S3/S4

During third and fourth year the responsibilities of Pupil Support staff are geared towards helping young people through 3 main transitions.  These are:

1. Curricular Transition ie from second year to third year and from fourth year to fifth year/college/employment.
2. Vocational Transition ie information about and preparation for the world of work.
3. Personal Transition ie from childhood to adolescence to adulthood.

The curriculum that pupils follow in third year and fourth year is only finalised after consultation with pupils, teachers and parents.  Much course choice work is undertaken in both second year and towards the end of fourth year.  During these times help and advice is given at a group level or at individual level.  Expert and particular advice relating to specific careers is available from those Pupil Support teachers who have a specific qualification in careers’ guidance and often from outside specialists.

Information and guidance relevant to ‘job hunting’ is given during social education classes eg letters of application;  application forms;  interviews;  references etc.  Other topics dealt with include caring for others, friends & friendship, sex education, aids, careers, personal safety, discussions topics, pupils in the school community, family affairs, work experience, study skills etc.  A more detailed social education syllabus is to be found in the ‘third year course choice handbook’, or is available from the school on request.

The House Pupil Support staff are responsible for dealing with any problems that occur concerned with, for example, progress, behaviour and attendance.  Whether the problems are obvious, or brought to our attention by a teacher or a parent, the pupil is always seen individually by a member of the Guidance staff.  These situations are rarely ‘interviews’ - more often than not the child is sympathetically listened to.  The action taken to solve the problem is as necessary - sometimes no action is taken; sometimes advice is offered to the child and/or to parents; sometimes other agencies such as the Special Education Service or the Social Work Department are consulted.

However, we realise that in almost all problems that pupils have or think that they have are best solved by maintaining contact with the home.  We welcome contact with parents at any time and hope that no parent would hesitate to approach the school.