3 August 2026

Original press release authored by Darren Grant, Pat Cronin Foundation

A landmark new 120-hour primary school toolkit will give teachers the resources they’ve been calling for to help students control their emotions amid rising concerns about aggression in classrooms and playgrounds.

Developed by the Pat Cronin Foundation after working with more than 500 schools, the scale of the revamped Be Wise Primary Program is believed to be an Australian first.

The initiative was officially launched today at Melbourne’s Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) Catholic Primary School with the help of reigning AFLW Best and Fairest Ash Riddell, an ambassador for the Foundation and a relief primary teacher who attended the school as a student.

Ms Riddell was a classmate of Pat, whose death inspired the Foundation’s violence-prevention work which has directly reached almost 400,000 young Australians.

The new evidence-based program comprises 145 lessons and activities from Prep to Grade 6 and comes as recent studies reveal disturbing levels of threats and assaults on teachers throughout Australia.

'This is a big problem, so it needs a big solution,' said Foundation director Matt Cronin.

'In our work with more than 500 schools over the past eight years we’ve been hearing consistently that children are finding it harder to regulate their emotions,” he said. 'This program has been designed to address that, with a scale that attempts to match the volume of anti-social behaviour children are now exposed to.'

It contains in-person and online presentations, curriculum-aligned lesson plans and over 100 classroom activities to practise and reinforce learnings including understanding and managing emotions, recognising peer pressure, interpreting body language, respecting others and seeing their perspectives, responding to rude comments, mapping triggers for anger, techniques for calming down, defusing conflict and understanding online behaviour.

Ms Riddell, who works part-time as a relief teacher alongside her sporting career, said emotional regulation was an essential life skill.

'Whether it’s in the classroom, on the sporting field or in everyday life, the ability to manage our emotions is incredibly important,' she said.

'These are the skills children need to start learning early, and I’ve been genuinely impressed by the Be Wise Primary Program. It’s designed to reach children at the right stage of their development and give them practical strategies they can use every day.'

As a Foundation ambassador, Ms Riddell said the organisation’s messages resonated strongly with her experiences in elite sport.

'As an athlete I know people are always watching how you respond under pressure. Football is fast-paced and emotional, so learning how to stay calm, think clearly and make good choices is essential,' she said.

Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Primary School at Eltham in Melbourne’s northeast has been piloting the new program for the past three months.

'What has impressed us most is the depth of the program,' said Principal Rudy Vail. 'It’s a ready-to-go program that’s easy for teachers to use.

'We’ve embraced this initiative because rather than waiting until there’s a behavioural issue, it gives children the tools and confidence to navigate disagreement and peer conflict before those situations escalate.'

Until recently, the Foundation has focussed primarily on teenagers. The new Be Wise Primary Program represents a major expansion of its work.

To find out more, visit https://patcroninfoundation.org.au/education-programs/primary-schools