#Back to school

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

School uniform and schoolbag hanging on hook
Back to School Allowance expanded to include two and three-year-olds for first time
More than 109,000 families will receive automatic payments as eligibility is extended to younger children

Wed, 03 Jun, 2026

Close-up on school lunches at the cafeteria
'No new legislation' on hot school lunches, says food safety body
Suppliers have said that updated guidance has been delivered to suppliers by a division of the Department of Education

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Cianan Brennan: Hot school meals mess needs a rational solution
Cianan Brennan: Hot school meals mess needs a rational solution
The withdrawal of providers due to onerous new conditions around waste and staffing needs to be sorted, and quickly, writes Cianan Brennan

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Irish Examiner view: Rights of school secretaries and caretakers must be recognised 
Irish Examiner view: Rights of school secretaries and caretakers must be recognised 
A clear inequality has not been addressed

Thu, 28 Aug, 2025

Some school bus routes will not operate when pupils return to classrooms
Some school bus routes will not operate when pupils return to classrooms
Bus Éireann says there is a lack of drivers or bids to run services

Sat, 23 Aug, 2025

Girl holding sandwich showing OK sign
School meals fuss throws the baby out with the bathwater
Social media misinformation around nutrition is causing privilege and scaremongering to override science, writes Niamh O'Connor

Mon, 18 Aug, 2025

How to prepare your car for the new school term
How to prepare your car for the new school term
As we approach a new school term, here are some of the key ways to make sure your car is up to the job

Fri, 15 Aug, 2025

Chicken nuggets and other 'cheat foods' banished from school meals
Chicken nuggets and other 'cheat foods' banished from school meals
A dietitian has been recruited to improve Ireland's hot school meals programme, and the junk food ban will be in place before the start of the school year

Mon, 11 Aug, 2025

Children facing new school year uprooted from only home they've known 
Children facing new school year uprooted from only home they've known 
Government's forced moves are tearing families apart and destabilising the very children who most need security and consistency, writes Cillian Quinn

Mon, 11 Aug, 2025

Tots to Teens: Back-to-school and off-to-college — info and supplies
Tots to Teens: Back-to-school and off-to-college — info and supplies
And an end-of-summer picnic coming up at Fota House and Gardens

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Cheerful female students wearing blue school uniforms walking in locker room
Consumer watchdog urges schools to keep costs down for parents on  uniforms and devices
The CCPC said allowing parents and guardians to shop around for generic school uniforms encourages businesses to compete on price, quality and service, and 'will ultimately deliver better value for families'

Tue, 17 Jun, 2025

Depressed teenager sitting lonely
Colman Noctor: Lessons must be learned about school avoidance  
"Prolonged periods away from structured school environments made reintegrating difficult for some children. Younger students, particularly, missed out on critical early social experiences, making school feel unfamiliar and intimidating."

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

Sleepy little boys eating breakfast cereal
Joanna Fortune: So hard to get back in the swing of early starts in January
Suggest that each child do something to make mornings easier. One of them can lay the table for breakfast the night before. Another can arrange everyone’s shoes and coats close to the door so they are ready to go. They can each lay out their uniforms the night before and put their school bags by the wall so no one is looking for anything when they are in a rush

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Group of teenage friends having relaxing outdoors
Some children may be excluded from Transition Year as their families cannot afford it 
The warning comes from the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman 

Thu, 26 Sep, 2024

Hot topic: Are school meals a good idea or waste of resources and time?
Hot topic: Are school meals a good idea or waste of resources and time?
 Principals around the country have different views on the national rollout of meal scheme

Sat, 14 Sep, 2024

Preschool students, parents, hugs on first day of school
Negotiating the politics of school-gate diplomacy
The social dynamics at pick-up time can be fraught. You are waiting for your child, often under time pressure, surrounded by parents who may or may not want to chat with you. Experts say it helps if you manage your expectations 

Sun, 08 Sep, 2024

Parents demand direct school service to avoid children crossing busy road
Parents demand direct school service to avoid children crossing busy road
Parents sending their children to Dungarvan are charged €40 weekly per child to avail of a privately run service, compared to just €75 annually to travel to Youghal

Mon, 02 Sep, 2024

10 wardrobe staples to impress at the school gate on busy mornings
10 wardrobe staples to impress at the school gate on busy mornings
Get a head start on the school bell by creating a uniform look from your wardrobe staples. 

Wed, 28 Aug, 2024

Tots to Teens: Personalised first-day-at-school cards and hard-wearing natural cotton clothes for kids
Tots to Teens: Personalised first-day-at-school cards and hard-wearing natural cotton clothes for kids
Raise Childline funds through sea swimming... and check out when Cannonball 2024 will be at a town near you in September

Tue, 27 Aug, 2024

Midweek meals: Five quick family dinners to kick-start an after-school routine
Midweek meals: Five quick family dinners to kick-start an after-school routine
Schools are back after the summer break so here are some easy dinners to enjoy with school-going kids

Mon, 26 Aug, 2024

How to prepare your child for their first day of school
How to prepare your child for their first day of school
With the first day of primary school just days away, Deirdre McArdle asks parents, teachers and experts how to manage that first day, and how to prepare their child for this next stage of their lives.

Mon, 26 Aug, 2024

Single Mother At Home Getting Son Wearing Uniform Ready For First Day Of School
Nine things kids want parents to know about going back to school
With schools reopening this week and next, households up and down the country are shifting gear from relaxed summer mode to busy autumn schedule. But instead of driving at full speed it may help to slow down and and tune into what your child is experiencing 

Sun, 25 Aug, 2024

Top view of calm biracial girl sleeping in comfortable bed
Eight things sleep experts advise to reset your child’s bedtime routine before school returns
A good bedtime routine is key to a child’s good night’s sleep – experts describe how to reset routines if the summer break has ruined them.

Thu, 22 Aug, 2024

Closeup of female hands preparing meat for lunch box
Life Hack: Four things to know to save time and effort when making back-to-school lunches
It’s back to school season which means the return of packed lunches for the smallies. Here are some shortcuts to make lunch planning easier

Wed, 21 Aug, 2024

Disappointed at School
Colman Noctor: Students starting secondary school have a special class of needs 
"Child development and parenting manuals emphasise the importance of consistency, reliability, and predictability. Yet change is inevitable, including the transition from primary to secondary school."

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Shot of a young mother comforting her daughter on the sofa at home
Joanna Fortune: My daughter is anxious about starting 'big' school 
"Before you rescue her from her feelings, acknowledge and validate how she is feeling because her feelings have context, and they matter."

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Dublin Taxi
Cost of hiring taxis for pupils with special needs approaching €80m
More than €17m was paid out on taxis to bring children to school in the Dublin area last year, followed by Cork — which paid out €15.7m for taxis

Fri, 16 Aug, 2024

Little boy is eating oatmeal with berries.
10 brain-boosting foods to include in your child’s diet
Give your child a head start with our experts’ tips on ways to ensure they eat brain-boosting meals

Tue, 13 Aug, 2024

Extremist views widespread in England's classrooms, say teachers
Rise in 'working poor' with 70% of secondary school parents worried about costs
Some 21% of secondary school parents said they had to take a loan out or borrow from friends to meet school costs

Wed, 31 Jul, 2024

School stock
Quarter of parents getting into debt to pay for back-to-school costs, survey finds
Some parents reducing spend on food to cover these costs, according to Irish League of Credit Unions survey

Wed, 10 Jul, 2024

Close Up Of Unhappy Boy Sitting Outdoors In Garden
Joanna Fortune: My son is anxious about starting secondary school 
"One of the ways our children learn to strengthen and enhance their capacity to self-regulate their emotions is to experience a full range of emotions, including the more challenging feelings."

Tue, 21 May, 2024

Little boy swimming underwater in pool
Why is it so hard to get my child into swimming lessons in Cork?
Getting your child signed up for after-school activities is tough, especially when it comes to swimming lessons, writes Deirdre McArdle

Mon, 18 Sep, 2023

School uniform and schoolbag hanging on hook
Consumer Corner: Back to school cost-saving tricks every parent needs to know
"When we talk about things adding up, there’s little that compares to the adding up of school costs around this time of the year."

Wed, 30 Aug, 2023

Zack enjoys first day of school just a year after kidney transplant 
Zack enjoys first day of school just a year after kidney transplant 
Zack, 5, underwent extensive dialysis treatment before receiving a successful kidney transplant from his father October 2022

Tue, 29 Aug, 2023

Midweek Meals: Five lunch-box-friendly recipes for back-to-school season
Midweek Meals: Five lunch-box-friendly recipes for back-to-school season
From scones to salads and puff pastry bites 

Mon, 28 Aug, 2023

More study and less coffee: What's boarding school like in Ireland today?
S More study and less coffee: What's boarding school like in Ireland today?
"As schools across the country prepare to open their doors for another academic year, Arlene Harris chats to students who are packing bags to head to boarding school dorms, and their also speaks to their parents about their view on it"

Sun, 27 Aug, 2023

Happy family preparing for school
Nine ways to make the return to school as easy as ABC
Going back into the classroom after a long summer break can be stressful. But parents can take simple steps to prepare their child for what lies ahead, writes Helen O’Callaghan

Sun, 27 Aug, 2023

Dr Phil Kieran: Six steps I'm taking to keep my kids healthy 
Dr Phil Kieran: Six steps I'm taking to keep my kids healthy 
With the return to school around the corner I’ve been looking at what steps I can take to help my kids stay healthy over the next few months

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Old school chalkboard with children’s style drawing
Joanna Fortune: My top 10 tips to ease back-to-school stress 
"Back-to-school can bring lots of change and unpredictability - here are my top 10 tips for your child"

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Kindergarten Classroom With Table and Colorful Chairs
Julie Jay: School has changed, but I still worry about Ted starting
"I worry that school is not a place where everyone will shine or be happy. As such, I can’t help but bite my lip a little as I watch him take off with his new Spiderman bag"

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

Busy Toddler.
Tots To Teens: Free course helps to build coping skills
Plus: free books for Junior Infants around the country, and ideas for activities for kids to learn and grow

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

Leaning on lockers in School
Colman Noctor: Students can face significant challenges during second year 
The establishment of friendships and interactive patterns that occur during in second year is pivotal to shaping their future school years

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

How can I get my car ready for the school run?
How can I get my car ready for the school run?
A quick whip-around of your car can help to make the difference when term starts back up.

Thu, 17 Aug, 2023

5 tips for keeping kids warm and comfy in school as freezing temperatures set for the week
5 tips for keeping kids warm and comfy in school as freezing temperatures set for the week
It comes as a status yellow low temperature warning has been issued for Ireland until noon on Friday, with temperatures forecast to drop below minus 5C in parts of the country.

Sun, 11 Dec, 2022

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Mick Clifford
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