Pastoral Support for Students
What is our Pastoral Support system?
All the young people are assigned to a Pastoral Support teacher on entering our school. Pastoral Support provides the link in the educational chain between home and various departments in our school. All teachers in a school have a clear responsibility for the children’s welfare. It is the Pastoral Support teacher who has an ‘all round’ picture of an individual pupil’s progress. The Pastoral Support teacher also prepares a structured Pastoral Support programme to help all the pupils at certain stages of development. Pastoral Support staff are therefore engaged in a number of important tasks in addition to their teaching duties including monitoring progress, attendance, attainment, well being, etc. Those identified as being at risk are identified and every encouragement is given to achieve their full potential.
What do Pastoral Support teachers do?
Pastoral Support teachers help in the following ways. For example:
- caring and providing support for all pupils
- developing close links with Primary 7 pupils and teachers
- taking care of new admissions
- regularly reviewing the academic progress of young people
- assisting with options choices
- actively promoting social inclusion
- monitoring of attendance and timekeeping
- caring for pupils who face difficulties – emotional, physical, mental and in school work
- preparing reports on pupils – for employers, colleges, universities, etc
- contacting parents of individual pupils – by letter, telephone, interview and meeting
- linking with supporting agencies such as the Careers’ Service, Social Work, Community Organisations, etc
The role of Pastoral Support is central to much that happens in our school. So essential is its contribution that it is our clear policy to involve not only teachers promoted in pastoral care but also all teachers on our staff. All staff are encouraged to take a close interest in the education and welfare of the young people they teach. All teachers are required to contribute to the programme of Curricular and Vocational Pastoral Support and to the Personal and Social Development of their pupils. All teachers are urged to contribute to the ethos of our school.
Our Vision, Aim and Commitment
Our vision is to be a school that:
- is welcoming with genuine friendliness, concern and sense of community
- strives for educational excellence
- encourages the value of hard work
- encourages staff to reflect on the Gospel and its call to mission
- recognises the uniqueness and dignity of each student as a gift of God
- is joyful, optimistic and genuinely happy
- speaks of Jesus’ love through the strength of the loving kindness of our staff
- seeks opportunities for celebration
- recognises and expresses our Catholic Tradition with signs and symbols of our faith, in Eucharistic celebration, and through our Religious Education Programmes
Our aim is to help all pupils achieve their full potential in each aspect of their development – academic, spiritual, physical, personal, social and emotional.
In doing so we will contribute to achieving the vision and aims of ERC Education Department: of Everyone Attaining, Everyone Achieving through Excellent Experiences.
The intention is that we Get It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) and that all of our young people are Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active Respected, Responsible and Included.
Through the ongoing implementation of Curriculum for Excellence it is our ambition that our young people will develop as: Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens, Successful Learners and Effective Contributors.
