Guidance Counselling

The role of the Guidance Counsellor in Boyne Community School is to empower students to make informed choices about their lives in the personal, educational and career areas. The Guidance Programme is delivered through contact time with students in classes, small groups and to individuals.

We  offer several guidance activities that assist students to make choices and transitions, including the following:

• Induction Programme: Incoming First Years have an induction morning in August to help them with the transition into the Secondary School. The Senior Mentors play a major role in this morning. This Transition Programme also continues throughout the first week of school. Guidance Counsellors are available at all times throughout the year to offer support and guidance to the first years during this huge and important transition.

• Counselling:Counselling is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis. Counselling may include personal counselling, educational counselling and vocational counselling or combinations of these. Personal Counselling helps students to explore their thoughts and feelings, and the choices open to them; giving care and support to students learning to cope with the many aspects of growing up and at moments of personal crises. While all sessions are confidential, we are obligated to follow best practice according to Children First legislation 2015.

• Personal and social developmental programmes, resilience programme –We run small group programmes to help with resilience , social skills etc . These programmes include Friends for Life , Get Up Stand Up, Warrior Programme etc .

• Assessment: Helping students to obtain a better self-understanding through the use of psychometric tests and other inventories.. Interest, values and skills inventories are used in each year.The Drumcondra Primary test scoring system, NGRT and CAT 4 Test is taken by all incoming First Year students.

• Careers Information: Providing students with objective and factual data on education and training opportunities, occupations, labour market information etc. Opportunities are also available to attend open days , careers exhibitions and in-school career/college talks .

• Student Research: Independent student research is encouraged at every stage and full use is made of Qualifax, Careers Portal and other online resources. A careers library with books and college prospectuses is available to all students.

• CAO/College Application: Helping students prepare for application to Third Level institutions and Colleges of Further Education is a major part of the work of the Guidance Counsellors. Students who wish to apply to UK Colleges through UCAS or colleges abroad are also given every assistance.

• Trainees and Apprenticeships : Students are given the opportunity to explore the range of traineeships and apprenticeships are available to them after leaving Boyne Community School.

Regular guidance classes are timetabled with students to ensure that all years receive the relevant guidance at each stage of their time in Boyne Community School. We seek to address each year’s needs, such as providing class support in terms of transition from primary school to secondary school, programme and subject choice information for 3rd years and Transition Year students, to 5th  and 6th Year Guidance in terms of progression from second-level into the world of work, Traineeships, Apprenticeships, PLCs and third-level education. We also provide guidance in terms of study skills and examination techniques to various groups at relevant times, as well as guidance in terms of managing stress and developing coping skills and building resilience.

The Guidance Department Aims to:

• Provides a framework for the delivery of the school’s guidance programme
• Ensures a structured response to students’ personal, social, educational and career guidance needs
• Plan according to the needs of all students to be inclusive providing for the Junior, Senior, Minority, Additional Needs etc.
• This will include all guidance activities: classroom sessions, vocational guidance interviews, attendance at career exhibitions, open days, meeting with management, support agencies , personal counselling and group work etc.

The objectives of the Guidance Department is aimed at helping students:

• Develop awareness and acceptance of their talents and abilities
• Identify and explore opportunities
• Grow in independence and take responsibility for themselves
• Make informed choices about their lives and follow through on these choices

The objectives of the guidance programme are not only framed by reference to the legislative requirements, but are also referenced by the good practices disseminated by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and the National Centre for Guidance in Education. Guidance in the school is viewed as a continual development process which begins prior to the entry of the student into Boyne Community School and concludes after the student has left the school.

Parents/Guardians are also encouraged to contact the Guidance Counsellor to discuss any matters or concerns relating to their child or to arrange an appointment. They are also encouraged to engage with the Guidance Counsellor at information evenings and parent-teacher meetings.

Guidance Counsellors:

Barbara Eustace, Teresa Connaughton, Amanda Harrington

Guidance Counsellors Emails:

beustace@boynecs.ie

tconnaughton@boynecs.ie

aharrington@boynecs.ie

Alternatively ring the school phone number for assistance