Recruitment and Appointment of the Principal Teacher

Head Office receives many queries from members regarding eligibility to be appointed as Principal, the role itself, the recruitment process and allowances.

Eligibility for Appointment to the Post of Principal

On application for the post of Principal Teacher the applicant must meet the eligibility criteria for the setting in which the vacancy arises.

(Service in a recognised post-primary school within the Republic of Ireland or in a primary school or post-primary school outside of Republic of Ireland may be reckoned towards service as above, provided this service was reckonable for incremental credit.)

Recruitment and Appointment Procedures

The recruitment and appointment procedures for the post of principal teacher are contained in Chapter 4 of Circular 44/2019 (PDF).

Some key features of the recruitment and appointment procedures are:

Pre-Interview

• The post must be advertised on at least one of the websites approved by the Management Bodies, and notified to all teaching staff in the school, including those on approved leave.
• Principal’s Posts should not be advertised in July or August, except in exceptional circumstances, and with the prior approval of the Patron;
• The advert should specify the documentation required with the application i.e. application form or curriculum vitae, and any additional documents (e.g evidence of qualifications etc). The closing date shall be not be earlier than 14 days after the first date of publication of the advert.
• Applications may be accepted through the post, via a dedicated email address or through an online recruitment portal. It is important to check the advertisement regarding the method of application.
• The criteria should be sent to the candidates called to interview with the notice of interview, at least 7 days in advance of the interview date.

During the Interview

• The Selection Board is made up of Chairperson of the Board of Management, and at least two assessors independent of the Board, to be appointed by the Patron, after consultation with the Chairperson;
• Schools/ETBs may decide at their discretion to facilitate interviews using digital technology, particularly in the case of qualified applicants resident outside the State, subject to the availability of suitable technological infrastructure and resources.

• The criteria for assessment of the applications are contained in the Chapter. They are:
  • Leading teaching and learning
  • Managing the organisation
  • Leading school development
  • Developing leadership capacity

• All questions at interview shall relate to the requirements of the particular post. Each interviewer is required to complete his or her own marking sheet and give it to the Chairperson of the Selection Board. The individual marks shall be added to make up the final mark for the candidate. A candidate’s own marking sheets should be made available on request, after the recruitment process is complete.

Post Interview

• Following the interview, reference checks should be conducted for the highest ranked candidate. The Chairperson of the Selection Board shall submit a written report to the Board of Management, including the name of the highest ranked candidate. The Board of Management shall offer the post to the highest ranked applicant unless it has good and sufficient reason not to do so and such reason was not known to the Selection Board, in which case the matter shall be referred to the Patron, whose decision in this matter shall be accepted by the Board of Management.
• No offer shall be made to the successful candidate until the prior approval of the Patron has been obtained.

Where a candidate has concerns about a breach of the procedures or discrimination on any of the nine grounds set out in the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015, they should contact INTO Head Office to discuss the matter.

Application Forms

A standard application form for Principals posts has been agreed between the INTO, Primary Management bodies and the DE.

Principalship Application Form (Word)
June 2024

Foirm Iarratais do Phost mar Phríomhoide (Word)
June 2024

Should I apply for the post of Principal?

The answer to this lies with the individual teacher, taking into account their experience, qualifications, and their interest in taking on the challenge of principalship. Taking on a principalship entails significant extra work and responsibility. Therefore, it is a good idea to speak to experienced principals about the challenges and rewards of the post. An allowance is paid for the post depending on the size of the school.

Principal’s Allowance

Size of school by total number of authorised teaching posts inclusive of principals indicated by brackets

Allowances as of 1 June 2024, per circular 43/2024

For further information about moving jobs, here is a link to an article published in InTouch in June 2023, On the Move (PDF)

Updated 26 July 2024