Progression Risk/Resilience In Mainstream Education [PRIME] (2025 – current)

In collaboration with seven primary schools in Limerick City, the PRIME project assesses children’s basic skills – physical, cognitive, and social – at the beginning and end of each school year through a series of interactive games that take place in the school during the school day.  The assessments are run at the start and end of the school year. The collected data is analyzed and given to the schools.  

We want better outcomes for children in education. Assessing children’s skills at the beginning of the year enables schools to identify children in need of support quickly. Assessing at the end of the year enables the PRIME team to assess the most effective interventions at various ages and stages. Assessing again after the summer at the start of the next school year enables schools to identify children most at risk, whose progress has fallen back during the summer break. Such information is vital for understanding individual developmental trajectories, as well as peer group assessments and comparisons within and between participating schools and measured against national and international norms.   

UL Engage, Corpus Christi Primary School, Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy, Le Chéile National School, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Our Lady Queen of Peace National School, Scoil Íde and St. Mary's National School. 

Our advisory committee has representation from the schools, the project, clinicians, and education. 

As of June 2026, we have completed two sets of assessments in all schools and have provided reports analysing the first set of data to each of the participating schools. The schools have already used the data as part of their funding applications and resource planning.  

"The PRIME project is transformational for our school. It enables us to track our children and provide invaluable, evidence-based data to improve educational outcomes and attainment."

Eoghan O’Byrne, Principal, St Mary’s National School, Limerick 

Working with the PRIME project team, students will be trained to carry out a series of interactive assessments of children’s basic skills and capacities in the following areas: self-regulation, communication, problem-solving, gross motor skills and fine motor skills. 

Assessments typically take 10-15 days and take place in the participating schools in September/October and May/June. Details of what a typical assessment day looks like can be found in the resources tab.

All student assessors will complete a Child Safety training course and receive introductory training in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and data collection.

UL Practicum students' participation on graded modules BR4203 and BR4204 will comprise additional lectures and training in engaged research design, data analytics, and statistical analysis, to complement the practice-based engaged research element of training provided by their placement on the PRIME project. 

The rationale for this mode of learning is two-fold:

First, you will learn by doing. The PRIME project offers experiential learning: data analytics will come to life as you see how the information that you collect from children's assessments can be coded, confirmed, and recorded to produce really meaningful information for local schools – about individual children, about class cohorts, and about how the social determinants of health impact on children's development.

Second, the project responds to requests for support from local schools and thus presents a very practical way that the University of Limerick can focus its impact in accordance with community-identified needs. 

 Other reasons you might want to take part include:

• An increased understanding of how community based research projects work
• Experience in a cutting-edge research project for your CV
• Access to original data to use in your Final Year / Research project

The partners to the project are all familiar with community-university collaboration and participate in a range of other UL projects. The result is a very collegial, enthusiastic and collaborative team, comprised of faculty and students, school principals and teachers, supported by Limerick City and County Council.

Project partners:

Corpus Christi Primary School; Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy; Le Chéile National School; Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School; Our Lady Queen of Peace National School; Scoil Íde; St. Mary's National School; UL Engage; Limerick City and County Council (Economic and Social Intervention Fund)

As part of your learning you will be required to keep a journal for reflective practice. EMERGE Interns and Fellows will participate on a pass/fail basis.

UL Practicum students will be assessed in the following manner: One essay summarizing your reflections and learning from the project (20%). Additionally, you will select a topic and/or focus from within the data collected and produce a short report, which may be presented and shared with the relevant partners in the project (60%). 20% of your mark will be allocated towards your participation in the project, in terms of your professional and transferable work skills. 

The PRIME project will establish a long-term data base on children’s basic skills that are the foundation of numeracy and literacy, that increase attendance and retention, and that support educational transitions and overall attainment throughout their educational journey. The data collected will include children from junior infants to sixth class who will be followed over the entirety of their primary school career. This data will advance evidence-informed policies, practices and services for schools to enable evidence-informed decision-making that delivers real and lasting societal impact, aligned with the missions identified in the DEIS Action Plan 2025-2028.

Traditional ‘Ages and Stages’ questionnaire assessments are sent to parents/guardians in survey form and the response rate from families in the most socio-economically disadvantaged communities is poor. Instead of sending surveys home, which may seem complicated and often do not get returned, we re-create the skills assessment as a series of interactive, fun games and puzzles for children to play. Collecting this information directly from the children, supported by the school, provides valid and reliable data quickly and efficiently.

The information gathered is vital for understanding individual developmental trajectories, as well as peer group assessments and comparisons within and between participating schools and measured against national and international norms.

Project partners:

Corpus Christi Primary School; Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy; Le Chéile National School; Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School; Our Lady Queen of Peace National School; Scoil Íde; St. Mary's National School; UL Engage; Limerick City and County Council (Economic and Social Intervention Fund)

The project is partially funded by Limerick City and County Council's Economic and Social Intervention Fund (ESIF) and subject to annual audit and review. In addition the project is monitored by an Advisory Board and provides annual reports on outputs and outcomes to all project funders and stakeholders. Regular project updates are provided in compliance with funding received from the UL Citizens' Assembly.