Portugal

The Maia Cluster, formed in 2012, comprises four public schools: Escola Secundária da Maia (headquarters school), Escola Básica de Gueifães, EB1 nº1 in Gueifães and EB1 nº2 in Gueifães. These schools are in different parts of the city, some of them not in the city centre, which gives them a heterogeneity of elements that enhance different contexts, dynamics and successes.

In the Maia Cluster there are students from different social strata, mostly from middle/upper-middle class families in the urban and semi-urban areas of Maia. However, the negative impact on the socioeconomic level of families, caused by the current context (pandemic, war, energy crisis) is felt, with an increasing number of families requesting economic aid.

The Cluster has all levels of Basic Education (1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle) and Secondary Education (with scientific- humanistic courses - Visual Arts, Sciences and Technologies, Socioeconomic Sciences and Languages and Humanities - and Education courses and Professional Training-Electronics, Automation and Computers; Management and Programming of Information Systems; Industrial/Electromechanical Maintenance; and Tourism).

The institution is managed by a Director, a single-person body for administration and management in the pedagogical, cultural, administrative, financial and heritage areas. Ensuring the coordination and pedagogical supervision and educational guidance of the Cluster there is the pedagogical council, chaired by the Director. In this council the different curricular departments are represented as well as the coordinators of the different structures with pedagogical supervision and educational guidance (coordinators of class/course directors, special education), in a total of 17 elements.

The Cluster has an administrative council; a pedagogical council, which ensures the coordination and pedagogical supervision and educational guidance of the Cluster; a Multidisciplinary Team to Support Inclusive Education (EMAEI), which is one of the specific organizational resources to support learning and inclusion , aiming to integrate all those involved in the educational process and technical-pedagogical services (Learning Support Centre; Educational Support; Special Education; Pshychological Support; Libraries/Resource Centers), which are intended to ensure the full school integration of children and students, articulating their activity with educational coordination structures and pedagogical supervision.

The Cluster has 2775 students, 284 teachers and 102 non-teaching staff. In accordance with the legislation, the Cluster is charting the path towards digital transformation (PADDE), towards Active Citizenship, with Basic and Secondary teachers boosting areas of Autonomy and Flexibility in the Curriculum and promoting an Inclusive Education. To improve school success and the quality of learning, educating for citizenship and promoting health, sport and culture the following needs or areas for improvement were identified: a more diversified participation in international projects; improve the involvement of all teachers in the search for innovative pedagogical practices based on interdisciplinary work; improve benchmarking practices; promote school success and the quality of learning and promote clear and public recognition of good educational practices. The Cluster defined the themes on which international projects should focus: 1. Pedagogical Innovation based on STEM, STEAM, CLIL and Digital Education approaches; 2. Climate, Ecology and Sustainable Development; 3. Promotion and strengthening of European democracy; 4. Economy for common people; 5. Citizenship, inclusion and equal opportunities.