Active

Primary

Wed Sep 9 2026

Wed Sep 23 2026

Mon Oct 19 2026

Permanent

Mainstream

Senior School

Co-Educational

Catholic

DEIS 1

26

196

Yes

SCHOOL DETAILS
School Type: Mainstream with Special Classes
School Structure: Senior School (3rd – 6th Class)
Gender: Co-Educational
School Patronage: Catholic
Classification: DEIS PLUS
Total No. of Teaching Staff: 26
Current Enrolment: 188
Droichead school: Yes
POST DETAILS
Additional Information:
The Board of Management of St. Bernadette's Senior National School, Quarryvale, is inviting applications for the position of Deputy Principal. This is a permanent position appointed through open competition in line with Circular 0044/2019 and Information Note 0008/2022.
St. Bernadette's Senior National School is a co-educational, DEIS PLUS , Catholic primary school catering for pupils from 3rd to 6th class, with a current enrolment of 188 pupils. The school has a strong tradition of inclusive education and provides a broad range of Special Educational Needs supports, and is committed to meeting the diverse learning needs of all of its pupils.
This is a key leadership role, offering an exceptional opportunity for a candidate with a genuine commitment to inclusive education to work in partnership with the Principal and the In-School Leadership Team, with particular and significant responsibility for the coordination, leadership and development of Special Educational Needs provision across the school. The successful candidate should demonstrate a responsive, reflective and evidence-informed approach to leadership and school improvement. It is a core function of the Deputy Principal's role to act or deputise as the Principal in the Principal's absence.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The duties of this post relate to 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
Working closely with the Principal, the postholder will have lead responsibility for whole-school Special Educational Needs provision, alongside the standard curricular, policy, staffing and strategic planning duties of the Deputy Principal role. As the needs of the school continuously evolve, a review of duties may result in reassignment of roles and responsibilities within the leadership and management team, in accordance with Circular 0044/2019.
General Duties and Responsibilities:
• Work with the Principal in relation to the internal organisation, management and discipline of the school, including the assignment of duties to members of the teaching and non-teaching staff.
• Work with the Principal to ensure that the Board of Management's policies, procedures, guidelines and requirements are adhered to.
• Be fully familiar with the Child Protection Guidelines; it is normal for the Deputy Principal to be the Deputy Designated Liaison Person (DDLP) in the absence of the Principal.
• Lead the teacher mentor programme (Droichead).
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Responsibilities:
This post carries significant and specific responsibility for the coordination and leadership of Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision throughout the school, including:
• Coordinating, managing and monitoring the whole-school provision of Special Education Teaching, including the deployment and timetabling of the SET team.
• Leading the school's SEN policy, Continuum of Support processes and Student Support Plans (SSPs), and overseeing the allocation of SET hours, Special Classes and SNA support.
• Acting as the school's key point of contact with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the SENO, NEPS and other visiting professionals.
• Leading staff professional development in inclusive practice and working in partnership with parents/guardians in support of pupils with additional needs.
Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Competencies:
• A strong understanding of, and commitment to, the Catholic ethos and values of the school.
• An excellent knowledge and understanding of Leadership, Management and Administration in Primary Schools.
• A comprehensive understanding of DEIS and the DEIS Plus scheme and Implementation Plan.
• Proficient communication and interpersonal skills and a proven capacity in successfully leading and managing school teams.
• An in-depth understanding of the Primary Curriculum Framework and Primary Curriculum with a broad range of teaching experience and knowledge.
• Extensive expertise in coordinating, managing and monitoring the provision of Special Educational Teaching, ideally including direct experience as a SENCO or in a similar SEN leadership role.
• A strong commitment to inclusive education, with proven capacity to lead and support Special Education, Special Classes and Mainstream provision.
• Evidence of and a commitment to ongoing Professional Development.
• An understanding of current and future developments in education.
• A commitment to shared leadership and a willingness to delegate, develop leadership capacity and empower others.
• Demonstrated ability in leading school development, including curriculum development and implementation, school-based initiatives, school self-evaluation and effective use of resources.
• Flexibility and full involvement in the day-to-day life of the school, working collaboratively and proactively in response to the evolving needs of the school community.
• Ability and willingness to work collaboratively and supportively within the school team, making positive contributions to teaching and learning, assessment and the School Improvement Plan.
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.
Eligibility Criteria for Appointment:
1. Applicants must be fully registered under Route 1 (Primary) with the Teaching Council and have a minimum of five years' recognised teaching service, two of which must be in a recognised primary school within the Republic of Ireland.
2. School leadership experience and/or experience in a Special Education Teaching or SEN coordination role is highly desirable.
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. Please note you must include your current Principal as a reference for a Child Protection check as per the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025.
At regular intervals, but at minimum every two years, the Deputy Principal is required to undertake a review with the Principal. Roles and responsibilities will be reviewed in the context of the changing needs and priorities of the school, including its SEN provision, and the professional development of the Deputy Principal. This may result in the reassignment of roles/responsibilities.
Applications to be submitted by post to Ms. Eimear Berry, Chairperson, Board of Management, St. Bernadette's Senior National School, Quarryvale, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, D22 PW58, to be received by 3pm on [Application Closing Date].
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
• It is a requirement to hold a valid Statutory Declaration and to complete the Form of Undertaking for this position.
Please provide three copies of your Application Form and Letter of Application.



Apply To: Ms. Eimear Berry, Chairperson, Board of Management
St. Bernadette's Senior National School
Quarryvale
Clondalkin
Dublin 22
D22 PW58
County: Dublin
Postal District: Dublin 22
Enquiries To: office@bernadettes.ie
Website: https://www.bernadettes.ie