phone to (087) 7940913. She will provide full details of the study.
Leadership+ article, Issue 119: Key Issues for DEIS Schools
- Published: 07 October 2021
DR. PAUL DOWNES DIRECTOR OF THE EDUCATIONAL DISADVANTAGE CENTRE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION, INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, DCU
Our Educational Disadvantage Centre submission and presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Education Committee (December 2020) in response to the Covid pandemic raised key issues regarding the provision of emotional counsellors/therapists and hot meals onsite in schools. It did so against the backdrop of comparison with many European countries that routinely provide both. Several European countries have bridged the education/ health divide by providing key health services onsite in schools, with the aid of multidisciplinary teams. Ireland is playing catch-up in this area.
Parents’ Associations
- Published: 07 October 2021
National Parents Council will host a number of Free on line Parents’ Association Clinics during October 2021. The clinics aim to explore the Parents' Association’s role in working collaboratively with the school, particularly in this current climate and in advance of upcoming Parents’ Association AGMs.
IPPN in collaboration with NPC Primary published “Supporting Each Other”. This is a guide to best practice for the effective partnership between schools and Parents Associations. It may be a useful resource reference for a Parents Association, regarding its role and contribution to the school community.
Click here for more information and to book a place at one of the clinics
