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Beaufort College, Navan, Co. Meath, was awarded €5,000 as part of the Féilte Bursary Scheme to collaborate with three schools* to establish a Professional Learning Community for wellbeing and anti-bullying. This project aims to foster collaboration and innovation among teachers to address wellbeing, and hidden bullying, promote inclusion, and enhance psychological safety in schools.

*List of collaborating schools:

  • Presentation Secondary School , Co. Kerry
  • Eureka Secondary School , Co. Meath
  • Scoil Naomh Eoin , Co. Meath

School's reflection

The Helping Hands programme empowers schools to identify and address bullying and exclusion through data-driven tools, enhancing teacher capacity, collaboration, and inclusive practice within safe, supportive learning environments.

Student Well-being and Inclusion

  • Identifies hidden social dynamics, including bullying, isolation, and exclusion.
  • Supports early, targeted interventions to promote inclusion.
  • Enhances psychological safety, fostering a sense of belonging for all students.
  • Creates more balanced and cooperative classroom teams.

Teacher Capacity and Confidence

  • Builds teacher skills in interpreting sociometric data (e.g. heat maps).
  • Increases confidence in addressing complex social and emotional issues.
  • Enables proactive responses to classroom dynamics, rather than reactive ones.
  • Encourages reflective and data-informed decision-making.

Professional Collaboration

  • Promotes collaboration through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
  • Facilitates sharing of strategies and interventions across school contexts.
  • Supports joint development of transition strategies for at-risk students.
  • Strengthens collective problem-solving and professional dialogue.

Sustainable Cultural Change

  • Embeds inclusive practices into everyday school life.
  • Aligns with School Self-Evaluation (SSE) for long-term planning.
  • Encourages whole-school commitment to inclusion and well-being.
  • Provides a replicable model for continuous improvement and professional learning.

The Helping Hands programme has had a meaningful impact by enhancing teachers’ ability to create inclusive, supportive classrooms, leading to improved student well-being, stronger relationships, and a safer school climate. It also enhances the teaching and learning within the classroom by fostering a positive environment where students feel valued, engaged, and empowered to succeed both academically and socially.