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Saibhriú Project 2025 / 2026

Saibhriú - Empowering Learners who are Exceptionally Able and Gifted



The Saibhriú project will be based in the following Education Support Centres:

Region 1: Monaghan 

Region 2: Dublin West

Region 3: Kilkenny

Region 4: Cork

Region 5: Galway  

Region 6: Donegal

Saibhriú will foster local collaboration between primary schools and post-primary schools to establish how they can most effectively work together to support the needs of learners that are exceptionally able and gifted, and how staff expertise and best collaborative teaching approaches can be identified and shared.

Regional clusters of schools will be established by the Education Support Centres. Each cluster / community of practice will typically include nominated lead teachers from four schools in each region. The communities of practice will collaborate over a year (January 2025 – January 2026, initially.

Each community of practice will have clear objectives and work on a theme aimed at enriching provision for exceptionally able and gifted learners, under the mentorship of an academic advisor and Department support services and agencies. The themes will be decided by each community of practice network and will emerge from their identified priorities. Examples of themes that could be considered include:

  • Supporting effective practices in identifying exceptionally able and gifted learners
  • Supporting the exceptionally able and gifted learner with the transition from primary to post-primary school
  • Supporting learners with double/ triple exceptionality
  • Supporting teachers to provide exceptionally able and gifted learners with high quality and challenging learning experiences within the mainstream classroom

  • Supporting exceptionally able and gifted learners in immersive education contexts / Gaeltacht schools / Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí
  • Supporting exceptionally able and gifted learners in discrete subject areas where there are traditionally fewer supports available for enrichment
  • Supporting exceptionally able and gifted learners in their social interactions within the mainstream class setting and within the school

Saibhriú Funding

Funding has been secured through Dormant Accounts for the Saibhriú project. The Department of Education will give a grant of €2,500 to each school involved in the Saibhriú project, to offset costs associated with securing resources.

Separately, funding will be provided to facilitate teachers attending face-to-face meetings, including the initial meeting day with all the clusters. While it is envisaged that most meeting with the academic advisor will be held online, there will be some opportunity for face-to-face meetings, including a shared learning event at the end of the project for all participating schools.

The Education Centres will receive funding from the Department of Education to co-ordinate the Saibhriú project at a local level. An academic advisor will be procured separately to support the communities of practice.