School innovation in Europe: non-formal education and student engagement to support better achievement and social competences at the Ion Luca Caragiale School in Tulcea

At the end of the 1990s, the first attempts to innovate at school level started with some primary classes being organised based on the ‘Step by step’ alternative pedagogy system. This meant that there were two teachers per class and that the learning process was organised around teams of students, rather than based on an individual learning. The change happened in response to requests from parents, and the school continues to offer both regular and ‘Step by step’ classes at primary level, with all students attending regular classes during lower secondary education (from 5^th to 8^th grade).

The ‘Different school’ (‘Şcoala altfel’) programme, introduced in 2011, offers an entire week of the school year dedicated to non-formal education. Partnerships with NGOs and the local community have also led to the implementation of several projects involving students in all stages, including planning and evaluation stages.