Pupil Support in Airdrie Academy
Any pupil joining us in Airdrie Academy from primary school is bound to notice some major differences.
- The building is bigger, has many more pupils and staff.
- The school has some very specialised areas (eg. Science Labs, Home Economics rooms and Technology rooms).
- Pupils move around frequently between different teaching departments.
These differences should not cause worry or concern for pupils joining us. However, to help pupils settle in and to support them all the way through their secondary education we have a number of promoted Pupil Support teachers and Form Tutors who look after their welfare.
The Aims of Pupil Support
Providing excellent, effective education is the responsibility of all staff. The Pupil Support Team supported by the Form Tutors in Airdrie Academy contributes to this by striving to achieve the following:
- To maintain a caring and welcoming school environment in which each pupil is known and valued.
- To ensure that each pupil has opportunities to make full use of the school’s excellent resources in the development of his or her own abilities.
- To help prepare pupils for adult life and make informed and realistic choices about future careers, education and leisure activities.
Pupil Support Structure
Airdrie Academy operates a vertical ‘House’ System. Generally pupils will work with the same Pupil Support Teacher and Tutor throughout their time at Airdrie Academy.
Mary Jane Hunter DHT (Pupil Support)
Lesley Baird – PT Pupil Support (Cleddans)
Lesley Lennox – PT Pupil Support (Cleddans)
Stacey Dougall – PT Pupil Support (Faskine) (Job Share)
Val Hunter – PT Pupil Support (Faskine) (Job Share)
Joanne Lilly – PT Pupil Support (Faskine)
Donna Spence – PT Pupil Support (Monklands)
Craig Spencer – PT Pupil Support (Monklands)
Susan Dall – PT Pupil Support (Rochsoles)+
L Robertson – PT Pupil Support (Rochsoles)
Each House consists of pupils at all stages in the school, from S1 to S6. We try to ensure that members of a family are in the same House to allow boys and girls, as far as possible, to identify with the same members of the Pupil Support Team throughout their school career. This also allows more consistent contact between home and school.
Pupil Support staff will get to know children and their parents well in order to be able to offer support to our young people and their families, to offer advice on curricular matters including cholosing subjects and to lend a sympathetic ear generally. Parents are asked to encourage their children to use the opportunity to talk about any issues in this way.
Each child has a Tutor Teacher who will see them regularly and support them throughout their time in school. The first point of contact for any young person or parent / carer is the Principal Teacher Pupil Support.
Pupil Support Staff can be seen by appointment or in the case of a genuine emergency, sometimes immediately. Many matters can be dealt with by means of a telephone call. Simply ask for the Pupil Support teacher concerned and if he/she is not available, leave a contact number and they will return your call as soon as possible.
All Pupil Support staff link with external agencies in order to provide appropriate information, support and guidance to our young people. This may include Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Educational Psychology, NL Youth Counselling Service, Visual / Hearing impairment service, etc.
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