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Enacting anti-bullying procedures in dynamic school environments: insights from primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland.

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Title: Enacting anti-bullying procedures in dynamic school environments: insights from primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland.
Authors: Gorman, Alan1 (AUTHOR) alan.gorman@dcu.ie, O'Higgins Norman, James1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Irish Educational Studies. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p257-277. 21p.
Subject Terms: *Elementary school principals, *School environment, *Teacher education, *Parent participation in education, *Anti-bullying movements, *Professional employee training, Policy analysis, Shared leadership
Geographic Terms: Ireland
Abstract: This paper explores how primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland engage with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES 2013b). Informed by theoretical literature on policy enactment, the paper illustrates the complex, context-dependent process of enactment. Through qualitative interviews with ten primary school principals, the research uncovers the challenges they face in enacting standardised anti-bullying procedures in their unique school environments. The findings highlight the crucial role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture and managing the expectations of various stakeholders, including parents and teachers. Although distributed leadership is encouraged, the paper reveals that principals often carry the primary burden of responsibility, leading to feelings of isolation and significant pressure. Additionally, the research identifies considerable gaps in teacher education and professional learning. The paper advocates for more flexible, context-sensitive policies that provide better support for school leaders and recommends improved professional learning, shared leadership, and parental engagement to enhance the effectiveness of anti-bullying efforts. As the Department of Education in Ireland revises its anti-bullying procedures, this paper offers critical insights that can guide the development of more effective, supportive policies tailored to the complex realities faced by school leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Irish Educational Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Enacting anti-bullying procedures in dynamic school environments: insights from primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Irish+Educational+Studies%22">Irish Educational Studies</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p257-277. 21p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+school+principals%22">Elementary school principals</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+environment%22">School environment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+education%22">Teacher education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+participation+in+education%22">Parent participation in education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anti-bullying+movements%22">Anti-bullying movements</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+employee+training%22">Professional employee training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Policy+analysis%22">Policy analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Shared+leadership%22">Shared leadership</searchLink>
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  Data: This paper explores how primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland engage with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES 2013b). Informed by theoretical literature on policy enactment, the paper illustrates the complex, context-dependent process of enactment. Through qualitative interviews with ten primary school principals, the research uncovers the challenges they face in enacting standardised anti-bullying procedures in their unique school environments. The findings highlight the crucial role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture and managing the expectations of various stakeholders, including parents and teachers. Although distributed leadership is encouraged, the paper reveals that principals often carry the primary burden of responsibility, leading to feelings of isolation and significant pressure. Additionally, the research identifies considerable gaps in teacher education and professional learning. The paper advocates for more flexible, context-sensitive policies that provide better support for school leaders and recommends improved professional learning, shared leadership, and parental engagement to enhance the effectiveness of anti-bullying efforts. As the Department of Education in Ireland revises its anti-bullying procedures, this paper offers critical insights that can guide the development of more effective, supportive policies tailored to the complex realities faced by school leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Irish Educational Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03323315.2024.2424250
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 257
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary school principals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent participation in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anti-bullying movements
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      – SubjectFull: Professional employee training
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      – SubjectFull: Policy analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Shared leadership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ireland
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Enacting anti-bullying procedures in dynamic school environments: insights from primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland.
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            NameFull: Gorman, Alan
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            NameFull: O'Higgins Norman, James
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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