Equip your Key Stage 1 staff to deliver emotional wellbeing and resilience learning in their own classrooms. 

FLM Sunrise gives your school the training, curriculum, resources and support to deliver a structured programme with children. Staff build the knowledge and confidence to use the programme in their classrooms, with support from Fresh Minds Education throughout delivery. 

Funded places are available for three participating classes in each Health and Social Care Trust area across Northern Ireland. Participation is free to schools accepted into this rollout. 

Sunrise was written and overseen with support from Northern Ireland teaching consultants to align directly with the Personal Development and Mutual Understanding curriculum at Key Stage 1. Delivering the programme contributes to your school’s PDMU teaching. 

It also supports schools gathering Take 5 School Evidence through structured emotional wellbeing activities, classroom resources and evaluation. 

Mainstream participating classes must be within Key Stage 1. Special school applications can be considered individually, taking account of children’s developmental stages and needs. 

Each participating class has its own trained teacher or staff member. This equips the adult who works with those children to deliver the programme and use its tools throughout the school day. 

The knowledge and physical resources stay within your school, allowing the learning to extend beyond the first programme cycle. Staff can continue using Sunrise with ongoing access to programme support and digital materials for as long as Fresh Minds Education can maintain the programme and platform. 

Sunrise uses the AMBER Approach: Anchor, Move, Breathe, Express and Relax. Staff training introduces the approach and shows how to use the classroom resources alongside the Sunrise curriculum. 

What your school receives 

One full day of training, normally 9am–3pm at Fresh Minds Education in Antrim, prepares your nominated staff to use the AMBER Approach, deliver Sunrise sessions, work with the resources and evaluate impact. Practical onboarding covers the online platform, digital materials and delivery pathway. 

We intend to offer two training dates. Dates are to be confirmed. Each nominated staff member must attend one of the available dates to take up a funded place. 

Six colourful resource books from the Sunrise Educator's Pack

Your school receives an AMBER Approach classroom resource box and physical delivery manuals to support programme delivery. 

Staff receive access to the FLM online platform and digital programme materials. Access continues for as long as Fresh Minds Education is able to maintain and support the programme and platform. 

We support staff to complete a simple baseline and exit evaluation with participating children. The easy-to-use evaluation tool was developed with support from Queen’s University Belfast researchers. 

We check in with your school midway through the programme to answer questions, review progress and provide support where needed. Our team remains available for additional programme support. 

Fresh Minds Education visits your school in person to support a graduation or celebration with participating children. Staff who successfully complete the programme requirements and approval process are recognised as an FLM SUNRISE Approved Coach. 

Sunrise includes 40 core micro-sessions, each lasting approximately 20 minutes, with extended activities to deepen learning. The basic and extended curriculum allow staff to adapt the pace and level of delivery to their class. 

Schools can deliver the programme intensively over around six weeks, across one or several terms, or across P3 and P4 over two school years. Learning is scaffolded and designed to support inclusive delivery, including for neurodiverse children. 

How to take part 

Complete our short Expression of Interest form. We check eligibility and funded class availability in your Trust area, then contact you to confirm whether we can offer a place. 

Nominate one appropriate teacher or staff member for each participating class. They attend the required training and receive onboarding, classroom resources and digital access. 

Begin delivery before the October half-term break and follow the curriculum at a pace suited to your school. Complete the simple baseline and exit evaluations with participating children. 

Take part in the midpoint check-in and contact us whenever you need additional programme support. 

Celebrate children’s participation with an in-person FME visit. Staff who meet the programme requirements and approval process receive recognition as an FLM SUNRISE Approved Coach. 

Three class places are available in each Health and Social Care Trust area. These may be allocated to one school with three eligible classes, three schools with one class each, or another combination. 

Places are allocated on a first come basis to schools that meet the eligibility requirements, have a funded place available in their Trust area and can meet the programme commitments. Submitting an Expression of Interest does not guarantee a place. 

  • Nominate one suitable Key Stage 1 teacher or staff member for each participating class. 
  • Deliver the programme and use its resources appropriately. 
  • Ensure each nominated staff member attends one full training day and begins delivery before October half-term. 
  • Complete baseline and exit evaluation, engage with the midpoint check-in and take part in the completion celebration. 

Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities

  • Managing information
    • Select, classify, compare and evaluate information
    • Use a range of methods for collating, recording and representing information
  • Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
    • Make predictions, examine evidence, and distinguish fact from fiction
    • Make links between cause and effect
  • Being Creative
    • Seek out questions to explore and problems to solve
    • Experiment with ideas and questions
    • Make new connections between ideas and information
    • Learn from and value other people’s ideas
    • Value the unexpected or surprising
    • See opportunities in mistakes and failures
  • Working With Others
    • Listen actively and share opinions
    • Develop routines of turn-taking, sharing and cooperating
    • Give and respond to feedback
    • Take personal responsibility for work with others and evaluate their own contribution to the group
    • Be fair
    • Respect the views and opinions of others and reach agreements using negotiation and compromise
  • Self Management
    • Manage their behaviour in a range of situations
    • Focus, sustain attention and persist with tasks
    • Review learning and some aspects that might be improved
    • Seek advice when necessary
    • Compare their own approach with others’ and in different contexts

See how Sunrise works in the classroom, with programme resources, practical activities and feedback from participating schools.