The Fernando Pessoa School Group

The Fernando Pessoa School Group, located in the parish of S.ta Maria dos Olivais, in Lisbon, is made up of four educational and teaching establishments, namely: School EB 2,3 of Fernando Pessoa (headquarters of the Group), EB1 c / JI Infante D. Henrique, EB1 c / JI Rainbow and EB1 c / JI Adriano Correia de Oliveira. Considering the characteristics of the population that serves and the problems identified, the Group has included, since the school year 2009-2010, the Territorial Educational Priority Intervention Program (TEIP).The school population consists of 1408 students, of whom 225 are in pre-school education (10groups), 408 are in the 1st cycle (19 regular classes), 367 are in the 2nd cycle (14 regular classes),408 are in the 3rd cycle regular and one in alternative curricular course (PCA)).

They attend the specialized artistic teaching, Basic Music Course, in articulated regime with the Academy of Amateurs of Music, 29 students from the 5th to the 9th grade. Three specialized support units for the education of students with multideficiency (UAM) are operating in the Group: two in the host school and one in the EB1 c / JI Infante D. Henrique; which support a total of 16 children / young people from 1st to 3rd cycles. From the analysis of data on the characterization of the grouping (see Annex 1), and in relation to thesurvey of the ages / level of schooling, it is verified that: at the pre-school level, the predominant agerange is 4-5 (66.8%), with a significant percentage of 3-year-olds (28%); in the 1st cycle, the agesare between 5 / 12years and the predominant age range is 6 and 9 years (88%). 22 students with 5years of age (5.4%) are still attending the 1st cycle; and between the ages of 10 and 12 (7%). Asregards to the second cycle, the ages are between 9 and 14 years, and the predominant age range is10 and 11 years (79%). As regards the third cycle, the ages are between 11 and 16 years, the predominant age range is 11 and 14 years (85%). With regard to the socio-economic characterization of the families of the students of the Group, it is verified that the country of origin of the parents / guardians is, in the majority, Portugal (93%). Cultural diversity does not have great expression, since only 7% of parents / guardians are native to other countries, mostly Portuguese-speaking Africans, Brazil, China, India and Eastern Europe.

The educational qualifications of the parents / guardians are diversified, since they are located from level 1 (without academic qualifications) to level 10 (doctorate), passing through all levels of intermediate education, predominating level 5 (secondary education – 24%, (Parent = 321, Mother = 373)). It is also worth mentioning the increase in the number of parents with higher education or specialization (Pai = 208, Mother = 318) who are at level 7, 8 and 9 (bachelors or equivalent / undergraduate or equivalent) , in relation to previous school years. In relation to the professional groups, there is also a great diversity of professions, emphasizing both the parents and the mothers the professions integrated in the groups of technicians and professionals of intermediate level and personnel of services. In the parents, also stand out the professions integrated in the group Workers.

The majority of parents are in work situation, with a significant number of parents / mothers (Father =244, Mother = 271) unemployed or covered by support (subsidies, social insertion income; family and others). In order to minimize some of these difficulties, 558 students (39% of the school population / students) benefit from ASE support. Of these, 368 students are integrated in step A and 183 students in step B and 7 students in step C. We can also infer that the great majority of families follow a traditional model, living most of the students with parents and siblings. There is also a significant number of students living in singleparentfamilies or with other relatives.

As regards the teaching and non-teaching population, 130 teachers and 59 non-teaching staff, including a School Psychologist (Psychology and Orientation Service), a Social Educator, a Social Work Technician and a Mediatrix (contracted under of the TEIP program contract).

Our school as a strong tradition and work in Inclusive Education. Our mission is: -Provide a public service of quality education and training, in synergy with the community, aiming atthe integral formation of citizens prepared for lifelong learning and for the exercise of responsible citizenship.

-To promote educational success in the Fernando Pessoa School Grouping based on the quality, rigor and discipline of teaching provided.

Starting from the conception of Education throughout the life and Perspective the Education as a global experience, the mission we set out to achieve is to promote the knowledge in different contextsand value the BEING PERSON, in three essential dimensions: § Dimension of Knowing – learning to know, that is, acquiring the instruments of understanding and learning to do, to be able to act on the environment; § The dimension of socializing – learning to live together, in order to participate and cooperate with others in all human activities; § Dimension of Being / Turning – learning to be, an essential way that integrates the two previous dimensions.

The school have strong cooperation with parental association of our school. We want to contribute to the pilot implementation of this project. Our strong relationships with the community share holders that bring visible added value to the project. The management team of our school and the teachers are qualified enough to give feedback and report the results of this project. We have run a Comenius Project between 2008-2010 (“Les jardins de lÉurope”) and visited France, Eslováquia, itália and between 2010-2012 (“Let´s play together” and visited Itália, France, Spain, Turkey, Polond, Hungary,Ireland and Romania. We have also run a student Exchange programme with Spain. Cláudia Torres, school director is a woman of challenges with a PhD in Education and she always encourages staffand students to participate all kind of national and international events.