Learning for 21st Century: skills for the future

Agrupamento de escolas de Alpendorada ( Alpendorada School Cluster) is located in the north of Portugal, in a semi-rural neighbourhood of about 53 000 inhabitants. The School Cluster consists of 3 kindergartens, 2 primary schools, 6 kindergartens with primary school included, one lower secondary school and one secondary school. Overall it has got about 2031 students and 202 teachers and one psychologist that works individually with students struggling with emotional, behavioural, and social challenges. It is also the role of the psychologist to work with a student's family to recognize issues that may have negative impact on social and academic success. The school’s social and economic context is very large: we have low income and lower family qualifications, reflecting a significant unemployment rate due to the actual economic crisis. As a result, some families have lower expectations regarding academic achievements and its benefits for the future of their children. Since no social and economic developments are evident, the school faces a huge challenge in order to modify thoughts and believes of most of its students’ families. In order to change this setting, the school has a special programme to improve students' knowledges, skills and abilities, as well as implementing strategies to overcome pupils’ weak learning behaviour, lack of concentration, school failure and early school leaving. To tackle the issues raised above, the school has implemented specific teaching strategies for maths and Portuguese such as grouping students in small groups. At the same time, we also organised a team of extra teachers to go in some classes and help the main teacher with pupils showing learning difficulties. Furthermore, the school’s Educational Project aims to develop projects in diversified areas in order to provide students with key skills for life and ensure a compromise attitude regarding school failure and early school leaving. The school is involved in some eTwinning projects, as well the school is also involved in The National Reading Plan, Health Education, National Network of Libraries, Sports Club among others.