‘My son’s teacher thinks he might have ADHD but my husband does not want to have him assessed’
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Primary Level
News and advice covering the primary level education system.
Ferris Bueller was right: life moves pretty fast. If you have children in school, you could miss it
There is nothing quite like having a sixth year in the house to remind you how quickly the years go by
School secretaries to strike in September unless pensions issue resolved, union warns
Fórsa set to ballot members over industral action commencing at start of new school year
Job security boost for special needs assistants in schools under new scheme
New scheme will allow SNAs to be redeployed to other schools if no longer required
Ireland an ‘outlier’ in requiring religious certs to teach in most primary schools
Delegates at INTO annual congress highlight ‘mismatch’ between modern society and education system
Helen McEntee announces ‘largest national conversation on education in the State’s history’
National Convention planned to explore how nation can secure ‘best outcomes in world’ for students
Teachers on rising physical aggression in Irish schools: ‘I’ve been out of work due to an assault for 2½ years’
Delegates at INTO’s annual congress recount their experiences of increased classroom assaults
Curb education ‘overspending’ before lowering class sizes, officials warn
More than 50,000 pupils are in ‘supersized’ classes with 30 children or more
Sharp rise in assaults at schools pushing teachers to ‘breaking point’
Almost 60 per cent of educators experienced physical aggression, with rates highest in special schools
Expansion of therapy services in special schools to start in autumn
Programme will coincide with the establishment of a national therapy service in education, Minister says
Lifeless vegetables, rushed lunch breaks, lack of oversight: How to improve hot school meals
While widely seen as a positive move, the scheme has had its teething problems. Ahead of its national rollout, we asked experts how to improve it
High levels of burnout and poor mental health among teachers
DCU research comes as schools grapple with staff shortages
Department of Education faces UN complaint over school guidance on use of physical restraint
Campaigners say new rules fail to protect vulnerable children
‘It’s a gift for life’: How large-scale choirs are building children’s confidence
The National Children’s Choir has helped instil a love of choral singing in primary school pupils for 40 years
‘These children are being denied their constitutional rights’: Parents hold Dáil sleepout over lack of school places
Helen McEntee says she will not hesitate to use legal powers to force schools to open special classes if necessary
‘There’s surprise, anger, frustration’: Why chess is taking off in primary schools
While known for promoting problem-solving, most teachers say its impact on children’s social and emotional skills really stands out
Almost all Irish primary schools employed unqualified substitutes in last academic year
Principal says staff shortages placing ‘immense pressure’ on schools
Children are missing school at an alarming rate. What is going on?
The number of pupils chronically absent from school has doubled. Experts say making students feel they belong is key to tackling the problem
‘I am worried teachers won’t look beyond test results to see the potential in my 10-year-old’
Ask the Expert: The good news is that there is a lot you can do as a parent to support your child’s executive function
Teacher training to include mandatory placements in special education
Move comes after threefold increase in prevalence of autism in the last 10 years
Culture wars reach the classroom: What is the best way to teach children about gender and identity?
A new primary level syllabus – the biggest shake-up in two decades – is being finalised against a backdrop of polarised online debate and claims of misinformation
Percentage of children diagnosed with autism rises threefold in less than a decade
Increase is posing challenges for education authorities to find appropriate school places for children with additional needs
Children less ‘ready’ to start school and have more emotional problems since pandemic - study
Study finds most junior infants teachers say classroom behaviour is worse and fewer children pay attention
We have seen an increase in school refusals among older children
It’s vital to improve engagement with school, because childhood lasts a lifetime
Schools told to ignore ‘fake’ circular directing them to open for Easter holidays
Move follows closure of schools following storms, snowfall and power cuts
Schools in poorest areas to get extra support under ‘Deis-plus’ scheme
McEntee plans to tackle drop-off in school attendance with supports for at-risk pupils
All schools eligible for free solar panels to help tackle energy bills
Initiative aims to deliver average savings of up to €1,600 a year per school and reduce carbon footprint
Two issues on Helen McEntee’s desk will provide an early clue to her ambitions as Minister for Education
How she proposes to address them – and the extent of her resolve and ambition in managing her new portfolio – will become clear over the coming months
Why childcare students are walking away from childcare jobs
‘It’s tough to do a four-year professional degree and then face the prospect of earning the minimum wage'
Concern over rise in alleged assaults of special needs pupils
Forty parents planning legal actions over alleged mistreatment, Department of Education records show
Competitive parenting in China: ‘School starts at 7.30am and I pick him up at 9.30 in the evening. We usually arrive home around 10pm. Then he studies again’
Fierce competition for places at top secondary schools drives some parents to push their youngsters to succeed, believing they owe it to their children to give them the best start in life
School meals to be made available during summer in bid to tackle ‘holiday hunger’
Many pupils taking part in summer programme will have access to ‘nutritious’ lunches
More than 80% of primary school-aged children have smartphones in their bedroom
Half of children acknowledge they spend too much time online, with 28% saying they could go online whenever they wanted
‘We certainly didn’t cancel Christmas’: What happens when a Catholic school turns multidenominational?
Uniforms are on the way out and teaching staff are adjusting to a new ethical education curriculum
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