Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

614.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will commit to engaging directly with the national principals' forum, and other key stakeholders, to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by school leaders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31161/24]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

615.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional resources, or support services, to assist teaching principals in managing their administrative responsibilities while maintaining their teaching duties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31163/24]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

616.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to interim measures to address the high turnover rates among teaching principals, such as providing temporary relief or additional support staff to ease their workload; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31165/24]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

617.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that initiatives such as the small schools project are effectively meeting the needs of teaching principals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31168/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 614, 615, 616 and 617 together.

The numbers employed in our schools will reach the highest ever level in the current school year. Currently there are over 42,900 teaching posts allocated across the primary school system. This represents an increase of just over 5,000 teachers when compared with the 2019/20 year when I took up office.

In three of the recent budgets, I prioritised reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools, by one point each year, which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. In addition, the threshold whereby a teaching principal becomes administrative principal has been reduced from an enrolment of 176 pupils to 169 pupils.

Prior to 2022, principal release days were allocated on the basis of the number of mainstream teachers in the school. In Budget 2022, I ensured that each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week became a permanent feature in all our schools. Schools with one special class received 4 additional release days, while schools with 2 special classes have admin. principal status.

This was a very significant increase for many schools, with some schools receiving 18 additional days as a consequence of this change. (for example, a one and two teacher school received 19 release days per year prior to this measure and now have 37 release days per year).

Schools may employ a substitute teacher for the day to facilitate the principal’s release day or, alternatively, schools may cluster their release days with other schools to create a full-time fixed term post. The inclusion of principal release days in cluster posts allows for consistency in the teaching cover provided to schools.

As well as general teaching posts improvements, a new leadership framework introduced in 2017 allows for flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of schools. This shared leadership model supports school leaders in the overall management and operation of schools. It provides for the assignment and re-assignment of post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet a school’s evolving needs.

In budget 2024, I provided for an additional 500 posts of responsibility (Assistant Principal II) for the 2024/25 school year and today, 1 in 3 school teachers hold management positions in our primary schools..

While the principal is ultimately responsible to the Board of Management for the management and leadership of the school, the deputy principal occupies a position of vital importance within the senior leadership team in each school. The deputy principal co-operates with the principal in the fulfilment of the principal's role and acts or deputises as the principal in the principal's absence.

In relation to the duties assigned to Assistant Principal posts, the principal following consultation with staff, agree the schedule of duties as best meet the needs of the school. These duties are designed to reduce the workload of the principal.

The small schools project is an example of school communities coming together to explore and trail new ideas for the future including how admin supports can assist teaching principals with their administrative duties. It is acknowledged by my department that implementing policies while teaching can be challenging.

The project has brought small schools together in local clusters, enabling them to collaborate and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions. New ideas are being trialled to determine whether these might help to make the role of a teaching principal and small schools more sustainable The project has shown that small schools collaborating and working together offers promise for the future .

The schools participating across the six clusters in this project have developed good working relationships and have already provided valuable insights and ideas into supports that can be developed and replicated across small schools and I am delighted that the project is continuing for a further two years to allow further time for current ideas to be developed and some new ideas to emerge.

Effective school leadership, and governance, means effective schools. The existing models of leadership and governance of our schools, whilst very effective, also carry challenges for teachers, school principals, as well as boards of management, and the sector as a whole. Recognising these challenges, my department is now putting an increased focus on leadership and governance at school level and across the sector nationally. My officials, in conjunction and consultation with the education partners will examine current policy and practice to see what elements are serving school communities well and what elements we can improve on. Any concerns that the members of the National Principals Forum have, should be raised with their respective representative body.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

618.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on providing the opportunities for immediate professional development or training programs to equip school leaders with the skills and resources that they may need to navigate their roles more effectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31169/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department recognises that school leaders play a key role in improving student learning outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school community. It is generally accepted that the quality of school leadership is second only to effective classroom teaching, in having a crucial impact on student learning.

Oide, the Department-funded teacher education support service, offers extensive professional learning and resources to support the professional learning of Primary and Post Primary Principals, Deputy Principals, Assistant Principals and those aspiring to leadership roles.

The Oide Leadership Division has a specific remit of providing professional learning and support, including resources to school leaders. Oide Leadership provisions for school leaders include Misneach (Induction for Newly appointed Principals), Tánaiste (Induction for Newly appointed Deputy Principals), Forbairt (Development programme for Senior Leadership Teams), Comhar (a blended programme of professional learning for Assistant Principals) and Meitheal (facilitated peer group support for existing primary school principals).

Leadership teams also have access to a wide-range of up to date resources on the Oide websiteoide.ie/leadership/home/ .

Principals can also avail of individual coaching and their school leadership teams may participate in a number of team coaching sessions via Oide Leadership. A big emphasis in team coaching is on the leadership aspect of the individual and of the team. Over 1400 school Principals have availed of coaching to date.

Every newly appointed principal in a primary or post-primary school also has access to a trained Leadership Mentor. A total of 500 experienced principals have been trained as mentors. Each year a number are matched with newly appointed principals. To date 2175 principals have availed of the Mentoring Programme.

The Oide Leadership team also provide a significant level of bespoke in-school support to school leadership teams at both primary and post-primary levels. Support is available for schools towards further engagement with the School Self Evaluation (SSE) process and to assist schools in finding their priority area of focus for SSE. Sustained support involves various forms of deeper transformational models of professional learning aimed at building internal leadership capacity within schools and across communities of learners. This includes support in reviews of leadership and management priorities as well as support in leading change within the school.

The Post Graduate Programme in School Leadership (the PDSL), accredited by University of Limerick University of Galway and University College Dublin and part funded by the Department has attracted 300 aspiring school leaders each year over the past six years and there is independent evidence that it is making a difference in terms of the development of leadership capacity on our schools.

The Leadership Team’s areas of priority are in supporting the learning requirements of newly and established school leaders, supporting leadership in DEIS schools, leading the implementation of the new Primary Curriculum and leading Senior Cycle Redevelopment and the introduction of Tuiscint, a post-appointment, pre-commencement programme for newly appointed primary principals.

My Department also supports the provision of professional learning through both the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD).