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.