IPPN

Organisation Structure

Last Updated: Monday, 02 March 2015 11:37

IPPN consists of 3 different layers of organisation:

Local Principals' Support Groups
26 County Networks - forming the National Council
The National Council elects Directors, forming the Board of Directors.

Local Principals' Support Groups

Support Groups form the main 'cell structure' of IPPN. Principals' Support Groups have been in existence and sustained with the support of local Education Centres. Every Support Group has its own dynamic. The most common shared characteristics of successful support groups are:

one member co-ordinates the date and venue of the next meeting
one main topic selected by consensus as the focus of the next meeting
each meeting used to discuss a variety of current issues
regular monthly meetings e.g. second Thursday of the month
meetings immediately after school or by night - some groups meet in the afternoons of administration days
small groups - normally 8 to 12
a high degree of confidentiality and discretion
a regular social dimension
frequent sharing of resources, ideas and strategies
no formal agenda
no minutes or reports
no external speakers.

By definition, a Principals' Support Group does not include deputy principals as the main motivation of the group is to support those who are in the role of principal. Deputy principals who are acting up as principal can become a member of a Principals' Support Group. Other DPs can of course set up or become a member of Deputy Principals' Support Groups. There are some examples of such groups around the country.

County Networks

When a member joins IPPN, the location of the school determines the county network to which the principal/ deputy principal belongs. Each County Network will typically organise one professional development event per term, i.e. 3 per annum. These professional development events are funded through IPPN nationally and are open to all principals and deputy principals of member schools.

National Council

In Autumn each year, each County Network will elect / nominate two members to act as its representatives to the National Council. Two Representatives from each of the 26 County Networks form a 52-person National Council. The IPPN National Council elects Directors at its AGM each year to manage the affairs of the organisation. These Directors are collectively referred to as the Board of Directors.