Selection Procedures

a)  The principal teacher, chairperson of the board of management and an independent assessor shall constitute the selection board. (In the event of a second selection board being constituted following an appeal, the selection board shall include a second independent assessor) – Section 18(c)(5) of the Appeals Procedure refers.

b)  The independent assessor shall be appointed by the board of management and shall be selected from a list of names drawn up specifically for this purpose between the school's patron and the INTO. These lists are available from INTO District Representatives and representatives of the patron. (For example, in the case of Catholic schools, the lists are available from the local Diocesan Secretary).

c)  The selection board shall meet within a reasonable period after the closing date for the receipt of applications. The selection board shall consider the applications and shall interview all applicants for the post, even in circumstances where there is only one applicant.

d)  Where appropriate and where there is more than one vacancy arising at the same time for a post of responsibility of the same grade, it is open to the selection board to conduct one interview with an applicant who may have applied simultaneously for a number of the posts of the same grade. In these circumstances, the selection board should make it clear to the candidate which particular duty or set of duties is being considered at any one time. This provision does not apply in the case of appointments to posts of responsibility of different grades, which require separate interviews.

e)  When selecting an applicant for a post of responsibility, the provisions of Sections 15(b) and (c) of the Boards of Management of National Schools: Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedures (current edition) will apply in the event that a relationship exists between an applicant for a post and member of the selection board.

f)  The selection board will have due regard to the provisions of the Employment Equality Act (1998) and the Code of Practice of the Equality Authority.

g)  Records of the interviews including marking sheets shall be kept by the chairperson of the selection board until the appointment process is finalised. Particular attention should be paid to the marking system where multiple interviews are involved. It is a matter for the selection board to develop its own marking system provided that the three criteria listed below are given equal weighting.

h)  The selection of the successful candidate shall be based on three criteria. Each of the criteria is of equal weighting. The criteria are as follows:

  • willingness to participate in the school's middle management structures by undertaking the additional responsibilities specified in the list of duties;
  • experience gained through length of service in the school (see * below); and
  • capability to perform the duties attaching to the post (see ** below).

i)  Where two or more candidates are ranked equally in all three criteria, it is open to a selection board to determine the outcome by reference to the seniority ranking of the teachers in the school.

j)   Having interviewed such applicants as present themselves, the selection board shall submit a written report to the board of management nominating the applicant whom it considers most suitable for appointment to the post.

* Calculation of length of service for the purpose of appointment to post of responsibility:

  • Leave of absence of one school year or longer, taken after 1 September 1999, is not reckonable as service e.g. secondment, career break.
  • All leave of absence taken prior to the 1 September 1999 is reckonable.
  • Maternity leave, leave in lieu of maternity leave, unpaid maternity leave, adoptive leave, unpaid adoptive leave, leave in lieu of adoptive leave, parental leave and certified sick leave do not constitute leave of absence for this purpose.
  • Leave of absence for periods of less than a school year is reckonable and does not affect the year in question being fully counted;
  • Qualified permanent, temporary and substitute service given in the school where the post of responsibility is arising for a minimum of 60 days in any one school year will reckon as a full year. The reckoning of such service is subject to the verification of such service being possible. A maximum of 1 year's credit may be granted in respect of any one school year. Service in any one school year which is less than 60 days will not be reckonable;
  • Job sharing is reckonable on the basis that one school year job-sharing counts as one year's service; and
  • Service given in a school prior to its amalgamation into the existing school is reckonable.

** In assessing criteria, i.e. capability, it is open to a selection board to consider relevant experience gained by a teacher whilst s/he was on leave of absence, including career break or secondment.