Resources for Primary Schools
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From: Department of Education
- Published on: 27 June 2024
- Last updated on: 15 April 2025
- Curriculum and Wellbeing
- Cyberbullying and Online Safety
- Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying Behaviour
- Racist Bullying Behaviour
- Restorative Approach to Bullying for Educators
- National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS)
- Tusla
- Other Resources
Curriculum and Wellbeing
SPHE/RSE Toolkit for Primary Schools
Support materials published by NCCA for primary school teachers. The materials aim to support teachers in preparing for and teaching SPHE and RSE using the Primary School Curriculum.
Stay Safe
The Stay Safe programme is a personal safety skills programme designed for use with primary school children from Junior Infants through to sixth class. The programme seeks to enhance children’s self-protective skills by participation in lessons on safe and unsafe situations, bullying, inappropriate touch, secrets, telling and stranger danger.
Walk Tall
A programme to support teachers in developing children’s personal, emotional, social and health knowledge and skills. It also aims to give children confidence in themselves and the skills and knowledge to make healthy choices. The emphasis in on helping children to develop life skills that will serve them well over time .
Oide
The Department of Education’s support service, Oide, offers high quality and relevant continuing development supports to teachers and school leaders, in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas to enable them to meet the needs of all learners. Primary and post-primary schools can access support for wellbeing that is customised and tailored to the specific needs of the individual school.
Tacklebullying.ie
Tackle Bullying is a national website to counter bullying and cyberbullying for young people, parents and teachers. The website provides information for those who are affected or concerned about bullying and cyberbullying related incidents.
FUSE
FUSE AntiBullying and Online Safety Programme is developed by DCU AntiBullying Centre a national university designated research centre located in DCU’s Institute of Education. The Centre has a global reputation for its research excellence in bullying and online safety.
FUSE has the aim of building capacity in schools to tackle bullying and online safety issues and to empower children and adolescents to understand their own behaviour, be able to recognise bullying and online safety risks and be confident in how to report and seek support when they need it. FUSE includes workshops specifically designed for primary and post- primary schools.
Cyberbullying and Online Safety
Webwise Resources - Helping school families keep children safe online
Webwise is part of Oide; the support service for teachers and school leaders. Funded by the Department of Education and the European Commission, webwise.ie promotes safer, better internet use through awareness raising and education initiatives targeting teachers, children, young people and parents.
Online Safety and Digital Citizenship (Primary)
This short online course aims to provide teachers with the knowledge, resources and confidence to teach digital citizenship and to empower their pupils to be safe, ethical and responsible online.
Online Safety and Digital Citizenship (Primary)
HTML Heroes – First and Second Class Online Safety Programme
The HTML Heroes Programme has been designed for teachers of first and second class to introduce pupils to the first steps of accessing and using the internet in a safe and responsible manner. The resource contains five lessons that can be explored separately or delivered as a whole unit.
The lessons explore using the internet safely, communicating online, playing and learning online, getting help and support. Each lesson is supported by a short, illustrated story, lesson activities, and take home information for parents/guardians. The programme concludes with an animated online safety code song.
1st and 2nd HTML Heroes Class Programme
HTML Heroes – An Introduction to the internet for third and fourth Class
Topics explored include respectful online communication, privacy, searching for information online, online wellbeing and screen time. The programme is supported by interactive activities and four animations featuring Ruby and Archie; the HTML Heroes who come to life when the classroom empties out.
Be Kind Online
Developed by the Garda Primary Schools Programme in partnership with Webwise resources are designed to enable third and fourth class pupils to understand what cyberbullying is, how it can hurt someone and how it can be prevented. The lessons in this pack promote respectful communication online and aim to foster a sense of care and respect for others online. The programme will equip children with the skills to deal effectively with cyberbullying.
MySelfie and the Wider World
The Webwise Primary AntiCyber Bullying Pack uses animation and activities to give fifth and sixth class children opportunities to empathise with those affected, to understand the emotions behind it and to empower them to take a stand.
www.webwise.ie/myselfie-wider-world/
All aboard for Digitown
A learning path for 9–12 year olds to become smart digital citizens. Help pupils explore the concept of digital citizenship across 10 themes in the DigiTown activity book. Topics include consumer awareness, rights, wellbeing, media and information literacy, ethics and empathy, privacy and more.
www.webwise.ie/tag/all-aboard-for-digitown/.
Department of Education - Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free
A guide for parents and parents' associations that wish to engage with their school community regarding internet safety and access to smartphones for primary school children.
Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free
Cyberbullying in Primary Schools: understanding, preventing and responding
Online course from Oide Technology in Education in collaboration with Webwise to inform teachers and school leaders about cyberbullying, outlining the school’s role in creating an anti-cyberbullying culture and promoting students’ wellbeing including online wellbeing.
Cyberbullying in Primary Schools
Tacklebullying.ie
Tackle Bullying is a national website to counter bullying and cyber-bullying for young people, parents and teachers. The website provides information for those who are affected or concerned about bullying and cyberbullying related incidents.
FUSE
FUSE AntiBullying and Online Safety Programme is developed by DCU AntiBullying Centre a national university designated research centre located in DCU’s Institute of Education. The Centre has a global reputation for its research excellence in bullying and online safety.
FUSE has the aim of building capacity in schools to tackle bullying and online safety issues and to empower children and adolescents to understand their own behaviour, be able to recognise bullying and online safety risks and be confident in how to report and seek support when they need it. FUSE includes workshops specifically designed for primary and post -primary schools.
Online safety review tool:
onlinesafetyreview.webwise.ie/
This new Online Safety Review Tool helps schools assess and improve their Online Safety policy and practices. It outlines key steps for evaluating and enhancing online safety measures, allowing schools to reflect on strengths, address gaps, and access free resources and guidance. This tool supports a whole-school approach to ensuring a safer online environment for learners.
AUP generator:
The Webwise AUP Generator has been updated to incorporate AI in education and its use in the school environment. The AUP tool can be used to update or create a customised Acceptable Use Policy and is free for schools to use. New advice on AI Considerations for Schools is also available on the Webwise AI Hub.
Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying Behaviour
Respect – Creating a Welcoming & Positive School Climate to Prevent Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying.
A resource to support teachers and school leaders to create a positive school culture and climate to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying.
All Together Now – An Educational Awareness Programme
The ‘All Together Now’ programme is focused on addressing anti-LGBTQ+ bullying in primary schools in Ireland.
All Together Now is composed of four lessons based on the SPHE curriculum for 5th and 6th classes in primary schools. The lessons take an equality and human rights approach to respect, inclusion, and homophobic and transphobic bullying.
Racist Bullying Behaviour
Show Racism the Red Card
Education resources for schools and online training for primary teachers provided by the Immigrant Council of Ireland.
The Yellow Flag Programme
A practical programme founded by the Irish Traveller Movement that supports primary schools to become more inclusive of all cultures and ethnicities, celebrate diversity and challenge racism and discrimination.
Restorative Approach to Bullying for Educators
Addressing Bullying Behaviour using Restorative Practice
Restorative Practice techniques should only be used by teachers who have received training in restorative practice. Specific training may be required for some of the suggested approaches under this section.
Oide Restorative Practice Training Programme
Oide, in collaboration with the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI), provides specialised RP training to primary and post–primary school leaders and teachers.
The focus of the training which takes place as part of Oide’s sustained support model includes a whole school overview of restorative practice (RP), the benefits of RP, RP values, the RP Toolkit and implementation insights. Sessions are interactive and engaging and explore problem-solving circles, RP questions, RP language use, with a focus on communication and fairness.
An Introduction to Restorative Practice training will be available as an option for prim
The Oide website does not yet have a dedicated section for restorative practice. For the most uptodate professional learning materials and resources on RP, please visit:
Circles of Connection: Stories from Ireland about using Restorative Practices to Build Relationships
The Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) is a non profit organisation working to improve outcomes for children in disadvantaged communities in Ireland.
CDI has developed a series of podcasts relating to the use of restorative practice that may be useful. These can be accessed at:
National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS)
Where a school has a concern about a particular student they may discuss it with their assigned psychologist. Students can only be prioritised for NEPS involvement by the school principal.
A request for involvement is accepted from the school principal in consultation with the psychologist. When deciding who to prioritise for involvement with NEPS, school principals consider those pupils who present with the greatest level of need, in that particular school context.
NEPS can be contacted regionally with contact details included at this link or by emailing neps@education.gov.ie who can refer you to the appropriate region for your school.
NEPS Wellbeing Catalogue of Wellbeing Resources
The Catalogue of Resources provides a nonexhaustive list of documents and resources that are provided by the Department of Education, its agencies, support services and by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to assist the promotion of wellbeing across school communities.
Catalogue of Wellbeing Resources Primary available at Wellbeing resources
Tusla
Tusla social workers can be contacted to discuss any incident where a teacher or a school needs advice regarding whether it should be referred as a child protection issue.
Contact details for Tusla social workers by region are available at the Tusla website below.
Other Resources
Helping hands - a programme for teachers and school support teams.
Cooperative Learning Institute - Early Identification & Resolution of Hidden Bullying