IPPN

County Network AGMs 2009

Published: 30 September 2009

County Network AGMs will take place in each of the 26 counties finishing on 20th October 2009 . Members of IPPN's Executive will present at each meeting. Issues addressed include;

Sustaining staff morale
Temporary teacher contracts
In-school management
Medmark
Child Protection

Full Story: www.ippn.ie

Schools are facing wait of 14 years for a full inspection [Independent.ie]

Published: 30 September 2009

SCHOOLS may spend up to 14 years without undergoing a full-scale quality evaluation.

The gap means that a child could go through the entire primary and second-level education system without their schools being subject to a thorough inspection. The long delay between such evaluations in Ireland is more than twice the international norm of about once every six years.

Only one-third of primary and post-primary schools have been subject to a Whole School Evaluation (WSE), which was introduced in 2004. WSE-style inspections are now regarded internationally as key to improving the performance of schools and aiding the development of teachers.

Full Story: http://www.independent.ie

Applying for probation [INTO]

Published: 30 September 2009

Probationary teachers - Notification to Department of Education and Science

It is essential that the Inspectorate is informed as soon as possible of the fact that an unprobated teacher has been appointed to a school and is eligible for probation. This is done by sending a notification form online or by hard copy (Form OP1) to the Limerick Education Centre (Park House, Parkway Shopping Centre Dublin Road, Limerick) who manage the notification process on behalf of the Inspectorate.

Click here for further information on applying for probation

Full Story: http://www.into.ie

Teachers angry over department workload figures [IrishTimes]

Published: 30 September 2009

SECOND LEVEL teachers have expressed anger about new Department of Education figures that appear to show they enjoy a relatively light workload compared to their OECD counterparts.

Teachers' Union of Ireland president Don Ryan yesterday labelled the department's figures as a "mischievous attempt to undermine a frontline service already under severe strain''.

The general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) John White accused the department of generating "easy headlines" that did not reflect the reality. He said teachers were unwilling to have their "work falsely devalued as part of a softening up process for further education cuts".

Full Story: http://www.irishtimes.com/