Training & Events

First-Time Principals' Induction Programme 2025/2026 - Day 8 - Leading People (Coaching Conversations)

This is the registration link for Day 8: Leading People (Coaching Conversations) of the First-Time Principals' Induction Programme.

Morning – How to lead effective coaching conversations with colleagues.

Afternoon – Health and Safety and Emergency Response Planning.

There are three dates/venues for this training,  If you would like to attend please click on 'Book' at the top of this page.

(A sandwich lunch will be provided.)

Sub-Cover Information

There is no sub cover for this programme.  However, teaching principals may claim sub cover to attend a number of professional learning opportunities. If booking a substitute teacher on NISTR choose 'Miscellaneous School Charge'.   Schools, with a teaching principal, will be reimbursed following attendance. Therefore it is very important that you sign the register on the day of the training session so that payment can be processed.

TIME:

9.30am - 3.30pm

 

First-Time Principals' Induction Programme 2025/2026 - Day 9 - Leading Collaboration and Celebration

This is the registration link for Day 9: Leading Collaboration and Celebration of the First-Time Principals' Induction Programme.

Guest speaker Prof. John Hattie will join us live from Australia and provide an update on his recent research on the science of school leadership. A date not to be missed!

Registration is essential, as places are limited.

If you would like to attend please click on 'Book' at the top of this page.

(A sandwich lunch will be provided.)

Sub-Cover Information

There is no sub cover for this programme.  However, teaching principals may claim sub cover to attend a number of professional learning opportunities. If booking a substitute teacher on NISTR choose 'Miscellaneous School Charge'.   Schools, with a teaching principal, will be reimbursed following attendance. Therefore it is very important that you sign the register on the day of the training session so that payment can be processed.

TIME:

9.30am - 3.30pm

 

Autism Tier 1 Training for Early Years 2025/26

Objectives

To increase your understanding of autism and promote inclusion in early years settings

Date

Tuesday 25th November 2025 2.00pm - 3.00pm (including Q&A session) CLOSED

Tuesday 24th February 2026 2.00pm - 3.00pm (including Q&A session)

Tuesday 19th May 2026 2.00pm - 3.00pm (including Q&A session)

Number of attendees

30 maximum

Audience

Teachers, playgroup leaders, principals, SENCos, classroom assistants

** Please ensure that you have entered your e-mail address accurately to receive further training details and communication **

IMAGINE Autism Acceptance Month Peer Training April 2026

IMAGINE – Understanding Autism in School is a video and accompanying resource designed to support pupils in developing a better understanding of Autism and to promote acceptance, empathy and inclusion within the school community.

After watching the IMAGINE video, the booklet contains a range of structured activities that encourage pupils to reflect on what they have learned and explore Autism in more depth. The tasks are designed to help pupils think about how Autistic people may experience the world, challenge common myths, and consider ways to create a more supportive and inclusive school environment.

The activities can be used flexibly depending on the needs and abilities of your class. Some tasks are designed for individual reflection, while others work well as paired or group discussions. Teachers may choose to lead certain sections as a class discussion, or allow pupils to record their ideas independently in the booklet.

The overall aim of this resource is to:

Increase pupils’ understanding of Autism Challenge misconceptions and stereotypes Encourage empathy and respect for differences Promote acceptance and inclusion within school communities

This resource is particularly suitable for use during Autism Acceptance Month, PSHE lessons, tutor time, or assemblies, but it can also be used at any point in the school year to support inclusive education.

By engaging with these activities, pupils will be encouraged to imagine what school might feel like from different perspectives and think about how small changes in attitudes and actions can help make school a place where everyone feels understood, respected and included.

Suicide Awareness Training - Connections Link Life

CONNECTIONS LINK LIFE: Suicide Awareness Training

This training course covers:

Contributing factors that lead to poor mental health, emotional distress & suicide prevention awareness Understanding the role of mental health and emotions in relation to suicide prevention awareness Connect 4-Way Model for helping persons experiencing emotional distress or suicide Tools & resources for support in your community The role of self-care and wellbeing in fortifying mental health and preventing suicide

Participation & Readiness:

We ask that you are emotionally ready for suicide prevention awareness training and understand how to participate;

It is important you click to read and understand *Am I Suitable?*  Suicide prevention awareness training is potentially triggering Be confident in your ability to cope with the content of the training Take steps to keep yourself emotionally safe during training Best practice advises that people who have been bereaved by suicide or by any other traumatic death within the last 6 months, should not attend It is important that you click to read and understand the *How To Participate group agreement*

Course Details:

11th November 2025

20th January 2026

7th May 2026

Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm

Training will take place via online platform.  

Please ensure you have entered your email correctly to receive the training details. You will receive a reminder email and a link to the online session a week before the training date.

Audience: Primary, KS2 and Post Primary SENCO's, Principals and Pastoral Vice-Principals

Developing a Whole School Response to Bereavement and Critical Incidents (2 day course)

Developing a Whole School Response to Bereavement and Critical Incidents (2 day course)

This course is designed to equip school leaders with the knowledge and skills to support those experincing loss within their school community and assist schools to prepare for a critical incident. The effects of a critical incident on pupils, staff and communities can be wide-ranging and when a school is affected all staff have an important role to play. This professional learning will also provide insight into the role of the EA Critical Incident Response Team. 

Day One 

Participants will:

Develop greater knowledge and understanding of bereavement and grief responses. Develop an enhanced ability to support bereavement and loss issues within the educational setting. Gain an increased confidence in identifying, supporting, and signposting those experiencing grief. 

Day Two

Participants will:

Gain an increased understanding of the supportive role of the Education Authority Critical Incident Response Team Have greater awareness of the many complex issues accompanying a critical incident Have increased knowledge and resources to develop a Critical Incident Management Policy and Plan

Course Details:

This course is a two day course and attendance on both days is compulsory.

30th September 2025 & 1st October 2025

3rd & 4th February 2026

19th & 20th May 2026

Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm (on 2 consecutive days)

Training will take place via online platform. 

Please ensure you have entered your email correctly to receive the training details. You will receive a reminder email and a link to the online session a week before the training date.

Audience: Primary, KS2 and Post Primary SENCO's, Principals and Pastoral Vice-Principals

Understanding Bereavement & Loss

Understanding Bereavement & Loss

The Bereavement and Loss professional learning course is for School Staff and is designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to support children and young people experiencing loss. This program will enhance participants' understanding of grief, develop their ability to provide effective support, and increase their confidence in handling the complexities of grief and provide compassionate support to those in need.

Participants will:

Develop greater knowledge and understanding of bereavement and grief responses. Develop an enhanced ability to support bereavement and loss issues within the educational setting. Gain an increased confidence in identifying, supporting, and signposting those experiencing grief.

Course Details:

21st October 2025

3rd March 2026

26th May 2026

Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm

Training will take place via online platform.

Please ensure you have entered your email correctly to receive the training details. You will receive a reminder email and a link to the online session a week before the training date.

SEND Implementation and SENCo Support

This learning area contains modules of SEND training resources and guidance materials for SENCos/Learning Support Coordinators, senior leaders, teaching and non-teaching staff in schools and educational settings. It replaces the old SEND Website which will no longer be accessible. Click on the ‘Documents’ link on the menu on the right of the Dashboard page to find the following topic areas:

Graduated Response (WEP and SpEP) Leadership and Management Parent and Carer Leaflets Personal Learning Plan (PLP) Policies Provision Mapping SEN and Medical Categories SEND Podcasts School Development Day Packs Views of the Child

Some of these resources are also available on the public-facing EANI SEND Website on the new SENCo Support page https://send.eani.org.uk/sencosupport

AIMS:

 

To provide an understanding of changes to the SEN Framework To share updates on changes to legislation, regulations and the draft Code of Practice To host resources and materials to support staff who are working with children and young people with SEN in your school or setting.

 

TIME/DATE:

This learning area is open year-round.

Understanding the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for pupils identified as having Special Educational Needs

Understanding the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for pupils identified as having Special Educational Needs - SEND Implementation and Development Team

A programme of four videos and supporting resources to promote effective practice in creating, implementing, monitoring and reviewing the PLP

Video 1 - Introduction to the PLP & Legislation

Video 2 - Stages and Content of the PLP

Video 3 - Responsibilities and the PLP Process

Video 4 - Parts of the PLP

Participants will be sent the link to access the PLP training videos/ resources on the EA SDS learning portal following registration.

Please use the EA training access code sent to all school leaders at the beginning of the academic year to register.

High Five Friday Information Session

Aims and Objectives: 
Toprovide an overview of the whole school social behaviour and emotional wellbeing programme known as High Five Friday.
This course will outline the core features of High Five Friday and how schools can get involved.
To provide an overview of the range of primary school aged resources available on the High Five Resource Hub.
Online Dates and times:
03.11.25 - 2:15pm-3:30pm
23.03.26 - 3:15pm-4:30pm
18.05.26 - 2:15pm - 3:30pm

Supporting Pupils with a Statement for Social, Behavioural and Emotional Wellbeing Needs:

One registration for 3 sessions- Relationships, Building Resilience & Planning Support

Aims:
• Enable school staff to use a range of strategies and resources to promote inclusion for children and young people with a statement of SEN for Social, Behavioural, Emotional and Wellbeing (SBEW) needs.
• Understand the needs of children and young people with a SBEW statement of SEN needs.

Learning outcomes:
Session 1
Explore strategies which can be used to develop positive relationships with pupils who have SBEW needs and develop a culture of listening to the child/ young person's voice.

Session 2 Understand the importance of resilience development for pupils with a SBEW profile of need. Identity effective practice which will nurture the development of resilience for pupils with SBEW profile of need.

Session 3 Identity the skills, support and strategies that can be used to nurture belonging, raise self-awareness and to reduce tension for pupils with SBEW profile of need. Understanding of and monitoring of outcomes for pupils with SEN.

Location Microsoft Teams Online Platform
30/09/2025, 07/10/2025, 14/10/2025 Time 11.00-12.30
12/11/2025, 19/11/2025, 26/11/2025 Time14.00 -15.30
13/01/2026, 20/01/2026, 27/01/2026 Time 11.00-12.30
22/04/2026, 29/04/2026, 06/05/2026 Time 14.00 -15.30

Overview of the Social, Behavioral and Emotional Wellbeing (SBEW) Chapter within the SEN Resource File

AIMS:

To outline the shift from managing behaviour to understanding and supporting children and young people experiencing SBEW needs
Provide guidance on establishing a whole school ethos firmly built on collective care, Trauma Informed Practice and the Principles of Nurture
To know and understand how developing proactive and collaborative approaches leads to an evolution in how support is provided to pupils experiencing SBEW needs

Course Details: Each individual member of staff attending must complete an individual registration. Registration for the first session in the course will automatically register the applicant for the subsequent sessions in the set.

PLEASE NOTE: This training takes place online using MS Teams on 2 separate days. Participants must attend BOTH dates in the applicable set of sessions. Links will be issued approximately one week prior to commencement of course.

24 September & 1 October 2025 - 2.15-4pm (each day)

26 November & 3 December 2025 - 2.15-4pm (each day)

28 January & 4 February 2026 - 2.15-4pm (each day)

4 March & 11 March 2026 - 2.15-4pm (each day)

27 May & 3 June 2026 - 2.15-4pm (each day)

Irish Medium Effective Governance Webinar

This training will be delivered online via Teams.

GDPR: IMPORTANT - the EA will rely on legitimate interests as its basis for recording any event or meeting on Teams.

This event may be recorded for the specific purposes of sharing training to other governors. This is advance notice of that intention.

Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA): Engaging with Entrenched EBSNA, Learning from Motivational Interviewing

This workshop provides a practical follow up to the initial training courses on Emotional Based School Non Attendance (EBSNA) developed by the Educational Psychology Service for primary and post-primary school staff. The workshop is particularly useful for SENCOs and/or those staff responsible for supporting attendance.

Attendees will further their learning regarding using techniques from Motivational Interviewing, to support them towards having more effective conversations with CYP experiencing EBSNA. The workshop will include a mix of theory, practical techniques, demonstrated role plays and videos.

This session aims to:

Raise awareness of the principles of Motivational Interviewing and introduce another way of working with complex EBSNA. Introduce the cycle of change in relation to EBSNA and consider the importance of a child’s readiness for change. Offer staff practical experience in using MI reflective listening techniques and support them to apply these in their work with children experiencing EBSNA.

The workshops will take place on the following dates:

Term 1:

Session 1: 16th September 2025, 1:00pm-3:30pm Session 2: 17th September 2025, 1:00pm-3:30pm

Term 2:

Session 1: 13th January 2026, 1:00pm-3:30pm Session 2: 14th January 2026, 1:00pm-3:30pm

Term 3:

Session 1: 22nd April 2026, 1:00pm-3:30pm

These sessions are at least 50% practical so staff signing up should be willing to participate in the activities. Attendees should come with a case of entrenched EBSNA in mind and be prepared to discuss it.

 

PLEASE NOTE: This is a small group session and places are strictly limited to one attendee per school at any given session.

Attendees must have already completed one of the following Educational Psychology Service’ Training Sessions

Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) - A framework for supporting Post-Primary Pupils.

Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) - A framework for supporting Primary Pupils.