School Development Planning Initiative Guidance Planning

2 Programme Guidance Plan -What is it? Guidance planning issues Getting started Review process Collecting the data- guidance planning

3 Resources Planning the School Guidance Programme: NCGE Guidance Handbook Supplement : NCGE The 9 (c) Document : Inspectorate School Development Planning: An Introduction for Second Level Schools School Development Planning-Draft Guidelines(3) Looking at our School (LAOS): Inspectorate (Area 5: Quality of Support for Students, p.37)

4 Guidance Planning ‘Issues’ Is the Guidance Plan similar to the School Plan? Who is responsible for writing it? Who will tell the staff/principal about it? What does the Guidance Inspector want to see in operation? How often will the Guidance Inspector call? What does Guidance mean---different emphasis in different schools? What policies should we have in the Guidance Plan?

5 Guidance- ‘reeling in the years’ Careers teacher Career guidance teacher Guidance counsellor Culture of isolation-some happy with that! Individualistic approach-many happy with that! DES-guidance is for all Ed. Act (c)- main focus: access and what is appropriate guidance in each school?

6 Guidance Now Student Support Services Guidance Counsellor Chaplain* HSLO* Resource* Tutor Year Head Deputy/Principal Subject Teacher Care Team Other? *not available in every school

7 Support Structures

8 Guidance Plan The Guidance Plan is an attempt to set down in writing what was already happening in good practice……… And to focus on areas for improvement And to implement strategies for their improvement And to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies

9 Why a Guidance Plan? Education Act 1998, Section 9c: “ensure that students have access to appropriate guidance” Education Act 1998, Section 21: “make provision for a school plan” Guidance is focused on student progress and development in three key areas: personal & social, educational, and career Appropriate Guidance??

10 9(c) Document Access Appropriate Guidance

11 Advantages of the Guidance Plan Promotes guidance within the school Staff involvement rather than one person’s responsibility Clear direction established for the future Student focused Others? Key question: plan/planning/policies/programme?

12 Guidance –Who Delivers and What Is Delivered? PersonnelStudent Support 1 Student Support 2 Student Support 3 Guidance Counsellor Others GC and others

13 Getting Started: The Guidance Plan (1) Permanent Section: Established Features (Example) Subject choice Pastoral Care Policy SPHE Study skills seminar for 3 rd & 6 th year students Assessment tests for incoming classes Bullying Policy Others

14 The Guidance Plan (2) Development Section: Areas for Development (Example) Incoming first year students New students-mid year: procedures Developing a careers programme for 2 nd years TY work experience Bereavement Policy NB Number of priorities? How are these agreed as priorities?

15 Getting Started-Moving to Review 1.Staff/Parents/Students/BoM-Briefing 2.Invite volunteers for a guidance planning group 3.What guidance related policies are in existence? 4.What guidance practices /customs are in existence? 5.How will the guidance review be carried out? 6.What is the guidance priority in my school? 7.How will consultation with the guidance partners take place? 8.How will communication with the guidance partners take place?

16 Review of Guidance in Your School Review of Guidance in Your School Who are the Guidance Partners? Who could help you? (principal, tutors, year-heads, subject teachers,..) Key Review Questions Who will you ask? How will you ask? What will you ask? When will you ask?

17 Review Open ended Flavour Broad to narrow Start broad—what are the issues? Collating Presenting the findings Making a decision -priority

18 Review - SCOT Analysis INTERNAL EXTERNAL STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES THREATS

19 Diagnostic Window What is working well? Evidence What is not yet working well? Evidence

Mission Statement School Guidance Legislative/Trustee Policies Admissions Code of Behaviour/ Suspension/Expulsion Substance Misuse Health and Safety IT Usage Child Protection Others? Whole School Policies Home-School Links Pastoral Care Special Needs Staff Development Curriculum Development Homework Teaching and Learning Subject Department Planning Others? Student Support Policies Meitheal/Cara/ Student Council Anti-Bullying Extra-Curricular Bereavement Guidance Breakfast Club//Lunch Club Others? Whole School Planning

21 Guidance Planning Folder Loose pages Reports from colleagues Report from staff discussion Resources Draft policies Agreed policies Who?

22 Guidance- Custom and Practice Policies What is the unwritten procedure/policy? Examples Making appointments/leaving class for an appointment Signing up for a course-TY/LCVP/LCA/ 5 th year/2 nd year options etc Giving up a subject Outside speakers One to one meetings Confidentiality-exceptions Care team-meetings Others?

23 Policies for the Guidance Plan? Special Needs/Disabilities Substance Abuse Statement of Strategy Attendance & Participation, Records & Reports etc. Anti-Bullying (students) Child Protection Career Guidance Counselling

24 Policies for the Guidance Plan? Data records Distribution of assessment/aptitude tests SPHE RSE Internet use Pastoral Care Interculturalism Others?

25 Mapping the Guidance Programme Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6 September October November December

26 LAOS-Guidance Area 5:Quality of Support for Students Special Needs Disadvantaged backgrounds Minority groups Guidance Guidance SPHE Pastoral Care

27 LAOS: Guidance policy programme Guidance policy and organisation of guidance programme (appropriate guidance for all, extent to which guidance plan is part of school plan…) Implementation Implementation of guidance policy (full use of resources, balanced and effective provision, use of referral services……)

28 Rules of the Planning Road Consult Draft Ratify Communicate

29 Guidance Planning Map Communicate with staff/principal Guidance planning folder Seek volunteers Record what you do Plan for gaps---review What policies are in place? What policies are not yet in place?

30 Closure SDPI National Office: SDPI Website: Enquiries re this presentation to: Paul Fields, Regional Coordinator Tel: Mobile: (Paul) (This presentation was prepared by SDPI at the request of NCGE)