Attempts by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan to try and restart talks on junior cycle reform have received a tentative welcome from teacher unions.

The head of the body representing second-level students’ parents says teacher unions should talk to them before planning a second strike over reforms to the junior cycle.

There is no resolution to the teachers’ dispute in sight as Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan insists unions make concessions on assessment before talks on junior cycle reform can resume.

A parents group is calling for more talks, as secondary school teachers prepare go on strike.

Second-level teacher union leaders meet this morning under mounting pressure to discuss revised junior cycle reform plans instead of considering school strikes.

A doctor has warned of the dangers of the "pass-out challenge" — a fad which is gaining popularity among teens on social media sites.

The protection of children from bullying — in and out of school — may be helped by another 100 training sessions for parents.

The Department of Communications is to carefully monitor a three-month pilot scheme in the UK which will place age ratings on music videos in a bid to prevent children from accessing "inappropriate" content.

Students and parents should stay calm and remember there are a range of options if Leaving Certificate results next week do not match their expectations, guidance counsellors have advised.

By Niall Murray Education Correspondent

The strong advice from education experts to exam students is to sleep and eat well over the next two weeks.

A parents’ leader has called on teacher unions and Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to resolve the dispute over junior cycle reform.

A beauty bootcamp course for young girls in Dublin is being criticised by the National Parents' Council.

The Department of Education has been urged to set up a nationwide public awareness campaign to phase out junk food vending machines in secondary schools.

The President of the ASTI says the union would "have to react" to any move to cut teachers pay without agreement.

The Government and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland have come up with proposals that may finally see the union sign up to the Haddington Road Agreement.

The possibility of talks between Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and secondary school teachers has been opened but parents still face disruption from ongoing industrial action next week.

The publishers of school books have demanded a change in government policy on Vat on e-textbooks and said they were doing all they could to limit the costs borne by parents.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn insists he does not have power to force schools into moves that would reduce parents’ bills on books, uniforms and other education costs.

A number of groups have come together to urge schools to re-think their uniform policy in order to help bring costs down.