PEACEPLUS ASPIRE NEWS

Educator Professional Learning: Leading a Highly Effective Shared Education Partnership

Written by LÉARGAS | Apr 21, 2026 3:40:59 PM


On Friday 17 April 2026, PEACEPLUS ASPIRE hosted an Educator Professional Learning module for school leaders at Donegal Teachers’ Centre in Letterkenny. The session brought together fifty leaders from shared education partnerships across Northern Ireland and Ireland, spanning pre school settings and primary schools.

The module provided a dedicated space for leaders to reflect on their current partnerships, clarify their vision for inclusive shared learning, and plan strategically for continued improvement. Through discussion and reflection, participants engaged with the realities of leading shared learning projects in their unique school and community contexts.

The facilitators, Dr Mark Barr and Peter Geoghegan, grounded the session in policy outcomes for children and young people, while creating purposeful space for discussion and debate. Leaders were invited to look beyond the school gates, exploring examples of best practice within the wider community. The session also examined practical frameworks and approaches for developing practice, with a focus on gathering robust primary evidence to measure impact and inform continuous improvement.

Participants spoke about the positive impact of their shared education partnerships. Many reflected on how these connections reduced feelings of professional isolation and created a genuine sense of support and community among colleagues. Leaders highlighted the enriched experiences and opportunities now available to children and young people, as well as the friendships forming between pupils, with relationships that extend beyond the school gates into the wider community. Participants also noted the value of the strong, meaningful relationships developed with fellow educators, parents and community members, describing these partnerships as central to sustaining and strengthening their work.

PEACEPLUS ASPIRE (Advancing Shared Partnerships through Inclusive Relationships in Education) is a collaboration between Léargas, the Education Authority (lead partner), Early Years- the organisation for young children, National Childhood Network (NCN) and the Fermanagh Trust. The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It aims to provide direct and sustained contact between children and young people from all backgrounds.

To learn more about PEACEPLUS ASPIRE, check out our website here.