Mrs Kelly Gatenby, Principal Teacher of Guidance for Laidlaw House (jobshare) Wednesday-Friday, lead for S1, S3 and S5 kelly.gatenby@moray-edunet.gov.uk
Mrs Lynn Jex, Principal Teacher of Guidance for Laidlaw House (jobshare) Monday-Wednesday, lead for S1, S2, S4 and S6 lynn.jex@moray-edunet.gov.uk
Ms Donna Innes, Principal Teacher of Guidance for Kynoch House donna.innes@moray-edunet.gov.uk
The Guidance team are the main contact for parents and can be e-mailed directly or called via the School Office. They will get back to you as soon as possible, but please be aware they have a teaching timetable and other scheduled commitments. If you would like to meet with the Guidance teacher, please arrange an appointment and we will make sure we are available.
The Guidance teachers will:
- Get to know the pupils well
- Be the main contact for parents and pupils in that House throughout their time at KGS
- Be available to offer advice and help when needed
- See all pupils once a week for Personal and Social Education (PSE) lessons, which includes Sexual Health and Relationships Education, Careers Education, Substance abuse awareness, how to treat others and keeping yourself safe
- Offer careers advice
- Support pupils with their subject choices
- Arrange Work Experience for pupils
- Support them with their CVs, job, college and university applications
- Meet privately with each pupil at least once a year to discuss their progress and wellbeing
- Refer pupils to the best supports for them, and offer some direct support
- Communicate with parents
- Arrange meetings with pupils and all the staff and parents supporting that pupil, to assess how the supports are working and see what is best to do next
Support
The Principal Teachers of Guidance can offer direct support for those struggling with their mental health or education, through liaising with their teachers, regular check-ins and other supports.
They can also refer to other services, including:
- A counsellor
- The Additional Support Needs department
- Inclusion Co-ordinator
- Youth Worker
- Home-School Link Worker
- Women’s Aid support worker
- Aberlour Youthpoint Moray
- Quarriers support for young carers
- Consulting the Educational Psychologist
- Skills Development Scotland – careers advice
- Children 1st
- Beechbrae SEBN [http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_116126.html]
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at the Rowan Centre, Elgin.
The Principal Teachers of Guidance can also offer support to families through the Food Larder, applications for Educational Maintenance Allowance and school clothing.
If you feel your child may need some extra support, emotionally or academically, please get in touch to discuss the options.
The Scottish Association for Mental Health offer information and guidance: https://www.samh.org.uk/about-mental-health/self-help-and-wellbeing/coronavirus-information-hub
