Active

Primary

Mon May 11 2026

Mon May 25 2026

Wed Aug 26 2026

Permanent

Mainstream with Special Classes

Vertical

Girls with Infant Boys

Catholic

DEIS Rural

12

149

Yes

Scoil Mhuire gan Smál is a primary school under the patronage of Bishop Denis Nulty, Kildare and Leighlin Diocese. Located in the thriving and growing community of Graignamanagh, the school has been serving the primary education needs of the area since 1908, consistently maintaining the highest standards of education and care.
The current teaching staff comprises the Principal, six mainstream class teachers, two Special Education Teachers, and three Autism Class teachers.
The Board of Management is now inviting applications for the position of Deputy Principal. This permanent position will commence on 26 August 2026, and the appointment will be made through an open competition process.
This is a key leadership role, offering an opportunity to work in partnership with the Principal and leadership teams to support the effective management, development and wellbeing of our school community. It is a core function of the Deputy Principal’s role to act or deputise as the Principal in the Principal’s absence.

Eligibility Criteria for Appointment
1. Applicants must be fully registered with the Teaching Council (Route 1, Primary) and have a minimum of five years recognised teaching service in a recognised primary school within the Republic of Ireland.
2. The successful candidate must hold a certificate to teach Religion in a Catholic School. The Deputy Principal will be expected to uphold and promote the ethos, values, and traditions of the school.
3. Appointment to this position will be subject to reference checks and Occupational Health screening, current and continuing Teaching Council registration, current Garda vetting requirements, and proof of qualifications.

The roles and responsibilities of this post align with the four domains of leadership and management as outlined in Circular 0044/2019 and Looking at Our Schools 2022: A Quality Framework for Schools.

1. Leading Teaching and Learning
2. Managing the Organisation
3. Leading School Development
4. Developing Leadership Capacity

In addition, candidates must demonstrate evidence of the following knowledge, competencies, and experience essential to the role:
• A strong understanding of, and commitment to, the ethos and values of the school.
• Proven experience in leadership, management, and administration with a commitment to collaboration and the promotion of distributed leadership practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to build and sustain positive relationships across the school community.
• Flexibility and adaptability to respond to the evolving and day-to-day needs of the school..
• A commitment to work and support the Principal towards a shared vision for leading high-quality teaching, learning and assessment in the school.
• Proven leadership skills including experience of policy/plan development, implementation and evaluation of school-based initiatives, including School Self Evaluation/DEIS planning and school development planning.
• An in-depth understanding of the Primary Curriculum Framework and Primary Curriculum, with a broad range of teaching experience and demonstrated ability to lead curricula change.
• Strong organisational capabilities and time-management skills, with experience in prioritising and managing competing priorities effectively.
• A commitment to leading and promoting the development of pupil voice and a culture of learning and creativity.
• A commitment to leading and promoting pupil and staff wellbeing, parental involvement and the promotion of positive behaviour strategies.
• A commitment to and evidence of continuing professional development.
• A willingness to work in partnership with the Principal in the fulfilment of the Principal’s role and acts or deputises as the Principal in the Principal’s absence.

Envelopes should be clearly marked ‘Deputy Principal Teacher Application’ and should contain three copies of the Standard Application Form for Deputy Principalship.