IPPN

Published: 03 October 2017

The Professional Guidance Team has received a large volume of queries from principals on how to calculate the number of assistant posts of responsibility in their schools. The following bullet points address some of the most frequently asked questions that we have received in the support office:

• DES Circular 0063/2017- Leadership and Management in Primary Schools is effective immediately
• Table 4.1.1 of the circular details the number of API and APII posts that a school is eligible to appoint. Appointment figures are based on the number of teaching posts in the previous school year
• The role of principal, mainstream class teachers, special education teachers, home school liaison teacher and other authorised teaching posts are counted when calculating the number of authorised teaching posts in a school. A base school can also count a shared special education teacher
• API and APII Posts are filled through open competition in a school. An unsuccessful candidate may submit an appeal. Details of the procedures are provided in Section 21 of the circular
• Where a school has been approved an API post and an APII post holder is appointed, a school is permitted to fill the APII post, if it is within the threshold of APII posts allocated to the school (Table 4.1.1 )
• Where an API or APII post holder is absent for a minimum of 84 consecutive days or temporarily relinquishes their role, an acting post holder may be appointed (Section 14) subject to the post being within the threshold of API and APII posts allocated to the school
• The role of acting post holder is required to be filled by the next most suitable post holder with the longest service. In schools where there is no other post holder, an acting post should be filled by promoting the next most suitable senior teacher on staff (Section 14.6)
• Where a school has posts in excess of those listed in Table 4.1.1, they will continue to retain these posts unless current post holders retire, resign or leave.

Published: 25 September 2017

• The recognition of the importance of school leadership in improving the outcomes for our pupils
• A focus on distributed leadership throughout the school as a key support for pupil learning
• The flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of the school
• Assigning and re-assigning post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet the evolving needs of a school
• Full restoration of posts of responsibility for schools with 6 teachers or less
• The phased introduction of open competition for the role of Deputy Principal

However, the provisions of the circular are inadequate in terms of addressing the leadership deficit that exists in our primary schools as a result of the moratorium. Any model of distributed leadership needs to be properly resourced. Many schools will start to incur losses and could lose up to half of their current allocation over time. Cutting some schools by up to 50% is not conducive to having an effective leadership team. Nevertheless, there are positive gains for some schools.

All schools with six teachers or less will have full restoration of their posts of responsibility, resulting in an end to the moratorium for these schools. Schools with six or more teachers were the worst affected by the moratorium. Some, but not all of these schools will be able to replace post holders who will retire or leave the school.

We would describe the content of this circular as a ‘first step’. IPPN will continue to advocate on your behalf to have a properly resourced Leadership & Management team that will allow principals to have effective distributed and shared leadership in our schools.

Published: 22 September 2017

The scheme provides for a LEAP card for all children attending school from 4 up to 19 years of age. One adult card will be given to a parent/guardian per family. LEAP cards will have €150 of credit on them. Children between the ages of 4 and 16 will be issued with a Child Leap Card that will be expected to last a minimum of 10 weeks. Children over 16 and parents will be issued with an Adult Leap Card that will be expected to last a minimum of 3.5 weeks. New cards can be issued after these designated time periods.

Unfortunately, not all families have access to family support teams. The five Dublin Children and Young People’s Services Committees (South Dublin, Dublin City South, Dublin City North, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire) are assisting with this to ensure that all families living in homelessness have access to LEAP cards that will assist in getting their children to school. CYPSCs are uniquely placed to play a communication role in supporting the take-up of this scheme with representatives from the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN), National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, (NAPD) and Educational Welfare Services all sitting on their committees. The CYPSCs also have ongoing engagement with Focus Ireland.

The CYPSCs are aware that this is an issue that has impacted students of schools throughout the country. As such, schools have been identified as key stakeholder for this scheme and it is hoped that they will be able to assist families in applying for LEAP cards.

Dublin CYPSC Coordinators will be in touch with their IPPN representatives with details of the scheme before it goes live at end of September.

Published: 22 September 2017

Where a school has commenced the process for the appointment of a Deputy Principal i.e. placed the advertisement or is at a later stage in the process under DES Circulars 07/03 and 0039/2014, prior to the publication of the new circular (0063/2017), it may proceed to completion of the process under these circulars.

Click here to view DES Circular 0063/2017, Section 6 – Procedures & Guidelines for appointment to the role of Deputy Principal