In a Report on Self Evaluation of School Leadership (The Inspectorate School Improvement and Quality Unit, October 2015), guiding principles for effective leadership in Irish schools is defined as follows:
- A set of core professional values that includes commitment, trust, care, integrity, social justice and respect for all
- A clear understanding and knowledge of the core work of schools, which is the continuous development of a successful teaching and learning culture
- The ability to manage the school environment, structures and resources in a way that enables the development of a successful teaching and learning culture
- The ability to distribute leadership responsibilities in order to build leadership capacity and effective teams, with a view to sustainability and succession planning
- Recognition of the principal as lead learner who manages the creation, sharing and review of the strategic vision, ethos and aims of the school
- The ability to inspire and create a commitment to constant improvement through modelling and communicating the practice of self-evaluation and reflection