KIVA - Marymount National School

Introducing KiVa!



Marymount is one of the first schools in Ireland to take part in the KiVa anti- bullying programme.

KiVa is an innovative school-based anti-bullying programme which has been developed using cutting-edge research on bullying.

KiVa was developed at the University of Turku in Finland. Its developers are experts who have been studying the phenomenon of bullying and its mechanisms for decades.

KiVa is an evidence-based programme to prevent bullying, to tackle cases of bullying effectively and to monitor the situation in one’s school and any changes taking place over time.

The KiVa online tools help us to do this effectively. These tools produce annual feedback for each school about their implementation of the programme as well as the outcomes obtained.

All teachers in Marymount have received training in how to deliver the KiVa programme and all children from 1st to 6th Class will receive 10 KiVa lessons every year. KiVa Unit 1 works with children from 1st to 3rd Class, whilst KIVA Unit 2 is designed for students from 4th to 6th Class.
All parents receive a booklet to help them understand the programme.

KiVa includes both universal and indicated actions. The universal actions, such as the KiVa curriculum (student lessons and online games), are directed at all students and focus mainly on preventing bullying. The indicated actions are to be used when a bullying case has emerged.

When a bullying case is identified there is a set procedure which is followed which includes referral to the KiVa team. The KiVa team are all members of staff who have received extra training. They follow a set procedure which includes talking to all parties involved and keeping parents informed. The KiVa programme is a part of the school’s overall approach to bullying as set out in our Anti Bullying Policy.

We are very pleased to be part of the KiVa Programme. We are a KiVa School!