The framework for Junior Cycle provides for an area of learning at Junior Cycle called Wellbeing. Wellbeing crosses the three years of Junior Cycle and builds on substantial work already taking place in our school in support of students’ wellbeing. It provides learning opportunities to enhance the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of students. It also supports students in developing important life skills and in building a strong sense of connectedness to their school and to their community.
The goal for wellbeing is human flourishing and flourishing rests on positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment. Wellbeing matters in the here and now and it is important in its own right because all students have a right to have their wellbeing supported and to feel cared for in our school. Our students engage in meaningful learning which in turn helps them to be creative and imaginative, resilient, persistent and more positive about themselves.
We are incredibly proud that our school officially achieved the Belong To LGBTQ+ Quality Mark Status in March 2025. This recognition marked the culmination of 18 months of dedication, collaboration, and hard work across our entire school community.
The Belong To Quality Mark Programme is a national initiative that supports schools in creating safe, supportive, and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families. Earning the Quality Mark demonstrates that our school actively celebrates diversity and inclusion, ensuring that every student feels seen, respected, and valued for who they are.
Our journey toward this achievement began two years ago, when we first partnered with Belong To, Ireland’s national organisation supporting LGBTQ+ young people. Through the Quality Mark Programme, we reflected deeply on our school’s culture, policies, and practices, and worked together to embed inclusion in every aspect of school life. Receiving the Quality Mark is not just a certificate — it represents our commitment to equality, respect, and belonging for all.
As a school, this achievement means a great deal to us. It signifies our dedication to fostering a community where kindness, understanding, and inclusion thrive. We believe it’s vital that our students recognise the importance of celebrating diversity — not only during special events, but as part of everyday life in our school.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our strong partnership with Belong To. We will proudly host our annual Stand Up Week each November, highlighting the importance of allyship and inclusion, as well as our much-loved Colours Day, a joyful celebration of diversity within our community.
In September 2025, we also launched our brand-new School Colours Library, featuring a growing collection of books that celebrate LGBTQ+ stories and diverse voices. This November, during Stand Up Week, we look forward to raising more funds to expand this collection and continue promoting empathy and understanding through reading.
Achieving the Belong To Quality Mark has been a milestone moment for our school — one that reflects the shared values, compassion, and commitment of our students, staff, and families. Together, we will continue to champion inclusion and ensure that every girl in our school feels proud to be herself.
This year in Presentation, we are delivering the Fuse programme in our SPHE classes. This is an Anti-Bullying and Online Safety Programme, developed by the Anti-Bullying Centre (ABC) at Dublin City University. All junior cycle classes from first to third year will be introduced to this programme, with four compulsory workshops being completed with each year group.
The Fuse programme is the first research based Anti-bullying and Online Safety Programme in Ireland and is founded on over 20 years of research. It is designed to support the wider SPHE/RSE/Wellbeing curriculum in schools and aims to empower students to tackle bullying and online safety issues, in line with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The aim of this programme is to increase the self-efficacy of students in Noticing, Responding and Reporting bullying and online safety issues. We hope in doing this programme that we are helping to tackle bullying, promote online safety and effect real change in this critical area.
We are delighted to announce that our school will be working with The Shona Project throughout this school year. The Shona Project is a national organisation that empowers young women to build confidence, celebrate individuality, and support one another. Their mission aligns perfectly with our school’s values of kindness, inclusion, and personal growth.
As part of this exciting partnership, our school will be taking part in The Shona Project’s Junior Ambassador Programme. This initiative gives students the opportunity to become positive role models and leaders within our school community. Through the programme, our Junior Ambassadors will learn how to champion kindness, resilience, and self-belief — and how to support their peers in doing the same.
In addition to the Junior Ambassador Programme, all students in the school will take part in Shona Project workshops this year. These sessions will focus on themes such as kindness, goal setting, and self-confidence, encouraging students to reflect on their strengths, set personal goals, and understand the impact that kindness can have on themselves and others.
Our involvement with The Shona Project represents an important step in our ongoing commitment to promoting wellbeing, empowerment, and positive relationships among all our students. We believe that by working together, we can help every girl in our school feel confident, capable, and proud of who she is.
You can learn more about The Shona Project and their inspiring work by visiting their website: https://shona.ie/.
Here at Presentation Secondary School, we are very proud as a school community to currently be working with ‘Belong To’ in order to achieve a quality mark status for our school.
The LGBTQ+ Quality Mark provides a comprehensive approach to developing an LGBTQ+ safe and supportive school.
The LGBTQ+ Quality Mark provides a comprehensive approach to developing an LGBTQ+ safe and supportive school that includes:
Ensuring that staff are equipped to support LGBTQ+ students.
Creating a supportive, LGBTQ+ inclusive school culture and environment.
Encouraging students to share their opinions and ideas on how to create a safe and supportive school.
Developing and implementing effective school policies and plans.
Implementing a curriculum that supports diversity and respect.
Working with parents, community organisations and other local LGBTQ+ youth projects or groups to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion.
We started this programme back in September 2023 and hope to achieve our quality mark status by January 2025. This year our Colours day for Stand Up Awareness Week should be bigger and better than ever as we continue to promote the importance of inclusion and respect for all in our school community.
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