Guidance

All staff in St. Margaret's Academy are encouraged to offer ouryoung people every support and encouragement to enable them to makethe most of their education.

Success in this area depends on close links between the staff andyourself. To this end we have a team of 6 guidance teachers who, aswell as being classroom teachers, have a particular responsibilityfor knowing and monitoring the progress of a group of pupils.

Your child's guidance teacher will usually be your first point ofcontact with the school. We would like to take this opportunity ofassuring you of our readiness to discuss with you any matter relatingto your child's well-being. Please do not hesitate to contact theschool if you have a concern you wish to discuss.

Personal counselling is available to all pupils on request at anytime in the school day convenient to teachers, guidance staff andpupils. It may also be offered where pupils are referred for adviceby parents or teachers. Guidance staff attend Parents' Nights and,when free of teaching duties, can be seen in school by appointment,normally arranged through the School Office.

Pupils are assigned to guidance teachers according to thefollowing arrangements:

Pupils surnames beginning

A-G Mr J Conaghan Mrs M Anthony

H-M Mrs M Byrne Mr T Boyle

N-Z Miss T Dixon Mrs F Laing

Social Education is taught by guidance staff. The programme isdesigned to develop social awareness and self confidence, it includeswork, sex education, marriage and human relationships and studyskills.

The Guidance Department play a major part in coordinating the S1Residential Experience. This cross curricular experience is helpfulin developing pupils' sense of community and social skills. A varietyof activities are offered which challenge, educate and are enjoyablefor those taking part; a good memory of school which will remain withthem all their life!

Emergency Contact

It is important that the school is able to contact parentsimmediately in the event of an emergency, usually by telephone.Parents are therefore asked to give the school an emergency contactnumber which can be used by guidance staff or school management.

Youth Strategy

The process through adolescence can be a traumatic one, yet mostyoungsters, with parental help, do reach maturity as caring, welladjusted adults. Some need extra support and Youth Strategy is aRegional initiative, where the school and community work inpartnership to help any youngster who has difficulties, either athome or in school, which seriously affects performance in school.

St. Margaret's has a School Liaison Group composed ofrepresentatives from the Guidance Team, Educational Welfare,Psychological Services, Social Work, Community Education, CommunityHealth Service (usually the School Doctor), and Millburn (the YouthStrategy Centre). The School, the Principal Teacher of LearningServices and the Outdoor Education specialist are also members of thegroup which is chaired by the Depute Rector. The group meets monthly,in school, to consider pupils who are having difficulties andsuggests strategies to help them cope.

Parents are always told if their son or daughter is causingsufficient concern to make a referral to Youth Strategy. At the sametime, any parent may request that Youth Strategy be consulted becausethey are having difficulties at home. Parents are also encouraged toattend Youth Strategy meeting if their son or daughter is beingdiscussed.

Personal and Social Development

A programme of Health and Personal & Social Development hasbeen developed which is designed to assist S5 students to assesstheir personal aims, abilities and attitudes and their relationshipswith others.

These courses, tailored to meet the differing needs of youngpeople as they mature through their upper school years provideopportunities for them to develop their negotiating and decisionmaking skills. Special programmes cover areas such as CareersEducation, Health Education and Personal Development.

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