Mayo Sligo Leitrim Regional Education and Language Team (REALT)
Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) are hosted by the regional education and training boards around Ireland. The REALT for Counties Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim is hosted by MSLETB.
The primary role of the REALT is to build on existing regional education support structures and to focus initially on assisting families in securing school places at primary or post-primary level. REALT will also support primary and post-primary schools in the area to meet the needs of these children as they emerge, to advise and support the Department of Education in developing new capacity where required, and to co-ordinate the provision of education services to schools and families across the counties of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim.
These teams will ensure that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine.
The team, organised through a dedicated REALT Co-ordinator, has representatives from National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) , Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), school management bodies, the Department of Education Inspectorate and Bus Éireann.
Primary and Post Primary Education:
Accessing school places (primary and post-primary)
To secure a place for a child in school, parents/guardians should approach any local school (primary or post-primary depending on the age of the child) and ask about a place for the child in that school. If the school has a place available, they will provide information on how to enrol in that school.
Do you need help to find school places?
Scan the QR Code with your phone camera to register for support
Please Note:
If Parents/Guardians choose not to enrol their child in school and intend to engage them exclusively in online Ukrainian schooling, they need to register with AEARS (Alternative Education Assessment Registration Service) in Tusla. The link is below:
Privacy Statements
School Transport
Log onto the Bus Eireann Family Portal and create an account in order to make an application for school transport: https://www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport
Some Supports for Ukrainian Students
Primary: https://www.scoilnet.ie/go-to-primary/clsupports/
Post-Primary: https://www.scoilnet.ie/go-to-post-primary/clsupports/
Language materials in Ukrainian and Russian are now available in digital format on the website https://languagesconnect.ie/language-mats/ EAL teachers use these to support development of the language of schooling. They provide commonly used classroom language in Ukrainian and Russian.
A link is also available through which hard copies may be ordered according to the particular requirements of the school.
Resources available to support displaced Ukrainian children’s right to education, as provided by the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights area available through the links below:
Educational Resources for Ukrainian Children (Ukrainian)
Educational Resources for Ukrainian Children (English translation)
National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has developed resources to assist schools in supporting students. These resources are separately targeted at Primary schools and Post Primary schools.
- Guidance on supporting all children who may be experiencing distress in relation to current events – Supporting Children and Young People in a time of war.
- Guidance for primary and post-primary schools in relation to supporting the wellbeing of Ukrainian children/young people at this time.
All of the NEPS wellbeing supports for the Ukrainian crisis are available on the Wellbeing in Education webpage on gov.ie at the following link here.
Ukrainian Education System
The Ukrainian Ministry of Education has published information in English on their website. This includes advice on the use of the All-Ukrainian Online School, the curriculum that Ukrainian children would follow if at home and an overview of the Ukrainian education system.
The website can be accessed here – Information from Ukrainian Ministry of Education.
Pre-School Education
Information on pre-school and childcare programmes and supports in Ireland is available on the Government of Ireland website.
The information booklet “A Parent’s Guide to Childcare in Ireland” has been translated and is available in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.
