School Policies
Crehana N.S. Draft Bí Cineálta- (Anti-Bullying) Policy 2025-2027
Bí Cineálta (Anti-Bullying) Policy Ratified by the Board of Management: September 2025 Next Review: September 2027 (or sooner if required)
Designated Liaison Person (DLP): Ms. Sinéad O’Reilly, Principal
Deputy DLP (DDLP): Mrs. Claire Foster
1. Rationale & Legal/Policy Basis
This stand-alone policy is written in line with the Department of Education’s Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour (published 19 June 2024; in effect from 1 September 2025), Circular 0055/2024, and the Department’s Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying.
As a Catholic primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Waterford & Lismore, Crehana N.S. implements these procedures within our Catholic ethos and with reference to diocesan safeguarding guidance….
Please click the link below to read this policy.
DOWNLOAD CREHANANS – DRAFT BÍ CINEÁLTA (ANTI BULLYING) POLICY.PDF
Anti Cyber-Bullying Policy
Crehana N.S. aims to ensure that children are safe and feel safe from bullying, harassment and discrimination. This school is committed to teaching children the knowledge and skills to be able to use ICT effectively, safely and responsibly.
Understanding of Cyberbullying
- Cyberbullying is the use of ICT ( usually a mobile phone and or the internet) to abuse another person.
- It can take place anywhere and involve many people.
- Anybody can be targeted including pupils and school staff.
- It can include threats, intimidation, harassment, cyber-stalking, vilification, defamation, exclusion, peer rejection, impersonation, unauthorised publication of private information or images etc.
- While bullying involves a repetition of unwelcome behaviour the Anti-Bullying procedures for Primary and Post Primary schools, Sept 2013 states ;
2.1.3. In addition, in the context of these procedures placing a once- off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour.
Crehana N.S. Internet Acceptable Usage Policy ( AUP)
Educationalists believe in the benefits of curriculum-based internet use. The purpose of the Internet Acceptable Usage Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s internet resources, and will be protected from harmful and illegal use of the Internet.
Crehana N.S. will employ a number of strategies to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
• Acceptable Usage Policy
• Filtering/Monitoring
Pupil Access to the Internet
The school is pleased to offer the internet as an available resource to both pupils and teachers for reference purposes, researching project materials, playing interactive educational games, learning to touch-type and for lesson reinforcement. Access to online resources will enable pupils to explore thousands of libraries, databases, and bulletin boards throughout the world.
Electronic information research skills are now fundamental to preparation for living and working in this information age. The school will integrate such information as appropriate within the curriculum, and staff will provide guidance and instruction to pupils in the appropriate use of such resources, as outlined in this policy. Pupils’ use of telecommunications and electronic information will be taught and provided for from 2nd – 6th class and will only be permitted upon submission of permission and agreement forms by parents of pupils and pupils themselves.
Nut safe and Allergy awareness policy
This policy is concerned with a whole school approach to the health care management of those members of the school community suffering from specific chronic allergies that could give rise to an acute reaction, known as anaphylaxis.
Crehana N.S. is a peanut free school in order to protect students in attendance from anaphylaxis. Peanuts and all related products containing peanuts are prohibited in our school. This policy incorporates our Health Care and Risk Management Plan. Please click on the link below to read this policy
Child Protection Policy
The Board of Management of Crehana N.S. has adopted the Department of Education and Science Guidelines and Procedures for schools in relation to child protection and welfare. This policy is an outline of how Crehana N.S. proposes to implement these guidelines in order to ensure the protection and welfare of all children attending our school.
Aims:
- To raise awareness of child abuse namely, emotional, physical, sexual abuse and neglect, among all members of our school community including Board of Management, teachers, pupils, parents, SNA’s (Special Needs Assistant), secretary and caretakers.
- To put in place clear procedures for all schools personnel dealing with suspicions and allegations of child abuse.
- To identify other policy areas which need to be amended.
- To identify curriculum content and resources that contribute to the prevention of child abuse and to enable children to properly deal with abuse if it occurs.
DOWNLOAD CHILD RISK ASSESSMENT POLICY.PDF
Child Safeguarding Statement and risk assessment- Template 1
Checklist for review of Child Safeguarding statement – Template 2
Code of Behaviour Policy
In devising the Code of Behaviour and Discipline, consideration has been given to the particular needs and circumstances of this school. The aim is to provide a framework for reasonable and responsible behaviour by all concerned, and to ensure that every reasonable effort is made to accommodate the individuality of each pupil while acknowledging the right of each pupil to education in a relatively disruption-free environment.
School Attendance Policy
Changing social habits and patterns necessitated the updating of the schools attendance policy. The redrafting was a collaborative school process involving Staff and Board of Management, following an initial draft by a representative group.
The main factors contributing to the formulation of a revised policy can be summarized as follows:
- To Promote and encourage regular attendance as an essential factor in our pupils learning
- Legislative requirements such as the Education Welfare Act 2000 and the Education Act, 1998
- The role of the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB)
- Levels of disadvantage
- Changing attitudes to education
Aims:
- Ensuring that pupils are registered accurately and efficiently
- Ensuring that pupil attendance is recorded daily
- Encouraging full attendance where possible
- Identifying pupils at risk
- Promoting a positive learning environment
- Enabling learning opportunities to be availed of
- Raising awareness of the importance of school attendance
- Fostering an appreciation of learning
- Identify pupils at risk leaving school early
- Ensuring compliance with the requirements of the relevant legislation
- Developing, subject to available resources, links between the school and families of children who may be at risk of developing attendance problems
- Identifying and removing, insofar as is practicable, obstacles to school attendance
Complaints Procedure
The Complaints Procedure for Crehana NS is outlined in the attached document.
Garda Vetting Forms
If you would like to volunteer or provide support for school outings, you are obliged to fill out a Garda Vetting form and return it to the school secretary for submission.
- Forms should be returned to the school secretary marked confidential for submission to the Garda Vetting unit for processing.
- Please print out the form double sided rather than two separate pages.
The Garda Vetting process is handled via online application only. The process should only take approximately 5 days to complete once you have submitted the application. The process is as follows:
- Complete the Vetting invitation form (NVB1). This is available to download below.
- Bring the completed form with photo ID (either passport or driver’s license) and a utility bill dated within the last six months, as proof of address. Mobile phone bills are not acceptable. The school do not keep copies of these documents on file.
- The school will complete the Garda Vetting Verification ID form by checking the forms of ID you have brought with you.
- The completed Vetting Invitation Form (NVB1) and the Garda Vetting Verification ID Form are then sent to Diocese of Waterford and Lismore offices.
- You will then receive an email inviting you to apply for Garda Vetting Online.
- When you have completed the online application, you will be issued with a reference number.
- All applications must be submitted online within 30 days of receiving the email invitation to apply online, otherwise you will have to begin the process again.
To download the pdf documents:
Attached are two documents, a procedure to guide you in filling out the form and the form itself.
DOWNLOAD CREHANA NS GARDA VETTING APPLICATION FORM PDF
DOWNLOAD GARDA-VETTING-FORM FOR MINORS PDF