The Agree to Agree Pilot Project is an innovative, tailored process designed to guide schools, pupils, and families to co-create specific agreements around online behavior outside of school hours. Key stakeholders—parents, staff, and the Board of Management—participate in workshops to create agreements that reflect their unique circumstances.

Using the School Self Evaluation Process and promoting "Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free" Guidelines, the project takes a collaborative and data-informed approach to address children's internet-enabled device usage. It focuses on fostering responsible digital citizenship, prioritizing children's well-being, and involving all stakeholders in systematic evaluation, engagement, and action planning.

Project Goals

• Promote responsible digital citizenship
• Address children’s use of internet-enabled devices
• Ensure a collaborative and data-informed approach
• Prioritize children's well-being through stakeholder engagement

Pupil Feedback

"If grown-ups could block all the bad things online, that would help."

"Look at what we are doing online to make sure it's all for our age."

Participating School Communities (2023-2024)

In September 2024, 10 primary school communities in Clare launched their own unique agreements, informed by extensive collaboration with the wider school community. Each agreement addressed issues most relevant to their respective school communities.

Feedback from participating schools:

• "This should be a project rolled out to all schools."
• "Extremely worthwhile project and very comprehensively delivered."
• "I think the whole process was executed extremely well."

Project Expansion

In October 2024, supported by the Department of Education through Oide Technology in Education, the project was launched in Clare Education Centre, Tralee Education Support Centre, and Navan Education Support Centre. A total of 21 school communities participated, potentially improving the digital well-being of over 4,000 pupils and 500 teaching staff combined.

The participating schools are reflective of the diversity of school communities, with pupils from various cultural backgrounds, including Ukrainian pupils and those from the Roma and Travelling Communities. A special school also took part in the project.

Project Objectives

The Agree to Agree Pilot Project bridges the gap between school and home. The aim is to ensure that pupils, whether online inside or outside school gates, are supported and protected while engaging with digital technologies in a safe and supervised environment.

Contact Information

• Mr. Martin Moloney
  Director, Clare Education Centre
  Tel: 065 6845500
  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  Website: www.clareed.ie
• Dr. Maureen Griffin
  Director, MGMS Training Limited
  Tel: +353 87 2046598
  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  Website: www.mgmstraining.ie