25th October 2005 - IPPN Backs Demand for Smaller Classes
Irish Primary Principals Network
PRESS RELEASE
IPPN BACKS DEMAND FOR SMALLER CLASSES
Teaching Principals demand fair play
"Class size is not just about numbers in rooms. It is about every child in every class in every school in Ireland getting the individual attention and help that they need," said Tomás O Slatara, incoming president of IPPN.
"Any measure to tackle the problem of reducing class size in our schools has to start with agreed priorities"," said O Slatara. "IPPN is calling for these measures to be targeted first at the class of the teaching principal. There should be an immediate acceptance of the need to prioritise reduction in the class-teaching load for teaching principals which recognises the multi-faceted nature of this role. This is very much in line with the recommendation in the HayGroup Report (2003) 'Defining the Role of the Primary Principal' 'Teaching Principals should proactively organise their own teaching workload in a manner that enables them to fulfil their primary leadership accountabilities more effectively'
International evidence shows that class size in Ireland lags well behind other countries in relation to class size. There is growing pressure on government to make our classes smaller. "Behind these overall figures, however, lie many different experiences." This was the message of Tomás O Slatara, incoming President of the Irish Primary Principals' Network, to county representatives at their annual general meeting in Dublin today. When class size is talked about, many people picture a large urban school with single grade classes of up to 30 children. The learning experience of our children in this set-up, with the demands of a modern curriculum, is not tolerable for Ireland in the 21st century. "Reduction in class size is clearly a priority in schools with high levels of disadvantage and in infant classes; but most of all it is required in the class of the teaching principal. There is a big difference between a single-grade class of 30 children and a principal teaching 20 children in three class levels in an area of social disadvantage. Saying that a child is in a class of 20 may sound good to parents and the public in general but it does not tell the full story."
Over 70% of Irish primary schools are smaller schools with multi-grade classes. In over 2,000 schools throughout Ireland, the principal is teaching a full class, all day, every day. They juggle the competing demands of leading, managing and administering a modern school and teaching a full class. These classes are multi-grade classes with children of differing ages, class groupings and abilities. Often, there are children with special educational needs as well. A more complex picture emerges of the reality of what "class-size" means in Ireland when the teaching principal's perspective is highlighted. It is not simply a picture of up to 30 children working in one room trying to deal with a modern curriculum which more and more demands that the individual child's needs are met in an individual manner.
Tomás O Slatara is a teaching principal with over 23 years experience and takes up his role as President of IPPN for the coming year.
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For further information:
Seán Cottrell, National Director
Tomás O Slatara, President
Caroline O Dea, IPPN Support Office
10th May 2005 - SEN Allocations
16th April 2005 - Call for Humanitarian Treatment of Children of Asylum Seekers
Call for Humanitarian Treatment of children of Asylum Seekers
IPPN calls upon the Irish Government, and in particular, the Department of Justice, to deal with the applications by immigrant families seeking leave to remain in Ireland on humanitarian grounds, in a common sense, respectful and decent manner.
IPPN also calls on the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to immediately desist from the practice of deporting parents without their children. It is contrary to our traditions and values to deliberately act in a manner which has the direct consequence of breaking up the family unit. EU Directive on Refugee Status, article 23, maintains that the best interest of the child and the maintenance of family unity should be a primary consideration of member states
In addition, IPPN requests that Minister McDowell immediately exercises his power to give leave to remain in Ireland, families whose children have been attending school here for years and who are integrated successfully into the school and wider community.
14th February 2005 - IPPN demands swift action on Primary Principals Serious Work Overload
IPPN DEMANDS SWIFT ACTION ON PRIMARY PRINCIPALS SERIOUS WORK OVERLOAD PROBLEM
Growing bureaucracy, non-educational tasks and ever-increasing legislative demands are preventing principals from addressing their key responsibilites of managing teaching and learning in our primary schools. The serious problem of work overload amongst Ireland's Primary Principals is having such a devastating impact on their personal lives that many want to be relieved of their positions, according to research to be published at the IPPN Annual Conference in Dublin.
A survey of 850 members of the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) revealed that 75% of respondents felt they were either overloaded or seriously overloaded with work. As a result most are suffering from stress. Exhaustion, burn-out, migraine, tiredness, anxiety, a sense of hopelessness and difficulty sleeping were some of the emotional and physical problems being experienced by a large number of principals. Many were concerned with changes to their personality resulting from the stress, such as intolerance and irritability.
As a result of this survey the President of the IPPN Virginia O'Mahony is calling on the Minister for Education and Science, Ms. Mary Hanafin to take swift action to help alleviate the problem. "This is an extremely serious situation which was recognised by the Minister's Department in the setting up of a Working Party on Principals'Work Overload last year," she said. " However immediate reaction is required and our Principals have outlined practical measures which can, and should, be taken to ensure that they can get back to their main tasks and work more effectively. Other improvements in education cannot be realised if the leadership role of Principal suffers from overload."
The first ever survey of it's kind, this research by the IPPN highlighted a number of causes of the work overload. These included:
- Non-educational tasks
- Paperwork from the Department of Education and Science and other agencies
- The demands of Special Education Needs
- The conflicting demands on teaching Principals between class teaching and school leadership
- Lack of resources including IT, secretarial, caretaking, Special Needs Assistants, resource teachers, physical working space
- People management issues including staff under-performance, disruptive pupils, Boards of Management and parents
- Lack of support from the In-School Management team
- Unplanned interruptions from salespeople, parents, social workers, doctors,
- Departmental staff and other calling without an appointment
- Legal/litigation culture
The survey found that the most serious impact of this work overload was felt by the Principals themselves rather than the schools. It found that "almost every principal mentioned stress as a consequence of their workload. While this is inevitable in most jobs, particularly the professions, most principals say they are suffering far more from stress than at any other time in their career or lives. "In many instances, stress goes hand-in-hand with other problems, is made worse by other problems or indeed causes or exacerbates health problems. A worrying number of principals have been advised by their GP to take sick leave in order to protect their health. "Several respondents said they would 'hand back the keys in the morning' if they could, that they are 'at the end of their tether', 'hanging on by a thread', 'not sure how long more they can last', 'looking forward to early retirement'. They feel very 'isolated', 'alone', 'exposed' and they no longer enjoy the job they felt so positive about a number of years ago.
A number of key recommendations aimed at dealing with the problems were reached during the survey process. These included:
- The reduction of the point at which an administrative principal is appointed from 180 to 150 pupils
- That teaching principals would be entitled to a minimum of one release day per week
- Deputy principals in schools of 16 teachers or more to be released from teaching duties.
- Teaching principals to be able to undertake resource/learning support teaching roles
- When new DES circulars are issued, where additional workload is implied for principals, the necessary human resources (teacher non contact hours) to be allocated accordingly
- The management of special education needs to be delegated to the deputy principal or to an assistant principal where relevant
- The DES and other relevant agencies to provide dedicated, authoritative e-mail query lines for principals seeking information or interpretation of circulars, policy documents and procedures
- Principals to be appointed on a seven/ten year contract as per Green Paper, 1992
- Current serving principals to be offered 'step down' facility without loss of seniority, salary allowance and related pension benefits. As in the case of early retirement, a quota of places to be allocated following assessment of annual applications.
- Every principal to have access to full time secretarial support.
The report drew the conclusion that the "consistency and depth" of the feelings expressed in the survey does not bode well for the future of principalship in Ireland if something radical is not done to improve the situation."
Principals plead to be allowed return to their core responsibility - leading the quality of teaching and learning in their schools.
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