ISSUE 144 | SEPT/OCT 2026
+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS
Supporting Leadership through challenge & change
McCabes Pharmacy School Flu Vaccination Programme McCabes Pharmacy are delighted to once again offer our on-site Flu vaccination service to primary schools this Autumn/Winter 2026. Why choose McCabes Pharmacy? Nationwide On-Site Flu Vaccination for Students & Staff We bring our school vaccination clinics directly to you eliminating the need to travel and minimising disruption to the school day. Trusted Experience & Professionalism Our qualified pharmacists are highly trained and have years of experience in delivering school vaccination programmes across the country. Easy, GDPR-Compliant Consent Process Consent is managed securely via our digital platform.
To register your school’s interest, simply scan the QR code and complete the online form at mccabespharmacy.com Or Email services@mccabespharmacy.ie
David Ruddy BL
Leadership in Special Schools:
Building Inclusive and Empowering Educational Communities
Nurturing Pedagogies & Caring Connections:
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Dr Grainne McKenna Assistant Professor at the DCU Institute of Education
Hot School Meals
A Decade of Developing School Leaders:
Demand, Delivery, Delight, Done!
Reflecting on the PDSL Journey
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Kathryn Corbett Principal of Bishop Galvin NS, Templeogue, Dublin 6
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Whole-School Approaches to Transform Children’s Wellbeing
Jerry Ryan Principal, Scoil Triest Special School, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
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Professor Patricia Mannix McNamara, Dr Niamh Hickey and Dr Nicolaas Blom University of Limerick
What do we do with the Corridor Kids?
Why Aitheantas Matters for School Leaders
Emma Stokes Principal of Phoenix Park Specialist School, Dublin 8
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ISSUE 144 | SEPT/OCT 2026
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Signposts
Legal Diary Is Your Staff Leave Policy Fit for Purpose?
Fíona McArdle Assistant Professor in Education at Hibernia College; member of the Aitheantas Advisory Committee Standing in My Dignity – Donal Kerins
Also in this issue:
Gréasán Gaeilge na hEarnála Poiblí – Máire Bríd Ní Ghionnáin The 10 Commandments for Primary and Special School Principals – Paul O’Donnell International Research Collaboration on School Leadership; IPPN Survey of Special School Leaders – Brian O’Doherty DEIS Plus: A Win for Schools, With Work Still to Do – David O’Callaghan And much more…
+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF SCHOOL LEADERS
Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co. Cork 1800 21 22 23 • www.ippn.ie Editor: Geraldine D’Arcy Editorial Team: Geraldine D’Arcy, Brian O’Doherty and Deirdre Kelly Comments to: editor@ippn.ie n Advertising: Sinead O’Mahony adverts@ippn.ie ISSN: 1649-5888 n Design: Brosna Press The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of IPPN
LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
DEIS Plus:
A Win for Schools, With Work Still to Do DAVID O’CALLAGHAN
PRINCIPAL OF ST. BRIGID’S & ST. PATRICK’S NS, DROGHEDA, CO. LOUTH
There are policy moments in education that arrive with noise and little substance, and then there are moments like the DEIS Plus announcement; built on something we in school leadership have long been asking for: a data-driven attempt to find the schools serving communities with the deepest, most persistent disadvantage. For primary schools, what’s been secured is substantial. Among other supports, every DEIS Plus primary school now has a teacher whose sole job is coordinating pupil mental health and wellbeing. Schools also get an Education Wellbeing Practitioner, a guaranteed administrative principal freed from classroom teaching, and an HSCL coordinator. On top of that: increased grant funding and supports like breakfast clubs. This new model isn’t symbolic; it’s staffing, funding, and time, delivered to communities across Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Louth and Galway, and welcome recognition of work already being done against the odds. It is important to state that real advocacy from a number of stakeholders shaped this: IPPN’s DEIS Focus Group made the case that wellbeing needed a dedicated person, not an add-on to someone’s workload, and that leadership capacity needed to grow alongside expectations. Seeing those points land in the final scheme is a genuine credit to the Focus Group’s work. Leaders who have stretched goodwill and run wellbeing supports on overstretched budgets will have greater capacity to meet the needs of the children directly supported, and to sustain school leadership itself. It also sits inside a wider ten-year DEIS strategy promising 400-plus additional staff nationally, which suggests that this is the start of sustained investment, not merely a one-off announcement. This win matters beyond the schools directly involved, too. When IPPN put forward evidence-based proposals 2
For primary schools, what’s been secured is substantial. Among other supports, every DEIS Plus primary school now has a teacher whose sole job is coordinating pupil mental health and wellbeing. Schools also get an Education Wellbeing Practitioner, a guaranteed administrative principal freed from classroom teaching, and an HSCL coordinator. On top of that: increased grant funding and supports like breakfast clubs. through the Focus Group, the Department of Education & Youth engaged with them, and acted on them. Hopefully this serves as a meaningful precedent, which can be applied in other contexts within the primary school sector, whatever your own school’s designation. No process of this scale will get every call right first time. Nationally, 123 schools appealed their exclusion from DEIS Plus and just eight succeeded. Among the unsuccessful appeals, per RTÉ’s Prime Time, are schools in Drogheda and Limerick who feel the process still hasn’t captured their communities’ reality. That low success rate points to a question about the criteria itself, not just individual cases, and to her credit, Minister Naughton has
acknowledged she isn’t satisfied with the data available, committing to source more granular information to sharpen future assessments. That openness aligns with what the scheme was built to do. The Department’s own implementation plan is clear that effective responses to disadvantage “must be evidence informed, proportionate and capable of adapting to changing needs and contexts,” committing to periodic reassessment as data and demographics change. The OECD’s underpinning review went further, recommending adjustments to soften the effects of hard, cliff-edge thresholds in the classification model, which is exactly the concern raised by schools sitting just outside the line in Drogheda and Limerick. Revisiting their situation isn’t a deviation from the model; it’s in fact the model doing what it was designed to do. If there’s one thing school leaders can offer that data alone cannot, it’s context. The numbers tell us where disadvantage and deprivation sit, but it is the people walking the corridors every day who can tell us what that looks like in practice. It is often said that the real art of data is in its interpretation, and that interpretation is sharpest when school leaders are treated as key decision-makers. My hope is that Minister Naughton now brings those voices further into the room, and responds appropriately to the data that is present, as the OECD report recommends. DEIS Plus has already begun to show what’s possible when support and resourcing follow evidence. The next step is making sure it’s heard from everywhere it needs to be.
If you would like to contact David about this article, you can email him at davidocallaghan@live.ie.
September/October 2026
EDITORIAL
Supporting Leadership through challenge & change The publication of the DCU Create research on Principal Occupational Wellbeing, just before schools opened, was timely. The findings will have come as no great surprise to school leaders, as they merely corroborate the evidence that IPPN gathered and published in the Sustainable Leadership report four years ago. However, the fact that an independent research body is reporting these findings provides a little ‘wind in the sails’ to our advocacy work, highlighting as they did the significant toll of an expanding, ill-defined workload and the lack of time to focus on teaching and learning. Both are contributory factors to elevated levels of burnout. Budget 2027 The findings speak directly to the pre-Budget submission we made to the DEY and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER) back in May, where we highlighted the urgent need for an increased allocation of leadership time to support curriculum enactment allocations and resourcing for SEN to be in keeping with the actual number of children presenting in schools with additional needs extended DEIS supports, particularly for rural DEIS and increased capitation funding. There is no doubt that DPER has had a significant influence on the education and health sectors in particular over the past 12 months, with increasing scrutiny on expenditure. This focus contributed to the delayed announcements of the staffing schedule, SNA allocations, the Summer Programme and other key initiatives in 2026 – as Deirdre references in her article on page 5 - and is likely to also have a bearing on expenditure in education in 2027 and beyond. However, the DEY’s commitment to addressing issues relating to school leadership and school governance, as part of its Our Schools, Our Future project, is encouraging with recommendations from that work to be published in 2027. City/County Network Meetings On foot of recommendations received from the National Council, this year’s meetings have been a resounding success, with a 15% increase in attendance from last year. Members welcomed IPPN’s planned curriculum support networks and other practical supports for curriculum enactment, as well as the re-developed SubSeeker Web App, the newly published Guide to the Leadership of Special Education in Mainstream Primary Schools and the School Leaders’ Tips resource found in the Leaders Supporting Leaders section of the website. There was also appreciation for other new initiatives including the Leadership Reflection Journal, supports for aspiring and emerging leaders, and the planned online summer course on Conflict and Dignity and Respect at Work.
LEADERSHIP+ EDITORIAL TEAM At all city/county meetings, members were also reminded of the availability of IPPN’s Leadership Support Team, which provides a confidential and supportive service to all school leaders. Sincere thanks to all National Council members, both outgoing and incoming, for their commitment, engagement and contribution to the work of IPPN. It is greatly valued and never taken for granted. Podcast In the most recent episode of Leading for Impact, Róisín Coughlan of Mantra Strategy reflects on the development IPPN’s strategic plan, what insights she gleaned about the current reality of school leadership and what IPPN must do to have the impact to which it aspires. A new episode, featuring a primary school leader, will issue soon, and with a new host! Alan Sheehan, who is IPPN Director of Member Supports and Services – see page 17 – will host future episodes. In this issue Sincere thanks to all contributors to this issue. School leaders share their expertise on complex behaviour, leadership in special schools, hot school lunches, the impact of DEIS Plus, and The 10 Commandments for school principals. Stakeholders update us on Aitheantas, a decade of the PDSL, nurturing pedagogies, and Gréasán Gaeilge na hEarnála Poiblí. Our Legal Diarist David Ruddy asks whether your staff leave policy is fit for purpose, and we update you on IPPN’s work ‘on your behalf’, on the international research collaboration on school leadership, the results of the survey of special school leaders, the latest in the series on Conflict – Standing in my Dignity, and on what school leaders need so they can plan effectively. We hope the year ahead will bring greater certainty, stability and opportunity for all school leaders and their school communities. Thank you for the extraordinary work you do each day for the children, families and communities you serve. We hope you enjoy the issue. As always, suggestions and feedback are welcome to editor@ippn.ie.
Geraldine D’Arcy Editor
Deirdre Kelly President
Brian O’Doherty Deputy CEO
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LEGAL DIARY LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
DAVID RUDDY BL
Is Your Staff Leave Policy Fit for Purpose?
School principals understandably need to manage teacher absences carefully. A school must maintain continuity of education, ensure adequate supervision of pupils and, where necessary, secure substitute cover. In doing so, a staff leave policy should distinguish clearly between statutory leave entitlements and non-statutory leave arrangements. Circular 54/2019 is the ultimate reference document and directs that schools should have a policy on teacher absences. A separate series of circulars regulates leave schemes for special needs assistants.
A policy which permits, for example, up to 20% of teaching staff to be absent on nonstatutory leave during a school year may appear reasonable from a staffing perspective. The difficulty arises because that figure does not include statutory leave.
It’s important to distinguish between statutory leave and non-statutory leave. Non-statutory leave includes Career Breaks, Job Sharing and Unpaid Leave. A Board of Management has the discretion to grant or refuse applications for non-statutory leave. INTO guidance (referenced in the member’s diary) illustrates the breadth of leave available to teachers. Statutory or protected leave can include Maternity Leave, Parental Leave, Parent’s Leave, Paternity Leave, Certified Sick Leave and other forms of family-related leave. The table also identifies circumstances where substitute cover is available.
has already reached its preferred level of staff absence. A teacher may be entitled to leave irrespective of how many colleagues have already been granted Career Breaks, Extra Personal Vacation, Unpaid Leave or other nonstatutory arrangements. Maternity leave, for example, provides for 26 consecutive weeks, with the option of additional unpaid leave.
A policy which permits, for example, up to 20% of teaching staff to be absent on non-statutory leave during a school year may appear reasonable from a staffing perspective. The difficulty arises because that figure does not include statutory leave. It is not possible to predict as to what number of staff may require statutory leave in any particular year. Statutory leave is an entitlement and cannot simply be refused because a school
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Consider Parental Leave. The guidance provides for 26 weeks per child. While there are circumstances in which parental leave can be postponed in accordance with the relevant rules, it is not simply another form of discretionary leave which a school can refuse because its non-statutory leave allocation has been exhausted. Equally, staff on Job Share need to realise that in the event of one job sharer resigning or retiring, that the arrangement then terminates. The above scenario creates an important planning issue for principals. If a school has permitted 20% of its staff to take non-statutory leave, and subsequently a further 20% become
absent on statutory leave, the school could potentially find itself managing a staff absence level exceeding 40%. The fact that the first 20% had already been approved does not remove or reduce the entitlement of staff subsequently seeking statutory leave. A robust staff leave policy should distinguish between entitlements which must be accommodated, subject to the rules governing each form of leave, and discretionary or approval-based leave, where staffing and educational needs can properly be considered. Late applications for nonstatutory leave should be viewed with caution, as such a scenario creates a precedent. A policy should anticipate statutory leave rather than regard it as unexpected or exceptional. If you have a 10% non-statutory leave policy, the reality is that you may be looking at an overall 20%–25% absence to include statutory leave. Ultimately, the key consideration for a Board of Management in managing applications for non-statutory leave should be the impact on the education of students and the effective management of the school.
If you would like to get in touch with David in relation to this article, you can contact him at david.ruddybl@gmail.com
September/October 2026
What School Leaders Need So They Can Plan Effectively DEIRDRE KELLY IPPN PRESIDENT As President of IPPN, I feel compelled to highlight the deep concern, disappointment and frustration being expressed by school leaders, nationally and locally, at a recurring pattern of delayed announcements, compressed timelines and inadequate communication from the DEY. While individual issues may appear administrative, collectively they are placing an unsustainable burden on school leaders and having a direct impact on pupils, families, staff and school communities. School leaders demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the children and communities they serve every day. They consistently go beyond the requirements of their roles to ensure that children are supported, staff are cared for and schools function effectively. However, that commitment cannot be expected to compensate indefinitely for systems and processes that are poorly timed, inadequately communicated or leave schools without the information they need to plan. The administration of this year’s Summer Programme is perhaps the clearest example. Last year, the programme was announced at the end of February, giving schools approximately three months to apply, organise staffing, communicate with parents and prepare meaningful programmes. This year, guidance was not published until 9 May, with applications closing just six days later, on 15 May. Schools then waited for approval information until the week beginning 25 May – one of the busiest periods of the school year. This left school leaders with an extremely compressed timeframe in which to organise complex provision. Until approvals were confirmed, schools could not finalise staffing, activities, transport or programmes, nor could they communicate with families with any degree of certainty. Staff could not make informed decisions about their summer commitments, while parents were left uncertain about whether places had been secured or alternative arrangements were required. Understandably, parents contacted schools seeking answers that school leaders themselves did not yet have.
Our pupils deserve wellplanned provision. Families deserve certainty. Staff deserve clarity. And school leaders deserve a system that recognises their extraordinary commitment... The Summer Programme process cannot be viewed in isolation from wider concerns about staffing and planning. The publication of the staffing circular on 25 March represents another concerning regression. Following previous representations from IPPN, a commitment had been made to earlier publication, and in 2023, 2024 and 2025 the circular was issued in late January or early February. Returning to a late-March publication delayed recruitment and extended staffing responsibilities into a period when school leaders should have been able to begin stepping back from the demands of the school year. This has significant implications for workload, wellbeing and the ability of leaders to properly disconnect from work. The situation is particularly concerning in Special Schools, where staffing allocations for the coming school year were not communicated until 9 June. Children with complex educational, behavioural and care needs require careful planning and appropriate supports. School leaders cannot recruit, organise provision or communicate effectively with families without the information required to make those plans. There is also a need for clarity regarding the future of the Small School Clustering Project. We welcome its evaluation and recognise the significant value the project has demonstrated through reduced administrative burden, stronger professional collaboration, innovation and shared practice. We hope the outcome will provide a clear commitment to building on this success and extending proven supports to small schools nationally.
Across all of these issues, the common thread is the impact of uncertainty on school leaders. Leaders cannot plan effectively when key information arrives late; communicate confidently with families when decisions remain outstanding; or recruit appropriately without timely staffing allocations. Nor can they protect their wellbeing when professional responsibilities continue into periods intended for rest and recovery. IPPN recognises the Department’s responsibility to manage complex national programmes and processes, and we remain committed to constructive engagement and genuine collaboration. However, meaningful partnership must work in both directions. It requires timely communication, realistic timelines and an understanding of the operational reality within schools. Our school leaders remain unwavering in their commitment to children and their communities. But goodwill, professionalism and dedication cannot substitute for adequate planning time or effective systems. If we genuinely value strong school leadership, we must create the conditions in which leaders can lead effectively. That means providing information in sufficient time for schools to plan, recruit and communicate effectively; setting realistic deadlines; ensuring appropriate staffing; and respecting school leaders’ right to disconnect from work and take meaningful annual leave. Our pupils deserve well-planned provision. Families deserve certainty. Staff deserve clarity. And school leaders deserve a system that recognises and supports their extraordinary commitment rather than continually adding to the burden they carry. School leaders are ready and willing to lead. What they need is the time, information and support to do so effectively. Deirdre.Kelly@ippn.ie 5
Seeing Learning Come to Life on the Farm Liam McDermott Principal, Scoil Eoghain, Moville As a school principal, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing children learn through real-life experiences. Our recent visit to Elaine Vance’s dairy farm in Raphoe, Co. Donegal, as part of the National Dairy Council’s EU School Milk Scheme, was one of those days that will stay with our pupils long after they have left the classroom. The visit was wonderfully organised and gave the children a unique opportunity to experience firsthand where their milk comes from. While we can teach topics like food production, nutrition and agriculture in school, nothing compares to standing in a working farm, meeting the animals and seeing the process unfold before their eyes. The milking parlour was undoubtedly the highlight of the day. Watching a cow being milked fascinated the children, and it was striking to realise that, according to research shared by the National Dairy Council, more than half of Irish children under 12 have never seen this happen. It’s something many of us might assume children know about, but for many, it simply isn’t part of their everyday lives. Our pupils come from a mix of rural and urban backgrounds, so the experience meant something different to each of them. For some, it reinforced
...build knowledge, inspire curiosity and give children a greater appreciation of the people and industries that play such an important role in our everyday lives.
what they already knew about farming, while for others it opened up an entirely new world. Seeing the care that goes into looking after the animals and producing high-quality food gave them a real appreciation for the dedication and hard work of Irish farmers. Throughout the day, the children were fully engaged. They asked thoughtful questions, eagerly explored the interactive learning stations on grass growth, nutrition and thoroughly enjoyed meeting the calves. It was wonderful to see their curiosity sparked by seeing learning come to life outside the classroom. As a school, we are proud to be part of the EU School Milk Scheme. It not only supports healthy habits by providing pupils with milk each day but also offers opportunities like this that deepen children’s understanding of food, farming and sustainability. I would encourage any school to take part if they have the opportunity. Not every child has the chance to visit a working farm, but experiences like this help bridge that gap. They build knowledge, inspire curiosity and give children a greater appreciation of the people and industries that play such an important role in our everyday lives.
Funded by the European Union
September/October 2026
Leadership in Special Schools:
Building Inclusive and Empowering Educational Communities JERRY RYAN PRINCIPAL, SCOIL TRIEST SPECIAL SCHOOL, LOTA, GLANMIRE, CO. CORK
School leaders in special schools play a critical role in shaping inclusive, supportive, and highquality educational environments for children and young people with additional needs. Special schools cater for students with a wide range of learning, physical, sensory, emotional, and behavioural needs. Effective leadership within these schools involves advocacy, collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to inclusion and student wellbeing. The education system has increasingly recognised the importance of inclusive education and equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. Special schools operate within this framework by providing specialised support and tailored educational programmes. Leadership in these settings requires a unique blend of educational expertise, emotional intelligence, strategic management, and the ability to think outside the box. The Role of Leadership in Special Schools School leaders in all schools create environments where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. They must also support teachers and SNAs, collaborate with families, and work closely with multidisciplinary teams. Leadership in special schools differs from that of our colleagues in mainstream due to the variety and the complexity of student needs and the level of coordination required. While all leaders are expected to develop inclusive school cultures, promote student-centred learning, ensure compliance with educational policies and safeguarding standards, support staff wellbeing and professional development, build partnerships with parents and external agencies, these are more challenging to achieve when the complexity of need is so varied and widespread across the school. In addition, there are specialised resources and supports that must be effectively managed – OT, SLT and other therapeutic supports, as well as high numbers of SNAs and bus escorts. Maintaining a safe learning environment can also be considerably more challenging in special schools.
Inclusive Leadership Practices Special school leaders champion equality, diversity, and participation for all students regardless of disability or additional needs, ensuring that every student has access to meaningful learning experiences and opportunities for personal development.
Continuous professional development is essential for leaders in our special schools. Training in areas such as inclusive education, trauma-informed practice, communication strategies, and educational leadership helps leaders respond effectively to evolving student needs.
Inclusive leaders foster collaboration and shared decision-making among teachers, SNAs, therapists, and families. School leaders often advocate for students at local and national levels and work with educational authorities, health services, and community organisations to secure appropriate supports and resources.
The future of leadership in Irish special schools will likely focus on:
Challenges Facing Leaders in Irish Special Schools Leaders in special schools face several challenges: 1. Recruiting and retaining qualified staff can be difficult, particularly in specialised areas such as autism education, behavioural support, and therapy services. 2. Special schools often require specialised equipment, adapted facilities, and additional staffing supports. Managing limited budgets while meeting diverse student needs is a significant challenge. 3. Navigating changing educational policies, inspections, and increasing administrative responsibilities while maintaining a focus on teaching and learning. 4. Continuously adapting approaches to support students with multiple disabilities, mental health challenges, medical issues and communication difficulties.
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Greater inclusion and integration Enhanced use of technology in learning Improved mental health supports Increased emphasis on student voice and participation • Stronger interagency collaboration. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, leaders in special schools must remain adaptable, reflective, and committed to lifelong learning. Leadership in special schools is both challenging and rewarding. Effective leaders play a vital role in creating inclusive environments where students with additional needs can achieve their full potential. Through collaboration, innovation, and compassionate leadership, special school leaders contribute significantly to the wellbeing and development of some of the most vulnerable learners in society. As Ireland continues to strengthen its commitment to inclusive education, the importance of strong and visionary leadership in special schools will remain essential to ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students. You can contact Jerry by email at info@scoiltriest.ie.
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PENCIL SHAVINGS LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
The 10 Commandments for Primary and Special School Principals PAUL O’DONNELL PRINCIPAL OF ST PATRICK’S NS, SLANE, CO. MEATH
an incident, issue, 1 When bombshell, diplomatic spat, or any other definition of a problem arises, realise that the gap between the problem arising and the solution arriving, is your friend. Before seeking advice, do nothing 90% of the time. In the other 10% of cases, do absolutely nothing. Use your judgement as to which category each individual case falls under. path to resolution starts with a 2 The conversation, but only after strictly adhering to point number one. student teacher revealed an 3 Aabsolute truth to me once when she said, ‘I just realised that you run the school, but the school also runs you’. So prophetic for one so young. As a result, spend a lot of time building trust with those who run you (i.e. everyone in the school community) because trust arrives on foot and disappears on horseback.
4 Part of the role of principal requires the detective skills of Sherlock Holmes, apart from in one area: child protection. Good news here. There are two magic words concerning these issues. One is ‘Ring’. The other is ‘TUSLA’.
news. In matters of family 5 Better law, you are not required to be a District, Circuit, or High Court judge. Stay impartial. Don’t handle court orders. Instead, seek a letter from the relevant guardian’s
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solicitor stating the implications of the court order for the school. Using a tennis analogy, it is better to be a spectator than the net on the court. possible, respond to 6 Where contentious emails with a phone call. Ringing might give you a knot in your stomach but avoids things escalating unexpectedly and continuing for weeks or months, on end. If you have two problems at the same time, heed the advice of Mark Twain, who once wrote, ‘If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.’
7 Class (and staff) allocation is a
point of friction in every school. The nearer to the end of the year it is announced, the more friction that is generated because everybody is wound up anyway! Ease it by allocating roles as early in the year as possible. Ours is completed by Easter, come what may. Staff may not all like their allocation but do have certainty to prepare.
9 Contracts
are a legal entitlement and help to let everybody know where they stand. Do not underestimate the value of spending the time to put contracts in place when employing all staff. Please think of your successor falling down a dark hole trying to work out seniority lists, entitlements to contracts of indefinite duration, length of service etc. before considering cutting contract corners.
10 We all work in a role, surrounded
by other people. When even two people are together for long enough, differences of opinion will arise. If any such differences of opinion have been resolved on a Friday afternoon, I have yet to be informed of them. As a result, get out of school at home time each Friday (and most definitely at home time on the last day of every term) before thinking you are the exception to this rule.
not synchronise school emails 8 Do to your personal mobile phone. Remarkable as it may seem, it is possible for the school to survive without you. I can tell from personal experience, if a genuine problem emerges, the relevant person will always find another way to contact you.
Paul may be contacted at the following email address, should you like to get in touch with him in relation to this article donegalpaul@gmail.com
September/October 2026
Reflections from the Chair CATRÍONA O’REILLY IPPN CHAIR 2023-2026 On August 31st, my term as the first elected Chair of IPPN’s Board of Directors came to an end. In reflecting on almost 15 years as part of the organisation’s governance structure at local, national and Board levels, the concept of standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us has been on my mind. Let me begin in an unexpected place – Clontymullen National School, Co. Longford in 1849 and the appointment of Master Edward Rogers. For 36 years, Edward served as a teacher and Teaching Principal in Clontymullen, Lenamore and Tenelick. In the challenging social circumstances of the second half of the 19th Century, he could not possibly have imagined the establishment of a national organisation dedicated to serving, supporting and advocating for primary school leaders and leadership. The generations of school leaders all over Ireland who stood on the shoulders of Edward Rogers and his contemporaries, played an immeasurable role in the development of our country by ensuring that the children in their care had the opportunity to learn, progress and thrive. Fast forward through all the developments in education in the 20th Century and primary school leaders remained deeply committed to their pupils but they desperately needed support. While the role may have been less complex than it is today, school leaders often felt completely isolated, with none of the supports and services that exist today and the feeling that, as a school leader, no one had your back! The visionary decision of a group of school leaders to establish the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) in 2000 was a seminal milestone. For the first time, a connection was made at system level between the importance of school leadership and improved outcomes for children. This formal recognition was profoundly significant. I consider myself extremely fortunate never to have known life as a school leader without the support of IPPN. I will always be particularly grateful to my wonderful colleagues in Waterford who welcomed me to the local network when I was newly appointed, and to the members of our Local Support Group whose friendship, advice and support was unfailing.
I will always be particularly grateful to my wonderful colleagues in Waterford who welcomed me to the local network when I was newly appointed, and to the members of our Local Support Group whose friendship, advice and support was unfailing. The vision of IPPN’s founders in responding to the needs of the time has been upheld by all those who have led the organisation over the past 26 years. IPPN no longer needs to fight for recognition, and it is respected system wide as the ‘go to’ place in relation to school leadership. It has moved through a phase of growth and development to a point where its work is quoted in international reports and it is now also leading international research. The challenge for IPPN in the years ahead is is not merely to respond to immediate needs, but to deliver impactful, sustainable change for the future of school leadership. Since 2015, shortly after I joined the Board of Directors, IPPN has been on a rigorous governance journey. We moved from a review suggesting a need for improvement in governance practice to an independent review that explicitly detailed non-compliance. Today, I am proud to share that IPPN is fully compliant and holds the Charities Institute Triple Lock standard for governance. In November last, I had the pleasure of launching Leading for Impact: Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This strategy clarifies who we are, what we do, how we do it and why we do it, mapping our core pillars and objectives for the next five years. As an organisation that leads leaders, it is important that Pillar 4: Evolving for Impact specifically considers IPPN’s internal structures to ensure we can successfully deliver this strategic vision. A Board of Directors is charged with two primary responsibilities: ensuring the organisation is governed to the highest
standards and ensuring it fulfils its founding mission. The Board’s ambitions are for IPPN’s credibility to be underpinned by robust governance and exemplary employment practices and, more importantly, to place IPPN in the best possible position to serve and support its members by utilising all its resources in the most effective and impactful way. If any organisation is to continue to evolve for impact, there are times when brave and courageous decisions need to be made by the people elected to do so. Sometimes, standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before not only roots us in our founding values, it allows us to see further and farther and to aspire to being more than we are. A recent independent review of our structures made several clear recommendations about how IPPN can do just that. Over the summer months, the Board of Directors has been working through how to effectively implement those recommendations, all in service of our mission of creating an environment in which school leadership can flourish. The process will require structural change, which is rarely comfortable or straightforward. When the Board has completed its work, it will be shared with the National Council, in the first instance, and then with the wider membership. It has been an absolute privilege to serve IPPN, especially over the past three years. I have learned from everyone I have met on the journey, and I truly cherish the collaboration, hard work and good fun that has been shared. I wish the new Chairperson, Diarmaid Moore, Principal of Milford NS, every success as he leads IPPN’s Board and staff through the next steps on the journey. IPPN could not be in more capable or committed hands. Master Edward Rogers never knew that his great-great granddaughter would one day mention his name in a magazine for school leaders. I hope he would be proud of his legacy and of IPPN – the professional network empowering school leadership that helps every child to thrive. catriona.oreilly@ippn.ie 9
LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
Nurturing Pedagogies and Caring Connections: Whole-School Approaches to Transform Children’s Wellbeing DR GRAINNE McKENNA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE DCU INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION
Children thrive and flourish, both academically and socially, when they experience connection, support and acceptance. In Ireland, longitudinal studies such as Growing up in Ireland (GUI) and Children’s School Lives (CSL) suggest that a child’s relationships with their teacher, and their sense of belonging at school, are critical factors influencing their wellbeing and academic success. There is a growing body of research which shows that positive school climate and whole-school cultures of care are much more influential on children’s wellbeing than standalone programmes and individualised interventions. Across Ireland, many schools are prioritising approaches to enhance children’s wellbeing. This has included a curriculum focus on ‘Wellbeing’, as well as a growing interest in trauma-informed approaches, nurture groups, and resilience training programmes. In 2024-2025, I worked with five urban DEIS schools in the Dublin region who were interested and committed to whole-school approaches to nurturance and care. All five schools had been working with a national children’s charity to establish Nurture Groups and the schools had found that nurturing environments and warm, connected teacher-child interactions has resulted in better attendance, greater engagement and significant improvements in children’s behaviour and self-regulation for children attending the nurture groups. Having seen the benefits for both children and teachers, they were interested in exploring how the Nurture Principles (Bennathan & Boxall, 2000) and ethics of care could be extended and embedded in mainstream classrooms. Resulting from this interest and commitment, I worked with the schools to develop a programme of continuous professional development that would support the application of nurturing pedagogies and ethics of care to mainstream classrooms. The study took 10
Teachers provided examples from their own experience and practice and interrogated findings from national and international studies that demonstrates that strong relationships with parents, peers and teachers are associated with enhanced child and adolescent wellbeing. place over 12-weeks in Spring 2024 with 19 teachers from five schools. The teachers took part in two days of intensive workshops, with a follow-up school visit in April 2024. The programme focused on the power of teacher-child relationships, asking teachers to reflect on the significant influence of warm, connected and caring relationships on children’s school experiences. Teachers provided examples from their own experience and practice and interrogated findings from national and international studies that demonstrates that strong relationships with parents, peers and teachers are associated with enhanced child and adolescent wellbeing. The teachers explored how Nurture Principles could be applied to children in mainstream classrooms, and what this might look like in practice. The programme also introduced teachers to ‘Banking Time’, a child-led play intervention designed to build relational capital developed by the University of Virginia. Evaluation of the CPD programme showed statistically significant, sustained improvements in teacher self-efficacy, student-teacher relational quality, and teacher-rated child behaviour that were
maintained three-months post-programme. Teachers described how a focus on care and connection resulted in higher quality engagement and participation, positively influencing children’s learning and relationships with school staff and peers. The programme’s success was heavily dependent on supportive school leadership that prioritised wellbeing. Principals played a critical role by communicating a clear vision that positioned nurturance and care as essential prerequisites for school life and learning. Teachers also highlighted significant constraints, including insufficient funding, staff shortages, and a lack of focus on child wellbeing and relational pedagogies as part of initial teacher training. Despite these barriers, participants reported that the programme affirmed their existing practices and encouraged greater attentiveness and attunement to pupil wellbeing. This resulted in a cultural and pedagogical shift from behaviour management to emotional support, contributing to a strengthened whole-school ethos of care. Dr Grainne McKenna is Head of the School of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education at D ublin City University’s Institute of Education. A former primary teacher with a Doctorate in Educational Psychology (UCL), Grainne is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education contributing to undergraduate and postgraduate education programmes at DCU. Grainne’s current research examines nurturing pedagogies and relational quality in teacherchild interactions, particularly for children affected by poverty and social exclusion. The research cited in the article was conducted as part of a CPD Doctorate in Educational Psychology at University College London.
If you would like to contact Grainne in relation to this article, you can email her at grainne.mckenna@dcu.ie.
September/October 2026
HOT SCHOOL MEALS Demand, Delivery, Delight, Done! KATHRYN CORBETT PRINCIPAL OF BISHOP GALVIN NS, TEMPLEOGUE, DUBLIN 6 Some initiatives arrive quietly. Others land with the weight of a delivery truck – literally. The Hot School Meals Programme has certainly been the latter. What began in 2019 as a small pilot of just 30 schools is now a national programme with 2,850 schools providing hot lunches to 475,000+ pupils. The ambition behind the initiative is both simple and significant: ensuring children have access to a nutritious daily meal in school, while supporting attendance, wellbeing, and educational outcomes. For school leaders, the operational reality has been more complex than the policy headlines might suggest. Our first year introducing hot school lunches in Bishop Galvin NS has brought equal measures of paperwork, problemsolving, community conversation and, ultimately, genuine pupil delight. Why We Said Yes As a large urban senior primary school with almost 500 pupils and 40 staff members, we saw an opportunity to support families in practical ways whilst also encouraging healthier conversations around food, nutrition, and wellbeing. Packed lunches had long been the norm, although on Fridays our local shop did a brisk trade in what we might call junk food. The hot lunches initiative made offering healthier routines possible whilst easing some of the daily pressure on families. Still, agreeing with the principle of a programme and implementing it successfully are two very different things. Demands: Space & Time Every classroom, corridor and storage area already serves multiple purposes. Every patch of outdoor space is timetabled for PE, breaks or activities. Adding in the daily delivery and distribution of hundreds of hot meals felt almost impossible. The greatest pressure landed squarely on school leadership. The procurement process alone required significant time and energy. Webinars, evolving guidelines, supplier presentations, draft procedures and compliance paperwork arrived during one of the busiest periods in the school calendar. It often felt like managing a significant logistics operation. Then we had some legitimate concerns: Where would food be stored or heated?
• How would waste be managed? • Would teaching time be lost? • How would children with sensory sensitivities cope? • What impact would negative media coverage have on pupil and parent perceptions? For many, the challenge was capacity. School leaders already navigate curriculum reform, staffing shortages, child protection procedures, and endless administration. Adding another significant responsibility understandably caused frustration for many. Delivery: Context matters After considerable research, we selected a provider and delivery model that best suited our context. Rather than installing ovens onsite, we opted for a ‘hot drop’ system. Meals are heated at a local hub, delivered directly to the school while pupils are on playground break and distributed to classrooms before children return indoors. This made an enormous difference – teaching disruption was minimal, routines remained consistent and pupils returned from the playground ready to eat. Parents ordered meals through an app, choosing from an extensive menu with up to 12 options per day. Importantly, we encouraged families to actively discuss menu choices with their children: • choosing meals for busier after-school days • adapting choices based on pupil preferences • and changing lunch options regularly to reduce waste. Something much bigger than simply ‘school lunches’ emerged. Conversations were sparked. Children enthusiastically discussed food preferences, ingredients, nutrition and healthy choices. Pupils were far more willing to try unfamiliar foods when classmates recommended them. We were also reminded that eating in school is not a neutral experience for every child. For some pupils, particularly those with sensory sensitivities, the smells, sounds and routines of communal eating created anxiety. Older children, more conscious of body image or developing complicated relationships with food, sometimes found classroom eating uncomfortable. These experiences reinforced an important leadership lesson: even the most well-
intentioned initiatives require sensitivity, flexibility and ongoing listening. Delight Despite early scepticism and operational headaches, the overwhelming response from pupils was excitement. The arrival of hot lunches each day created a sense of occasion. Children genuinely looked forward to lunchtime. Classrooms buzzed with conversation. Within weeks, routines settled. Staff feedback was positive. The distribution process became efficient. Parents commented on how helpful the programme had become at home. Over 80% of pupils continued ordering meals at least three times per week even after the initial novelty wore off. Perhaps most importantly, every child in the school now had access to a hot lunch each day. That matters. Done… For Now! Research consistently highlights concerns around principal workload and sustainability, yet the arrival of new initiatives doesn’t abate. I have learned that one of the most important leadership skills is identifying what is urgent — and what is important. With this initiative, taking time proved invaluable. We delayed implementation until we better understood the operational demands. We sought advice from other schools, communicated with staff and parents and we adapted decisions to our own school context rather than bowing to external pressure. There is no perfect blueprint but there are some lessons worth sharing: • Clear communication matters • Administrative support is essential • Good procedures reduce stress for everyone • Pupil voice should shape implementation • Meaningful change takes time. I can honestly say the investment of time and energy was worthwhile. For this initiative at least, it’s done...
If you’d like to contact Kathryn about her article, you can email her at principal@bishopgalvin.ie. 11
LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
Supporting SENCO EMMA O’KEEFFE
Wellbeing in Irish Primary Schools
TEACHING FELLOW IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AT MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE
Inclusive education has expanded significantly over the past three decades, increasing the identification and support of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN). As a result, the role of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) has become increasingly important. SENCOs help ensure that pupils with SEN can access the curriculum, participate fully in school life, and receive appropriate supports. However, unlike many other countries, Ireland does not formally recognise the SENCO role within national policy. This lack of recognition has important implications for both the effectiveness and wellbeing of those undertaking the role within mainstream primary schools. A national study involving 320 SENCOs in Irish primary schools explored factors affecting their wellbeing. Participants included principals, deputy principals and Special Education Teachers (SETs) who carried SENCO responsibilities alongside other duties. Notably, no participant reported working as a full-time SENCO, highlighting the extent to which the role is often combined with teaching and leadership responsibilities. The research identified several factors that negatively impact SENCO wellbeing. The most prominent issue was a lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities. Because schools interpret the SENCO role differently, duties vary considerably from one setting to another. Many respondents reported frustration arising from unclear expectations and the absence of formal guidance. Excessive workload was another major concern. SENCOs described spending significant amounts of time on administration, paperwork, policy implementation and
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SENCOs are central to successful inclusive education. Supporting their wellbeing through clarity, collaboration, recognition and shared responsibility is essential for sustaining effective inclusive practice and achieving positive outcomes for all learners. coordination tasks. These responsibilities often reduced the time available for direct work with pupils, collaboration with colleagues and engagement with families. Many participants associated these demands with increased stress, poor work-life balance and burnout. The study also highlighted concerns about leadership and influence. While some SENCOs held formal leadership positions, the majority did not. Participants suggested that a lack of recognised leadership status could limit their ability to influence whole-school inclusive practices and drive meaningful change. Despite these challenges, the findings identified several factors that positively support SENCO wellbeing. Positive relationships were consistently highlighted as essential. SENCOs valued strong connections with colleagues, pupils, parents, school leaders and the wider school community. Trust, mutual respect and supportive interactions contributed to greater job satisfaction and wellbeing.
Collaboration emerged as another key protective factor. Working closely with colleagues to share expertise, resources and responsibilities helped reduce feelings of isolation and distribute workload more effectively. SENCOs particularly valued established special education teams, which provided practical support and opportunities for shared problem-solving. For schools, the findings reinforce the importance of viewing wellbeing as a whole-school responsibility. School leaders can support SENCOs by clearly defining responsibilities, allocating protected coordination time, promoting collaboration and recognising the strategic importance of inclusion. Developing supportive school cultures where responsibility for SEN is shared across staff can also reduce pressure on individual coordinators. The key message is clear: SENCOs are central to successful inclusive education. Supporting their wellbeing through clarity, collaboration, recognition and shared responsibility is essential for sustaining effective inclusive practice and achieving positive outcomes for all learners. Investment in professional networks, peer support and wellbeing initiatives can strengthen resilience and enhance practice across schools nationally.
If you would like to contact Emma about this article, you can reach her by email at Emma.OKeeffe@mic.ul.ie or on LinkedIn.
September/October 2026
Standing in my Dignity:
A Hallmark of Effective Leadership DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM
I was created with worth that cannot be taken away. My value is not decided by how others treat me. I am steady, grounded and whole – even when storms rise around me. I can meet anger with calm and disrespect with quiet clarity. I do not tend to fight for my dignity – I only need to remember it. My calm brain can steady a storming one. My peace is my strength. I speak truth kindly, I set boundaries firmly and I choose to walk in respect – for myself and for others. I am worthy of kindness, fairness and peace.
Standing in one’s dignity means remaining calm, respectful and purposeful, even when others are angry or confrontational. It requires emotional self-regulation, the confidence to maintain professional boundaries and the courage to avoid being drawn into personal conflict. Rather than reacting defensively, effective School Leaders listen carefully, acknowledge concerns and guide conversations towards understanding and resolution. This approach aligns closely with LAOS 2022, which promotes respectful relationships, trust, collaboration and a culture of wellbeing. Effective leaders create psychologically safe environments where concerns can be expressed openly while modelling fairness, empathy and integrity in every interaction. Standing in dignity also reflects the principles of the Dignity, Respect at Work (DRaW) policy. Every member of the school community has the right to be treated with respect, and to work in an environment free from bullying, harassment and intimidation. While School Leaders must address concerns fairly, they also have a responsibility to ensure communication remains respectful. Calmly challenging
unacceptable behaviour and, where necessary, pausing a meeting until respectful dialogue can resume protects both individuals and the integrity of the process. Restorative practice provides a valuable framework by prioritising relationships, listening deeply and encouraging shared responsibility. Difficult conversations can become opportunities to rebuild trust rather than deepen division. Standing in dignity is neither passive nor authoritarian. It is leadership rooted in self-
awareness, professional confidence, and moral purpose. By choosing dignity over defensiveness, School Leaders protect their own wellbeing, model respectful conflict resolution for pupils and staff, and strengthen the positive culture on which every successful school depends.
If you would like to get in touch with Donal in relation to this piece, you can contact him at Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie
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School Leaders are custodians of school culture, and how they respond to conflict shapes the school climate. When faced with aggression from parents or staff, a principal’s ability to stand in their dignity is the most important leadership quality they can demonstrate.
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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
A Decade of Developing School Leaders: Reflecting on the PDSL Journey
PROFESSOR PATRICIA MANNIX McNAMARA, DR NIAMH HICKEY AND DR NICOLAAS BLOM UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
Ten years ago, the Postgraduate Diploma in School Leadership (PDSL)/ Dioplóma Gairmiúil i gCeannaireacht Scoile (DGCS) programme began with a simple ambition: to invest in teachers who wanted to make a difference beyond their own classroom. A decade later, its greatest legacy is not simply completion of the programme, or in having a postgraduate qualification, nor is it the cohort of graduates, per se. The legacy of our work in the PDSL is in the people who have chosen to lead, and in the teachers, students, special needs assistants, parents, ancillary staff, and community, they have influenced. It is also in our unwavering commitment to the belief that leadership is something to which we can all aspire. In 2016, the Centre for School Leadership (now Oide) developed a specification for a new postgraduate programme aimed specifically at aspiring school leaders. Following a competitive tendering process, a consortium led by the University of Limerick, in partnership with University College Dublin and NUI Galway (now University of Galway), was awarded the contract to deliver the programme. In 2017, our innovative programme of professional development for aspiring school leaders took its first intake of students. Two hundred and fifty aspiring school leaders put their faith in the partnership and became the programme’s first graduates. Since then, over 2,000 aspiring leaders have engaged in this programme of professional development, many of whom have gone on to take up leadership positions in primary and post primary schools. The vision for the PDSL was driven by a team of inspirational system leaders in what was then known as the Centre for School Leadership, Dr. Mary Nihill, Dr. Anna Mai Rooney and Máire Ní Bhróithe, who worked closely with the design 14
The PDSL has become central in the landscape of professional development of school leaders in Ireland. The investment of the Department of Education and Youth in funding participants to follow their aspirations into leadership has paid dividends in terms of growing the knowledge base in the field of school leadership in Ireland and in supporting school leaders as they enter into the complex role of leading schools. team to bring their vision for school leadership professional development to life. Later colleagues including Finbarr Hurley (primary) and Donal O’Reilly (post primary) also further supported this leadership development. The programme was unique as it brought together the leading professors in education/school leadership from the three institutions so that students on a single programme could have access to world class expertise, across the three universities. Professor Gerry MacRuairc and Dr. Mary Fleming from the University of Galway, Professor Ciaran Sugrue from University College Dublin, and Professor Patricia Mannix McNamara and Professor Paul Conway from the University of Limerick led the
modules, with the programme being led by Professor Patricia Mannix McNamara. The PDSL has become central in the landscape of professional development of school leaders in Ireland. The investment of the Department of Education and Youth in funding participants to follow their aspirations into leadership has paid dividends in terms of growing the knowledge base in the field of school leadership in Ireland and in supporting school leaders as they enter into the complex role of leading schools. We believe that our distinctiveness in the PDSL lies in our approach that it is not simply an academic qualification. It was designed as an 18-month, parttime programme, combining academic learning with practical leadership development. The original model incorporated flipped classroom pedagogy, blended learning and regional delivery, making postgraduate leadership education more accessible to teachers across the country. We also maintain deep commitment to cross sectoral engagement with primary and post primary teachers, studying and networking together throughout the programme. Our curriculum includes areas such as professional growth and development; leading learning and teaching; leading school development; mentoring and coaching; managing the organisation; developing leadership capacity; schoolbased and situational learning. This combination of content; both practical and theoretical is important because it positions leadership as something to be studied, practised, questioned and developed, rather than simply acquired through experience alone. Blending experience with theory is core to the programme success. We believe that the programme creates space for participants to step away
September/October 2026
from the immediacy of everyday school life and examine their own and others’ leadership more deliberately. Participants have opportunities to consider their experiences, engage with research, discuss leadership challenges with colleagues and tutors; and revisit assumptions about their own practice. They consistently identify this opportunity for reflection and professional dialogue as one of the most valuable aspects of the programme. Learning alongside peers is central to this process. Participants bring considerable professional experience into the PDSL and become resources for one another as they share perspectives from different schools and contexts. These interactions can also help participants build professional networks that extend beyond their own schools. Our ambition for the PDSL has been far greater than the qualification. It has been about creating space for aspiring leaders to pause, reflect, unpack their assumptions, and begin to engage with the potential of their leadership. It has been about connecting research and theory with the realities of schools. It has also been about developing not only knowledge and skills, but confidence, self-awareness, judgement
Our ambition for the PDSL has been far greater than the qualification. It has been about creating space for aspiring leaders to pause, reflect, unpack their assumptions, and begin to engage with the potential of their leadership. and the capacity to influence others. In doing so it is also about supporting schools to have access to the highest quality leadership. Almost ten years later, the PDSL has become part of the leadership landscape of Irish education. As a programme team we have been blessed to be supported by amazing networks such as the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), and Oide. If the first ten years of PDSL have taught us anything, it is that
leadership development is never really about preparing people for a position. While being prepared is important, it is not only about the position but about preparing people to make a difference. The challenge for the next decade is to keep creating the conditions in which more teachers can discover their leadership capacity and to be given the space and confidence to lead. We very much look forward to new iterations of our programme and to working with our colleagues Donncha Ó Treasaigh (Director of Leadership) and Eleanor Corrie (Leadership Co-ordinator) in Oide to continue to flexibly respond to the changing nature of leadership challenges. We do this because we are deeply aware that the real measure of leadership development is not what happens on a programme, but what becomes possible because of it. We are very excited to see what the next ten years will bring!
To find out more about the PDSL please visit the PDSL website and to hear Professor Mannix McNamara discuss the origins, vision for, and impact of the programme, please listen to Episode 5 of Leading with Impact with IPPN: Leaders Deserve to Thrive and Grow.
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September/October 2026
IPPN Director of Member Supports & Services Alan Sheehan ‘I am delighted to be appointed to this new role in IPPN and am looking forward to engaging with school leaders to continue to develop innovative and practical IPPN supports and services. Alan has recently been appointed as IPPN Director of Member Supports and Services. ‘I am delighted to be appointed to this new role in IPPN and am looking forward to engaging with school leaders to continue to develop innovative and practical IPPN supports and services. IPPN has been an essential support in my school leadership, and I hope to build on the current supports and services while ensuring that the needs of our members are identified and met.’ Alan was the founding principal of Douglas Rochestown Educate Together NS (DRETNS) in Cork. The school has grown from 20 children and 2 teachers to over 500 pupils and 58 staff since it opened in 2013. The school’s journey has led from prefabs over three different sites, including a split campus arrangement, to its eventual permanent home in a purpose built 24-classroom building with 3 autism classes. Alan was seconded to the Leadership Division of Oide from January 2025 to June 2026 where he was a member of the design teams for the Forbairt programme and for the professional learning day for Leading Curriculum Enactment. He has facilitated professional learning for school leaders on the Misneach, Tánaiste, Forbairt and
Comhar programmes as well as bespoke school support visits. Alan has an MEd in the area of curriculum, a PGD in SEN and a PhD in assessment. He is currently completing a PGD in Coaching in Education. DRETNS participated in the schools’ forum during the development of the Primary Curriculum Framework and Alan is a member of the NCCA Technical Working Group on the updated publication Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidance for Primary and Special Schools. Alan served as a member of IPPN National Council for Cork City on the Advocacy and Communications Committee, as well as being a member of the Cork IPPN Committee. He received facilitation training from IPPN and set up a local support group for newly appointed principals. ‘It is my opinion that the strength of IPPN as an organisation is in the collaboration of its members. We have so much to learn from and teach one another. The continued success of IPPN is very much based on each member’s ability to offer and give support with generosity as well as to seek and accept help with gratitude.’
Alan.Sheehan@ippn.ie
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LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
IPPN Survey of Special School Leaders BRIAN O’DOHERTY IPPN DEPUTY CEO
In early May of this year, IPPN conducted a survey of school leaders in special schools to ensure that IPPN has upto-date information on the challenges and needs across the sector. The responses received have provided us with rich, relevant, and up-to-date evidence regarding the issues that are compromising provision for children, and the sustainability of leadership practice in special schools. The following is an overview of the quantitative data that 123 school leaders, out of a cohort of 150 special schools, shared with us. STAFF NUMBERS Please indicate the total number of staff members (teachers, SNAs, bus escorts, ancillary staff, etc.) employed by the school. Answer Choices 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 More than 100
Responses 02.46% 09.02% 09.84% 04.92% 13.11% 15.57% 09.02% 10.66% 07.38% 10.66% 07.38%
Special schools have an average of 59 members of staff including teachers, SNAs, bus escorts ancillary staff, etc. Teachers constitute 20.48% of the total number of staff members being led and managed in special schools The allowances for principals and deputy principals are calculated on the basis of the number of teaching posts allocated to school These allowances do not take account of 79.52% of the total number of staff members who are being led and managed by school leaders in special schools.
Allocations A small majority of respondents (52.50%) indicated the school’s allocation of teaching posts is either somewhat sufficient or sufficient to meet the educational needs of students 77.31% of respondents indicated that the baseline allocation of SERC SNA posts is either somewhat insufficient or insufficient to meet the needs of students 57.03% of respondents indicate that the above SERC allocation of SNA posts is either somewhat insufficient or insufficient to meet the needs of students The combination of these two statistics highlights a fundamental lack of staffing capacity within special schools to ensure the needs of students are met The lack of sufficiency of weekly post-primary co-operation hours and weekly part-time subject specialist post-primary hours suggests that the capacity to meet the educational needs of students pursuing post-primary programmes is compromised. ALLOCATION AND IMPACT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL POSTS To what extent has the introduction of administrative deputy principals in special schools improved the sustainability of your leadership role? 70
66.67
60
50
47.37
40
30
25
20 9.09
10 3.03 0
A great A moderate deal amount Principals
18
21.21 22.37
A little
5.26
Not at all
Deputy Principals
In 2024, a majority of, but not all, special schools were sanctioned Administrative Deputy Principals 92% of the respondents to the survey worked in schools where the Deputy Principal had administrative status 47.37% of principals reported that the introduction of administrative deputy principals in special schools improved the sustainability of their leadership role a great deal 66.67% of deputy principals reported that the introduction of administrative deputy principals in special schools improved the sustainability of their leadership role a great deal. ROLE DEMANDS Respondents to the survey were asked to rank the following areas of focus in terms of the demands they made of their leadership time. The following is the rank order that emerged. Area of Focus
Ranking
Staff management & HR issues
17.67
Dealing with behaviours of concern
16.76
Liaising with external agencies
14.11
Issues relating to buildings and maintenance
12.79
Liaising with/supporting parents
11.60
General administrative work/ compliance filing
11.14
Provision of training for staff
10.89
School self-evaluation and school development
10.55
Leading teaching and learning
10.41
Dealing with issues relating to school finances
10.24
Pastoral care for students, parents and staff
08.75
Health & safety audits/risk assessment
08.02
Applying for additional resources, supports, equipment, specialist furniture, etc
08.02
September/October 2026
Co-ordinating with clinical/nursing teams
07.93
Recruitment of staff
06.70
Work on behalf of the Board of Management (preparation for meeting /reportage)
06.46
Attending care plan meetings, reviews, etc.
06.33
Managing procurement processes
06.19
Attending case conferences/ MDT meetings
05.46
There was significant alignment between the issues demanding the time of principals and deputy principals Dealing with issues related to school finances and recruitment were more demanding of principals’ time than that of deputy principals. SUSTAINABILITY OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ROLES We asked respondents to the survey to rate the current sustainability of their leadership role (1 being totally unsustainable to 10 where you are flourishing in the role). For the purposes of this survey, we stipulated that the conducive conditions for leaders to flourish require that there is clarity on what the focus of the work of school leaders should be sufficient leadership time is allocated to enable school leaders do that work the necessary structures are in place and sufficient resources are allocated to support the practice of leadership meaningful capacity exists for leadership to be shared the practice of leadership does not have a negative impact on the health & wellbeing of school leaders. In that context, the sustainability ratings reported in the survey were as follows Sustainability rating (out of 10) Principals
2.60
Deputy Principals
4.73
Combined
3.23
It should be noted that the sustainability rating of 2.60 reported by principals of special schools is the lowest rating to date of any cohort of school leaders IPPN has surveyed
75.59% of principals and 77.77% of deputy principals agreed that the appointment of an Administrative Executive to the school, who would have responsibility for all non-educational administration, would have a positive impact on the sustainability of their leadership roles and their effectiveness as leaders. RESPONDING TO BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN 75.83% of respondents to the survey reported that a staff member had to physically restrain a child (as a matter of last resort, for the shortest time possible and with the least amount of force necessary) in responding to a crisis situation, in the last 12 months The equivalent percentage in mainstream schools was 60.58% In special schools, the percentage of staff members who had responded to the crisis situation and who had received training was 77.32% The equivalent percentage in mainstream schools was 35.63% While there is a higher prevalence of the use of restraint when responding to a behaviour of concern/crisis situation in a special school, there is a significantly higher likelihood that the staff member who had responded to the crisis situation and had received training 88.43% of respondents to the survey reported that a staff member had been injured in the last 12 months when responding to a behaviour of concern/crisis situation The equivalent percentage in mainstream schools was 56.28% 49.07% of respondents to the survey reported that a staff member being injured when responding to a behaviour of concern/crisis situation was a daily or weekly occurrence.
needs that need placement in specialist settings 88.53% agreed that special schools are neither primary or postprimary schools and should have a designation of their own 06.56% agreed that the enhanced capitation grants for students in special schools are sufficient to ensure the adequate funding of the operation of the school 13.12% agreed that school staff have access to the requisite training, supports and resources, to equip them to work effectively in a special school setting 10.66% agreed that school staff have access to the requisite training, supports and resources, to equip them to respond effectively to behaviours of concern 90.98% agreed that the proposed changes to the Assessment of Need process, and the removal of the need for a diagnosis/professional report, will have a significant negative impact on the specialist provision of support and the appropriate placement of students in their schools 95.90% agreed that a Home School Community Liaison teacher would enhance provision for students in their schools 26.23% agreed that the school building and accommodation are suitable for the complexity of need and the health and safety of the students and staff in their schools 85.24% agreed that the provision of school-based therapeutic supports will enhance the education experience of students in our school. We deeply appreciate the commitment and engagement of all of those school leaders who took the time to respond to the survey.
STATEMENTS ABOUT SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION In response to a set of statements regarding Special Education and Special School provision 86.56% agreed that equal access to quality, inclusive education for all children must be a system priority 92.62% agreed that the extent to which schools can meet the additional needs of children is limited by the funds allocated for special education in the DEY’s annual budget 18.86% agreed that the budgetary allocation is based on accurate, up-to-date data in relation to the numbers of students with additional
brian.odoherty@ippn.ie
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September/October 2026
What do we do with the Corridor Kids? EMMA STOKES PRINCIPAL OF PHOENIX PARK SPECIALIST SCHOOL, DUBLIN 8 You might be asking yourself, what is a Corridor Kid? I can assure you, these children exist in every school across the country. They are often found seeking refuge with the SET teacher or being sent on jobs around the school. They may regularly receive sanctions at yard time, yet despite these ‘deterrents’, their ‘behaviour’ does not improve. These children may or may not have an identified or diagnosed need, but their presentation often tells us everything we need to know about the state of their nervous system. So, how do we support Corridor Kids? I would urge schools to view these children through the lens of nervous system dysregulation rather than deliberate defiance. If a child felt safe, secure, connected and regulated, they would not be presenting in this way. No matter how attuned or well-intentioned we are as educators, it can be easy to slip into a mindset of consequences and punishment: ‘They have to learn.’ Yet the child is suspended, misses the school tour, receives another detention, and still the behaviour continues. We have to ask ourselves: is that approach working? Traditional punitive approaches assume that the child or young person is making a rational choice, that their thinking brain is fully engaged, and that they can weigh up consequences. Most children can follow school routines and expectations. When something goes wrong and a sanction is applied, they can tolerate the stress, reflect on what happened and move forward with little lasting impact. But what about the ‘repeat offenders’? We must consider the factors that may contribute to dysregulation and distress, including: Chronic stress Inconsistent or unstable environments Attachment difficulties
I would urge schools to view these children through the lens of nervous system dysregulation rather than deliberate defiance. If a child felt safe, secure, connected and regulated, they would not be presenting in this way. Sensory differences Early developmental trauma Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Social exclusion and marginalisation. So, what can we do instead? 1. Build Community and Strengthen Belonging A strong sense of belonging significantly improves outcomes for children and families. Schools can play a vital role by offering support and guidance, helping families access community services, discussing pathways for support, and creating meaningful opportunities for connection and inclusion. Children who feel that they belong are more likely to engage, attend and thrive. 2. Develop Proactive, Child-Centred Support Plans School staff can work collaboratively to develop proactive strategies tailored to a child’s individual needs. Support must begin before a child reaches crisis point. The NCSE Relate document provides practical tools to guide this work. This is not about ‘giving children what they want.’ It is about responding proactively to a distressed nervous system and getting curious about what is really going on beneath the behaviour. Importantly, we do not need expensive or lengthy restorative practice programmes to begin making a difference. Children need adults
who can facilitate short, empathic and curious conversations, conversations that help them reflect on their actions, understand the impact of their behaviour, repair relationships, and learn alternative ways of responding in the future. 3. Create Reflective and Supportive Staff Cultures Schools also need environments where staff reflection is prioritised. We must be willing to examine how our own behaviour, communication styles, and emotional responses influence the children we work with. Supporting children effectively also means supporting the adults who care for them. The Corridor Kids in our schools do not need more exclusion. They need adults who can see beyond the behaviour and recognise the distress beneath it. When we shift our focus from asking, ‘What’s wrong with this child?’ to ‘What has happened to this child?’, we create the conditions where meaningful change becomes possible. I promise, it will make school life more enjoyable, effective, and sustainable for everyone. If you would like to get in touch with Emma in relation to this piece, you can send an email to thephoenixparkschool@gmail.com.
Traditional punitive approaches assume that the child or young person is making a rational choice, that their thinking brain is fully engaged, and that they can weigh up consequences.
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September/October 2026
Why Aitheantas Matters for School Leaders FÍONA McARDLE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN EDUCATION AT HIBERNIA COLLEGE, ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE AITHEANTAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
When I began teaching, conversations about ethos, inclusion and belonging were often viewed as separate from curriculum and teaching. Today, we know they are inseparable. This is particularly true in Community National Schools and Educate Together schools, where Ethical, MultiBelief and Values Education (EMBVE) sits at the heart of school life and ethos. Through programmes such as Goodness Me, Goodness You! (GMGY) and Learn Together, schools support children to explore beliefs, values, ethics and worldviews in ways that foster respect, inclusion and belonging. As a former teaching principal, teacher educator and member of the Aitheantas Advisory Committee, I believe the launch of the Aitheantas Framework is an important step forward for school leaders in these settings. Throughout my career, I have seen the commitment of teachers and school leaders to Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education (EMBVE). I have also seen the challenges. While teachers received preparation across many curriculum areas, there was no nationally recognised pathway to support them in developing the knowledge and confidence needed to teach EMBVE, and the patron programmes that underpin multi-denominational and equality-based education. For principals in Community National Schools and Educate Together schools, this often meant providing additional support to teachers as they developed their understanding of these programmes in practice. While this support remains an important part of professional growth, it highlighted a gap in initial teacher education (ITE) that many of us have recognised for some time. Aitheantas addresses that gap. Developed through collaboration among Educate Together, Education and Training Boards Ireland, and all five primary ITE providers, the framework creates a recognised pathway for student teachers to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to teach Ethical, MultiBelief, and Values Education effectively. What excites me most about Aitheantas is not simply the framework itself, but what it represents. It signals a growing recognition
Aitheantas Advisory Group Front row: Megan Whyte (ETBI), Dr Emer Nowlan (CEO, Educate Together), Dr Séamus Conboy (ETBI Director of Schools), Dr Aiveen Mullally (Marino Institute of Education), and Dr Anne Marie Kavanagh (DCU). Back row: Vera Shanahan (Educate Together), Fíona McArdle (Hibernia College), Dr Aoife Titley (Maynooth University), and Dr Maurice Harmon (Mary Immaculate College)
that values education, ethical enquiry and worldview literacy are essential aspects of contemporary teaching and learning. These are not additional responsibilities to fit into an already crowded school day. They are central to preparing children to participate thoughtfully and respectfully in an increasingly diverse society. For school leaders, particularly those working in Community National Schools and Educate Together schools, the benefits are practical. Principals can be confident that future teachers entering their schools will have engaged in structured learning experiences that support their understanding of EMBVE. This creates greater consistency, strengthens teacher preparedness and supports schools in living their ethos through everyday practice. The framework is also timely. Irish classrooms continue to evolve, reflecting a wide range of cultures, beliefs and experiences. In this context, schools have an important role in helping children develop empathy, respect, critical thinking and the ability to engage positively with difference. EMBVE provides an important space for that learning. From an educational perspective, the framework is significant because it recognises that Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education requires both pedagogical knowledge and professional confidence. The collaborative approach taken in developing
Aitheantas is particularly noteworthy. Bringing together patrons, teacher educators, and practitioners has resulted in a framework that is both academically rigorous and grounded in the realities of school life. The willingness of all partners to engage in sustained dialogue and shared learning throughout the process is something for which we can be genuinely grateful. Perhaps what I value most about Aitheantas is that it places recognition at its heart: recognition of children’s identities, recognition of the importance of ethical and values-based learning, and recognition of the expertise required to teach these areas well. As school leaders continue to navigate an increasingly complex educational landscape, Aitheantas offers a strong foundation for the future. While its immediate impact will be felt most directly in Community National Schools and Educate Together schools, the framework also contributes to wider conversations about inclusion, belonging and values education across Irish education. Most importantly, it supports the shared goal that unites us all: ensuring every child experiences an education where they feel they belong and where their voice, identity and experience are valued. Fíona may be reached at FMcArdle@hiberniacollege.net. 23
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September/October 2026
Gréasán Gaeilge na hEarnála Poiblí
MÁIRE BRÍD NÍ GHIONNÁIN BAINISTEOIR TIONSCADAIL Seoladh Gréasán Gaeilge na hEarnála Poiblí i mí Iúil 2024, tionscadal de chuid Rialtas na hÉireann.
Gréasán Gaeilge na hEarnála Poiblí was launched in July 2024 as an initiative of the Government of Ireland.
Is gné lárnach é an gréasán seo in iarrachtaí an rialtais iomlánú a dhéanamh ar na tacaíochtaí a chuirtear ar fáil d’fhoghlaimeoirí agus do chainteoirí Gaeilge trasna na hearnála poiblí sna blianta amach romhainn. Is ar mhaithe le cur le líon na ndaoine atá ag obair san earnáil phoiblí le hinniúlacht sa teanga agus le líon na seirbhísí poiblí a chuirtear ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge dá réir, atá an beart seo á dhéanamh. Is faoin bPlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge 2024-2030, agus an Plean Gníomhaíochta lena mbaineann, atá an obair seo á déanamh.
The network is a key element of the Government’s efforts to strengthen the supports available to Irish language learners and speakers across the public sector in the years ahead. Its aim is to increase both the number of public sector employees with Irish language proficiency and the range of public services delivered through the medium of Irish. This work is being carried out under the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2024–2030 and its accompanying Action Plan.
Is iad cuspóirí an Ghréasáin Ghaeilge ná freastal ar dhaoine atá ag obair san earnáil phoiblí agus atá ag iarraidh: gréasánú le cainteoirí agus foghlaimeoirí eile Gaeilge; freastal ar imeachtaí trí Ghaeilge, go rialta nó go hócáideach; sult a bhaint as na caithimh aimsire agus na gníomhaíochtaí fóillíochta is fearr leo trí Ghaeilge; agus/nó caitheamh aimsire úrnua a thriail trí Ghaeilge.
The objectives of Gréasán Gaeilge are to support people working in the public sector who wish to: network with other Irish speakers and learners; attend Irish language events on a regular or occasional basis; enjoy their favourite hobbies and leisure activities through the medium of Irish; and/or to try new hobbies and activities through Irish.
Tá os cionn 3,500 ball cláraithe leis an ngréasán Gaeilge go dtí seo agus go leor acu tar éis freastal ar imeachtaí ar fud na tíre; i mBaile Átha Cliath, i nGaillimh, i nDún na nGall agus i gCiarraí. I measc na n-imeachtaí a bhí ann go dtí seo, bhí léirithe den scannán Kneecap i mBaile Átha Cliath agus i nGaillimh, tobsheisiún gréasánaíochta i gCiarraí, léiriú dátheangach gearrscannáin i mBaile Átha Cliath, siúlóidí treoraithe, tráth na gceist agus céilí.
To date, the network has grown to more than 3,500 registered members, many of whom have attended events throughout the country, including in Dublin, Galway, Donegal and Kerry. Events organised so far have included screenings of the film Kneecap in Dublin and Galway, a networking workshop in Kerry, a bilingual short film screening in Dublin, guided walks, table quizzes and céilithe.
Cuireann foireann gréasán Gaeilge tacaíocht ar fáil d’Oifigigh na dTeangacha Oifigiúla i gcomhlachtaí poiblí trí cur i láthair a dhéanamh dóibh féin agus/nó don fhoireann i bpearsa nó ar líne. Tá fáilte roimh chomhlachtaí poiblí teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an bhfoireann más mian leo, go ndéanfaidís amhlaidh dóibh. Is féidir clárú leis an ngréasán Gaeilge ag https://www.greasangaeilge. ie/claraigh nó trí úsáid a bhaint as an gcód QR thuas.
The Gréasán Gaeilge team also provides support to Official Languages Officers in public bodies by delivering presentations to staff, either in person or online. Public bodies are encouraged to contact the team if they would like to arrange a presentation. You can register to join Gréasán Gaeilge at https://www. greasangaeilge.ie/claraigh or by scanning the QR code above.
eolas@greasangaeilge.ie
www.greasangaeilge.ie
@greasangaeilge
If you would like to get in touch with Máire Bríd in relation to this article, you can contact her at mairebrid@greasangaeilge.ie or at 087 4413255.
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OnYourBehalf
LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
GERALDINE D’ARCY IPPN ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SUBMISSIONS To the Oireachtas Committee on Inclusive Education: Allocations, Roles and Training Needs of SNAs and SETs To the DEY re. • Wellbeing in Education Policy • National Development Plan • Joint Proposal on the Expansion of the Small Schools’ Project, with INTO, CPSMA, Church of Ireland Board of Education and Gaeloideachas • Guidance in Special Schools. To the NCSE re. its Statement of Strategy. See www.ippn.ie PRESENTATIONS IPPN presented at the following events Oireachtas Committee on Inclusive Education: Allocations, Roles and Training Needs of SNAs and SETs ICP Inclusion webinar Shared Learning Day – Small Schools Project Junior Achievement Ireland – CSR Leaders Network Global Village Leadership Symposium DCU Student Teachers. LEADING FOR IMPACT: THE IPPN PODCAST Listener numbers remain extremely strong with almost 5,500 listeners to date, representing growth of 11% since May. The latest episode is with Róisín Coughlan of Mantra Strategy. This episode explores how strategic planning can provide the focus, clarity, and “protected time” necessary to ensure leaders thrive. It dives into the concept of “mission creep” and why aligning your school’s vision, mission, and values is the ultimate key to sustainable leadership. The next episode will feature a primary school leader and will be live by the time you read this issue! You can access the podcast on all the main streaming services, and on www.ippn.ie under Events & News / IPPN Podcast MEETINGS HOSTED/ATTENDED INTO re. SEN provision DEY Customer Service Focus Group NDP Implementation Plan for the Education and Youth sector 2016-2030 IPPN Board of Directors and National Council Primary Education Forum Launch of Project All Rise Chapter 2 DEY AI Taskforce on Teaching, Learning and Formative assessment NCSE & CPSMA Launch of Aitheantas: Framework for Recognition of Certification to Teach Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education DEY stakeholder consultation session on Towards a National Policy on Transitions in Education for Students with Disabilities 26
Inter-departmental (DEY, DFHERIS and DCDE) Student Council Guidance Working Group Primary Education Forum Educate Together AGM Advisory Group for the Review of the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice Mary Immaculate College Wellbeing Conference Alders Unit Development Day on the prevention of child sexual abuse Small Schools Steering Group EU school leaders: consultation workshop on Enhancing Democratic Citizenship Education (EDC), organised as part of an EU project to develop guidance and a competence framework for democratic citizenship in schools Global Village Symposium Donegal Ed Centre. SCHOOL VISITS IPPN President Deirdre Kelly visited schools to discuss leadership and management challenges – Newbridge Educate Together NS, St Patrick’s BNS, Clane and Carns NS, Sligo, Lurgybrack NS, Co Donegal, St Aidan’s NS, Ballintrillick, Co Sligo. Deirdre also met with school leaders participating in the Small Schools Cluster in Donegal. LEADERSHIP SUPPORT GROUPS Leadership Support Groups continue to gain momentum. These groups continue to provide valuable collegial support and professional connection for school leaders.
The following work has been undertaken since the last issue of Leadership+.
368 more members have expressed interest in joining a group. 30 National Council members have provided feedback regarding local group development. BARNARDOS EDUCATION WORKING GROUPS This group has been working on a Reflective Tool Kit for use in schools, to support teachers who work with children experiencing abuse at home. Filming began in July to be ready for rollout in Autumn 2026. MEMBER FEEDBACK & CONCERNS The following were raised by members via email to advocacy@ippn.ie since the last issue of Leadership+. The information provided supports IPPN’s advocacy with key stakeholders. • Home Based Summer Provision • Allocation of SET hours and SET reviews • Summer Programme Administration • Redeployment Panels and delays to recruitment • Management capacity • Primary school survey • FOI requests • Local bargaining • School meals SLA. SOCIAL MEDIA Since the start of January, the LinkedIn IPPN account is up 8%, Expo up 6% and EdPosts up 40%. On Instagram, the IPPN account is up 18%, Expo up 11% and EdPosts up 7%. Follow us on LinkedIn @ ippn and on Instagram @ippn_education and @deirdrekellyippn
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September/October 2026
International Research Collaboration on School Leadership BRIAN O’DOHERTY IPPN DEPUTY CEO
In the last issue of Leadership+, I wrote about IPPN’s co-ordination of a collaborative international research project in participation with school leadership associations from around the world. The research project will lead to the publication of a global status of school leadership report, providing a focused international snapshot of the current leadership environment, including the identification of enablers, blockers, and reform priorities. As previously advised, the aim is to build a shared evidence base, in order to strengthen advocacy for school leadership and to improve conditions for school leaders within and across systems. Significant progress has been made on the project over the summer months, and the number of associations participating continues to grow. While we are awaiting final confirmation from a number of associations and school leadership networks, it seems likely that we will have healthy participation from all global regions. In Europe alone, school leadership associations from Finland, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, will take part. A consultation process has been initiated with regard to the design of the research tool that will be used in the project to ensure that it is aligned with expectations. We are working towards the survey tool being finalised in October with associations having a six-week period, from the latter half of October through to the end of November, to engage with the survey. In endeavouring to identify the conditions for leadership to flourish, the following areas will be explored: System and Policy Environment • Governance, accountability and autonomy • Policy, funding and resourcing • Workforce policy and planning
• Professional voice, policy engagement and institutional influence. Leadership Workforce Capacity and Sustainability • Leadership supply and demand • Recruitment, retention and succession • Workforce sustainability and career attractiveness. Professional Role, Preparation and Leadership Practice • Professional purpose, ethics and commitment • Leadership roles and responsibilities • Professional autonomy and judgement • Leadership preparation, learning and career development. Organisational Environment • Staffing and leadership capacity • School culture and collaboration • Resources, support and organisational conditions. Psychosocial Work Environment • Workload and job demands • Role clarity and influence at work • Recognition, support and work–life interface. Health, Wellbeing and Career Outcomes • Wellbeing and stress • Job satisfaction • Career sustainability • Flourishing. Professional Status, Recognition and Trust • Professional authority and autonomy • Public trust and societal recognition • Professional influence and career status. Having identified the conditions required for leadership to flourish, the second area of focus will be what is required to strengthen the conditions for flourishing school leadership. To that end the research tool will explore:
Government Awareness and Policy Responses • Recognition of leadership challenges • Policy development and implementation • Investment, workforce planning and evaluation. Leadership Association Roles and Capacity • Organisational purpose, strategic orientation and priorities • Professional representation, member services, and researchinformed advocacy • Organisational capacity, policy influence and sustainability. Social Dialogue, Professional Voice and Institutional Influence • Engagement with governments, employers and key stakeholders • Consultation and policy participation • Collective representation and influence. Future Priorities • National policy priorities • Professional and organisational priorities • International learning and collaboration. From IPPN’s perspective participation in the research project will give us • access to a credible international evidence base combining existing and new research • national evidence to support reform • international benchmarking and comparative insights and • enhanced advocacy leverage. As the project progresses, further updates will be provided.
brian.odoherty@ippn.ie
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And Finally… “Nearly all and men can st ut adversity, b if you want an’s to test a m give character, .” him power ABRAHAM
LI N C O LN
‘
QUOTATION
What we learn with pleasure we never forget. AL FR ED ME RC IER
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IPPN PRINCIPALS’ CONFERENCE 2026 Enabling every child to thrive
18–20 November
Gleneagle Hotel & Arena, Killarney SPEAKERS Sarah Colgan Enabling Neurodiversity Shane Martin Moodwatchers Helen Walsh NCSE - Addressing special needs in all our schools Hildegarde Naughton TD Minister for Education Ellen Keane Paralympic athlete Fergus Finlay Broadcaster, Former Barnardos CEO
SEMINARS WED 18 & THU 19 Child Agency and Participation Conflict is Inevitable, Combat is Optional Essential Law for the School Leader in 2026/27 Overwhelmed? Naming It, Owning It, Changing It PrincipalMeet – Practical ideas for your school Supports for Leading Curriculum Enactment Dyslexia Screening Flourishing Leadership What’s working well in a DEIS Plus school Inclusion in Practice From Many Nations, One School Community Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences The Yard Effect Leading for Inclusion - stories of hope, courage and the right to belong
EDUCATION EXPO 112 EXHIBITORS - every type of school supplier
REGISTER NOW & JOIN THE 600+ PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED! Register at www.ippn.ie • More information at events.ippn.ie