The information in this section is intended for Educate Together school leaders: Principals and Boards of Management. Teachers will find useful resources and information on the Ethical Education curriculum here.
Under the Education Act (1998), each school must have a Board of Management. This Board must undertake to run the school according to the ethos determined by the Patron, in keeping with the Act and any regulations set by the Department of Education and Skills. The fundamental legal concept of Educate Together’s patronage is that the Board of an Educate Together school is bound to operate equality-based schools.
- Learn more about terms like ‘patron’, ‘ethos’ and ‘charter’ in our online FAQ section here
- Further information on the role of school Boards can be found on www.citizensinformation.ie
- The latest Departmental Circulars for Boards are available on www.education.ie
Support and resources for Boards and Principals
As patron, Educate Together offers training and support to Boards of Management, helping schools maintain high levels of leadership and governance. Below you can find out about services offered by the national office to Boards:
- Educate Together provides training to Board members and provides opportunities for them to network and to share solutions to in-school issues. Board members can find more information here
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Educate Together runs a confidential advice and support service to Principals and Boards through the member support team. The team prioritises queries on a case by case basis and will endeavour to answer your query within 5 working days. Member support can be contacted at schoolsupport@educatetogether.ie
- Legislation requires that admissions policies must be approved by Educate Together as patron. Information on Educate Together’s admissions can be found here
- Correspondence in relation to Garda Vetting for non-teaching posts and volunteers in Educate Together schools is channelled through the national office. More information on vetting can be found here
- Educate Together publishes its Education and Support Newsletter once every term. This is an invaluable source of up-to-date information on a range of issues of interest to Principals, teachers and Boards. The latest issues can be accessed here
- As patron, Educate Together gives approval for the appointment of Principals, teachers, SNA’s and approval for admissions policies, permanent recognition and schools generating a new stream. More information can be found here
- Board members and Principals can find advice and practical support on how to achieve improvements in school procurement processes, practices and outcomes here
Volunteering on Boards
As the patron of most Educate Together schools, Educate Together nominates representatives to each Board of Management. Educate Together is always interested in hearing from people interested in this role!
Educate Together’s patronage manual
Responsibility for the day-to-day running and management of a school rests with the Board of Management and Principal. Educate Together has a clear set of policies and procedures relating to the responsibilities of the Board, the Principal and the patron – detailed in the Educate Together Patronage Manual which can be accessed here
Annual General Meetings (AGMs)
Educate Together is a democratic organisation whose policy direction is set by its membership. The organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held in a member school each year. The event is an opportunity for members (Educate Together Boards) to shape the policies of Educate Together for the coming year. Board members can find information on the AGM process here
