Mayo school one of only five in the country to receive Department of Education award

Scoil Phadraig in Westport was recently very proud to be one of only five primary schools nationally to receive an award for the work they do in the area of Anti-Bullying awareness education.

The school was selected for the inaugural Department of Education Cinéaltas Award in the category of Innovative Initiative for its bespoke social education Pobal Project, which the judges recognised for its ‘creativity, effectiveness and sustainability in preventing and addressing bullying, and promoting ‘equality, inclusion, diversity, and wellbeing’.

The Pobal Project, started in 2012 by Deputy Principal Sharon Brady, is underpinned by human rights education, and a shared understanding of the role that rights, respect and responsibility plays in building a positive school culture for all. Children learn that they have rights, but that with right comes responsibility.

Since then, Pobal has become the organic platform through which all areas of the social education curriculum in the school are delivered annually. Through the lens of interactive assemblies, and whole school initiatives that include the arts and literature, the children and staff enjoy learning and talking about positive character traits, diversity, inclusion, and the importance of choosing kindness in their interactions with others.

The Cinealtas Innovative Initiative Award was presented by Olympic Gold medallist, Afric Keogh at an award ceremony in the Croke Park Convention Centre to Sharon Brady (Deputy Principal), Principal Fergus Seoighe and pupils Yana Lopata, Hayley McDermott and Sheldon Coyne Pakenas.