The sixth annual conference in Belfast in October 2008 demonstrated the effective role being played by SCoTENS in stimulating discussion among a wide range of participants on one of the most challenging issues facing education systems internationally.
Based on the theme ‘School Leadership, Policy and Practice, North and South’, the conference addressed the importance and impact of leadership in schools from varying perspectives, with reference to the inherent challenges facing both jurisdictions. In her opening comments the Northern Ireland Minister for Education Ms Caitríona Ruane MLA recognised the significance of the conference theme as she underlined the central role that principals and school leaders play in improving the efficiency and equity of schooling.
Date / Time | Event Details | Watch/Listen |
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09/10/2008 3.00pm |
Official Opening by Minister for Education, Ms Caitriona Ruane MLA |
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09/10/2008 3.20pm |
Ms Deborah Nusche, Policy Analyst, OECD Directorate for Education, Education and Training Policy Division, on the 2008 OECD report Improving School Leadership |
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09/10/2008 4.40pm |
School system responses from Dr Tom Hesketh, Director, Regional Training Unit (NI) and Mr Paddy Flood, Director, Leadership Development in Schools (RoI) |
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09/10/2008 5.50pm |
Closing remarks by Mr Will Haire, Permanent Secretary, Department of Education N Ireland |
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09/10/2008 7.00pm |
Reception to launch two SCoTENS reports: |
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10/10/2008 9.00am |
Dr Ciaran Sugrue, University of Cambridge, and Dr Tim London, Queen’s University Belfast – academic responses to the OECD report Improving School Leadership |
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10/10/2008 10.00am |
Dr David Armstrong, Education Division, PricewaterhouseCoopers UK, on the PriceWaterhouseCoopers study on the Attractiveness of Headship: Ireland North and South |
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10/10/2008 11.00am |
A view from the principals: Mrs Catherine Wegwermer, Principal, St Joseph’s Primary School, Crumlin, Co. Antrim and Mr Martin Wallace, Principal, Castletroy College, Limerick |
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10/10/2008 11.30am |
Panel discussion, led by education trade unionists and teacher professional organisation representatives: |