6th November 2023 - Joint Press Release on Teacher Shortages
Survey highlights acute teacher shortages which are impacting vulnerable children and their vital school supports
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), in conjunction with the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) and the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) today published the results of an extensive survey highlighting an unprecedented level of vacant teaching posts in primary and special schools.
Sustainable Leadership Project: Progress Report - November 2023
In November, IPPN published the Sustainable Leadership report - Primary School Leadership: The Case for Urgent Action – A Roadmap to Sustainable Leadership. The report included an evidence-informed analysis of the current reality of primary school leadership and an exploration of the key issues impacting on the key issues impacting on leadership capacity effectiveness and sustainability. The report made specific recommendations in each of its sections - all targeted at enhancing the practice and experience of school leadership and this has been the focus of our advocacy work since its publication.
In order to keep members up to speed with what actions have been undertaken, as part of that advocacy work, we've collated a progress report on the project which can be accessed below.
We are hopeful that the progress report will serve to
- reaffirm the rationale underpinning the project.
- highlight what actions have been undertaken and what progress has been made since the publication of the original report.
- provide an up-to-date evidence base which demonstrates an ongoing need for urgent action.
11 October 2023 - Budget 2024: Some gains but missed opportunities to support school leadership
Budget 2024 is a mixture of some gains and significant frustration at the missed opportunity to more adequately support school leadership.
As you’ll recall, IPPN’s Budget 2024 submission focused on four key areas:
- enhancing leadership capacity in schools
- the resourcing of schools to meet SEN needs
- the need for a review of the current governance structure
- the provision of adequate funding to schools.
There has been some progress in all four areas. There remains significant scope for further progress.
17th Nov 2022: There can be no further prevarication on the unsustainability of primary school leadership. The time to act is now.
In his input at the IPPN annual principals' conference in Killarney today, IPPN President Brian O’Doherty focused on the current reality of primary school leadership setting out a roadmap to allow school leaders to focus on their core purpose of ‘leading teaching and learning’.
Launching a report based on research undertaken over the past two years by IPPN on the issue of sustainable leadership, he assured those present that ‘This is not an exercise in ‘woe is us’. On the contrary, the objective of the project is to enhance school leadership, which leads to more effective schools, which leads to better outcomes for children. It’s one of those rare opportunities where everyone could be a winner.’
