IPPN

Published: 28 September 2022

IPPN prioritised four key areas for primary education in Budget 2023 –

1. the provision of supports to make primary school leadership more sustainable
2. the implementation of measures to ensure the continuity of provision to children
   
3. the adequate resourcing of supports for children with additional needs
   
4. the adequate funding of primary schools to meet the significant increases in costs.

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 SET and SNA posts
  
• the increased level of funding to meet energy costs (€90M), which will result in an approx. increase in capitation funding of 40%.

IPPN has consistently supported measures to reduce costs for parents of primary school children. In that context, we welcome the announcement of:

• the provision of free school books for primary school children from autumn 2023
  
• the expansion of the school meals programme and
  
• the expansion of the school transport scheme.

However, IPPN is deeply disappointed to note that no commitment has been given to:

• the provision of supports to make primary school leadership more sustainable
  
• ensuring that there is sufficient capacity within the system in terms of teacher numbers to cover short- and long-term teacher absence/posts, in order to provide continuity of the provision of learning experiences to children.

Availability of Teachers
Key questions must be asked and addressed, if the system is to create sufficient capacity to cover short- and long-term absences/posts of both teachers and SNAs. Supply panels work well where there is sufficient capacity. However, it is clear that this is not the case, even where schools are allocated to a panel. Many schools do not have access to a panel.

Furthermore, the current arrangements for substitution, whereby there is no substitution to cover for certain types of leave, and often there are no substitute teachers available, compromise the most vulnerable children in our classrooms, as schools are all too often left with no option other than to redeploy SETs to mainstream classes to ensure all children are taught. As we approach a period associated with increased levels of illness, this is likely to compound the negative impact on learning from the pandemic already prevalent in schools.

Meeting additional needs
While the provision of additional teaching and SNA posts is welcome, it must be acknowledged that the system does not aspire to fully meeting additional needs. If the level of resources made available within the system are dictated by budgetary constraints, then it can merely be asserted that additional needs are met only to the level allowed by the budget allocated for it. This approach to inclusion limits its effectiveness.

Additional needs are either met or they are not and, if not, there is a consequential impact, not only on the child with the additional needs, but also on the other children in the class.

Impact on Leadership
This Budget is yet another missed opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of school leadership and a practical commitment to ensuring its greater sustainability. The system cannot continue to fail school leaders as such failure has serious implications for their leadership, the effectiveness of their schools and outcomes for the children in those schools.

IPPN will publish its Sustainable Leadership report in the coming weeks. The report clearly identifies what needs to be done to enable all school leaders to carry out their leadership and management roles effectively and in a sustainable way. We will be seeking progress on the implementation of the recommendations contained within the report as a matter of urgency.

School leaders are not thriving and the data from our recent survey of members, as well as that of the independent research conducted by Deakin University, highlights that urgent action is required. We know the impact the current school leadership reality is having on their effectiveness, and also on their health and wellbeing.

We have a shared responsibility to current and future school leaders. The time for action is now.