Guidance and Counselling
The overall aim of Guidance and Counselling is to treat each student as a unique individual with specific needs, values, interests and aptitudes as well as providing an encouraging and nurturing environment for their multi-potential development. The focus is to help students make informed personal, educational and career decisions, in keeping with the school’s mission statement.
Guidance Counselling refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives. It encompasses three separate but interlinked areas; personal and social, educational and career guidance and counselling.
Personal and Social covers emotional and psychological issues a student may have. Students are given the opportunity to explore their feelings and how to cope with challenges in their
lives, in a caring and supportive environment. Students can be referred for counselling by school management, the student support team, parents, or they can request an appointment themselves. Should the need arise, referrals to outside agencies may occur after consultation with parents and school management.
Educational concerns the intellectual development of students which addressed in both a class format and on a one-to-one basis, if needs be. Topics covered include; motivation, underachieving their potential, difficulties with ‘settling in’, subject choice, learning and study skills and stress management.
Career focuses on the occupational exploration and aspirations of the students and the provision of career information. It involves helping them to identify their interests, skills, qualities, aptitudes and values, with a view to making informed choices for their future. It’s provided through guidance classes and one-to-one appointments. All 6th years meet the Guidance Counsellor at least once during the year, with more appointments available if needed. Transition Year and 5th year students also receive Guidance classes and appointments, where appropriate.
Guidance counselling involves intervention (e.g. counselling) and prevention (e.g. guidance classes). Learning experiences are delivered through guidance classes for both Junior and Senior cycle as well as one-to-one appointments with students and preventative programmes and workshops.
It is also integrated across the curriculum through subjects such as SPHE as well as the TY and LCVP programmes. In addition to classes, other guidance related activities include; trips to open days and career exhibitions, visiting speakers, work experience and parents’ information sessions.
The Guidance Counselling department operates on an ‘open door’ policy. Students are therefore are encouraged to drop in to; chat, seek advice, ask a question, make an appointment or simply to say hello! Parents are also very welcome to make contact with the Guidance Counsellor if they wish.
