Coordinator Emanuel Pestana offered a very positive assessment, noting that the academic year focused on early assessment—addressing a gap identified the previous year.

Of the 210 cases flagged by school psychology services, 103 students received support throughout the year, and 89 advanced to the next grade level: 62 from the 3rd cycle of basic education, 32 from the 2nd cycle, and nine from secondary education, Pestana told the Lusa news agency.

Following the initial referrals from schools, the project team conducts a screening based on a set risk matrix. This matrix focuses primarily on a history of academic underachievement, which may be linked to issues such as “absenteeism, attendance and punctuality, behavioural problems, and low parental involvement.”

Final validation is carried out in coordination with the schools.

Storm Kristin, which struck on 28 January, required extra effort from the team; Pestana said they worked directly with families to determine what kind of frontline support was needed. He also highlighted the implementation of the “Abraços que Cuidam” (Hugs that Care) program—a challenge launched by the Municipality of Leiria (the project’s social investor) as part of the “Reerguer Leiria” (Rebuilding Leiria) initiative.

“Ninety per cent of our focus is on working with individuals, but this program allowed us to work at the class level, reaching 837 students across the Leiria municipality. According to Emanuel Pestana, the reality they encountered varied greatly. Some students expressed “regret that it hadn’t happened at a time that would have kept them out of school longer,” while for others the impact was greater, involving damage to their homes and “being frightened by the sound of the wind.”

The project also developed training initiatives for operational staff, tailored to each school’s specific needs.

“We addressed topics such as well-being and assertive interpersonal communication, given that operational staff spend a significant amount of time with the students.”

Emanuel Pestana noted that activities held during school breaks were another positive aspect of the Redes na Escola (School Networks) project, as they fostered “a more informal setting and stronger relationships with students and their families—a key role of the program.”

The number of students for the 2026/2027 academic year has not yet been finalised but is expected to remain similar to the previous year.

Some students continue to receive support, while others have been “discharged based on evidence of academic progress”—specifically, “students who advanced to the next grade with zero or only one failing grade.”

Emanuel Pestana acknowledged that, to ensure the project’s effectiveness, InPulsar cannot work with too many students: “We don’t want this to be a numbers-driven project; we want it to be based on personalised, student-centred intervention, and that requires effort and dedication from the staff.”

Two new programs under the Redes na Escola (School Networks) initiative are planned for this year.

“One will be a participatory methodology called ‘Photovoice.’ Its theme is ‘My School: Valuing, Transforming, and Imagining.’ We aim to encourage students to become catalysts for change, should they deem it necessary,” the speaker stated, explaining that the project involves getting students to reflect on specific issues through photography.

The other program is named Trampolim (Trampoline); it focuses on “personal skills” and targets 7th- and 8th-grade students, with the primary goal of fostering engagement and self-regulation in learning.

This program will address self-awareness, organisation, planning, and emotional self-regulation, enhancing decision-making and emotional management while promoting greater student autonomy.

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