IPPN

Published: 18 June 2025

Stay informed via your weekly E-scéal

• End-of-year message from IPPN President
• IPPN Survey – Overview of the results
• DE Circulars
• Sectoral Updates
• IPPN Principals’ Conference 2025 - Registration is now open!
• Are you retiring or planning to retire over the summer?
• Ciall Ceannaithe – Register by 25th July
• City/County Network Annual Meetings
• Leadership+ Issue 138 - Redevelopment of IPPN's Website - David Buckley
• Be Well, Lead Well
• Did you know?

Message from IPPN President

Dear school leaders,

As another school year draws to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering leadership, dedication, and resilience. Your commitment has made a lasting impact on your staff, students, and wider school community.

This year, like every year, brought its own set of challenges and triumphs and through it all, your leadership made the difference. Thank you for your hard work, thoughtful guidance, and the countless ways you support those around you.

Wishing you a restful, joyful, and well-deserved summer break when you are ready to leave your desk. May this time bring renewal and inspiration for the year ahead.

As I near the end of my two-year role as IPPN President, I thank you all for your support and kindness and wish incoming President Deirdre Kelly every good wish.

Warm regards,
Louise Tobin, IPPN President

Please have a look and enjoy this video showing some of the many memorable moments of my Presidency.
Highlights 

IPPN Survey – Overview of the results
Almost 800 school leaders responded to the recent IPPN survey to inform IPPN’s strategic plan for the period 2026-2030. Click the link below to view the key results.
Read More

Circulars
0044/2025 - Banning the use of and access to personal mobile phones by pupils during the school day/ Toirmeasc a chur ar fhóin phóca phearsanta a bheith á n-úsáid agus á rochtain ag daltaí agus scoláirí le linn an lae scoile
Read 
Amharc 

Updates
Oide Divisional Director (Primary)
Oide is currently recruiting to fill the full-time teacher secondment position of Divisional Director (Primary) for the 2025/2026 school year. Closing date for applications is 26th June 25 @ 5pm. For further details please visit http://oide.ie.

Oide Registration Portal - Action Required
Oide is introducing a new online registration portal for Primary Schools - Oide Registration.
This portal will be used to communicate school closure dates for the 2025/2026 academic year, as well as for registering teachers to attend Professional Learning Experiences (PLEs) during school time.
Register 

Are you retiring or planning to retire over the summer?
If you have made the decision to retire or step back from leadership this school year, we wish you every happiness and fulfilment in the future. Please email jackie.oreilly@ippn.ie to let us know.

For IPPN to provide professional support to the new principal/deputy principal on their appointment, we would appreciate if you would please ask the incoming leader to contact Jackie. This will ensure that they can avail of the various supports and services from IPPN from the very start of their time as a school leader.

IPPN Principals' Conference 2025 - Book Now!
Register 

Leadership+ Issue 138 - Redevelopment of IPPN's Website - David Buckley
One of the key themes to emerge from the review of our supports and services was the need to redevelop the website to better ensure it meets the needs of members. The website redevelopment project is progressing well.

The new website will include a dedicated member portal where you can view your profile, renew your membership, make payments, view invoices, and complete transactions, such as registering for events. We are currently testing these processes for Ciall Ceannaithe in advance of the launch.
Read More

Ciall Ceannaithe – Register by 25th July
Register

City/County Network Annual Meetings
This September and October, IPPN will be visiting county networks across the country, bringing key updates, insights on pressing issues, and essential support for our members. Most importantly, these events provide a great opportunity to connect with fellow principals and deputy principals. Additionally, if you're interested in playing a more active role in IPPN, consider representing your city or county network on the National Council. Your voice and experience can help shape the future of our profession!
Book your place

Be Well, Lead Well
Tip # 24 Aimee Presnall https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-parkinson/
I recently read Mel Robbins "Let Them Theory" and I can't stop thinking about how freeing this is for school leaders. They carry so much. The weight of every decision, every parent concern, every staff challenge. They often think they need to control it all, influence everyone, fix everything. But what if they didn't?
👉 Let them have their opinion about your new initiative.
👉 Let them process change at their own pace.
👉 Let them ask the hard questions about your decisions.
👉 Let them disagree with your approach (and listen to why).
👉 Let them take ownership of their mistakes.
👉 Let them shine in ways that are different from yours.
👉 Let them be skeptical until you earn their trust.
👉 Let them work at their natural rhythm within deadlines.
👉 Let them bring solutions, not just problems to you.
👉 Let them have bad days without taking it personally.

And here's the part that has such a close connection to the work we do in coaching..let yourself be human in this role:
👉 Let yourself make imperfect decisions with good intentions.
👉 Let yourself not have all the answers.
👉 Let yourself focus on what's actually in your control.
👉 Let yourself learn alongside your team.
👉 Let yourself change your mind when you get new information.
👉 Let yourself celebrate small wins while working toward bigger goals.
👉 Let yourself ask for help when you need it.

The reality? You can control your response, your values, your effort. You can influence culture, relationships, growth. But you can't control how others receive it - and that's okay. This isn't about lowering standards or caring less. It's about directing your energy where it actually makes a difference. It's about leading from a place of peace instead of pressure. The schools that need us most deserve leaders who aren't burning out trying to control the uncontrollable.

#BeWellLeadWell

Did you know?
External Research: How school leadership supports collaboration among SENCOs and specialist staff
Majella Dowling is a primary teacher in Laois, currently completing a Master’s in Educational Leadership at UL. Her research explores how school leadership supports collaboration among SENCOs and specialist staff, and she is seeking input from Primary Principals, SENCOs, SETs and External Professionals working with primary school children. The anonymous surveys have received full ethics approval from UL (Ref: 2025_04_18_EHS).
Principal Survey https://unioflimerick.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_diLAZoYDCxzaf6m
SENCO Survey https://unioflimerick.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eP4ZJHQUVREDJRk
SET Survey https://unioflimerick.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bCyxmenkjCaF48K

Postgraduate Diploma in School Leadership (PDSL)
The following information may be of interest to teachers in your school who have five or more years’ post-qualification experience.
The Postgraduate Diploma in School Leadership (PDSL) / Dioplóma Gairmiúil i gCeannaireacht Scoile (DGCS) is designed to prepare emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills, confidence and qualifications for senior school leadership positions.

The programme is delivered in centres nationally by leading lecturers in Irish education, as well as tutors with extensive experience in educational leadership, and is part-funded by the DE and Oide.
In addition to learning about the theory and practice of leadership, participants will also experience two ‘situated learning opportunities’ (leadership visits) over the duration of the programme. Participants will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding and apply the knowledge and skills acquired through situated learning experiences that provide opportunities to observe leadership in action.

The application process is open and all information is available via www.ul.ie/pdsl.