Guidance & Support
Student Guidance Support in St. Aloysius’ School
Guidance Counsellor
There is one guidance counsellor in St Aloysius’ School, Ms. K. Whalley.
School Guidance Policy
Guidance is regarded as a core element of the school's overall programme. The guidance programme seeks to respond to the needs of the students at all stages of their education in the school.
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 developmental process which begins prior to the entry of the student into St Aloysius.
Aims & Objectives
The aims of guidance include;
To provide a framework for the delivery of the school's guidance programme
To ensure a structured response is in place to meet the personal, educational, social and career guidance needs of the students
To ensure that all students, junior, senior, adult, non-Irish nationals, those with special needs, are catered for and included in the guidance activities of the school.
To list major guidance activities, initiatives, interactions and strategies such as vocational guidance interviews, educational guidance interviews, attendance at career exhibitions, meetings with management, interactions with support agencies, personal counselling.
The objectives of guidance include;
To help each student become aware of her talents and abilities and how best to utilise these talents and abilities so as to optimise her engagement with education and to reach her optimum potential
To assist each student in the identification and exploration of various educational and career opportunities open to them in post second level
To enable students to grow in independence and to take responsibility for their own selves, their learning and their careers
To assist in the provision of information so that students may make informed decisions aware of possible consequences and implications.
Defining Guidance
Guidance refers to the range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence that assists students to make choices - personal and social, educational, and career - about their lives and which enables them to successfully deal with the transitions which result from such choices. A spectrum of activities and services are provided in order to assist students; counselling, assessment, advice, information, educational development programmes, personal and social development programmes, vocational development programmes and referrals.
The Role of the Guidance Counsellor
The role of the guidance counsellor is one which is formative, informative and consultative and encompasses helping to direct and develop students' capacity to become self-directed and independent learners, equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to make informed decisions. Such a role is carried out in consultation with the students' parents/guardians and with other members of staff.
The guidance counsellor has a role in contributing to the development and evaluation of appropriate programmes, in administering psychometric tests and interpreting their results, in managing information, in administering the guidance department and in liaising with appropriate professionals, bodies, and agencies outside of school. The remit of guidance involves three distinct, yet very much interlinked, areas; personal guidance, educational guidance and career guidance.
The counsellor is consulted by school management and pastoral care personnel on such issues
Every student in fifth and sixth year is afforded the opportunity to meet the guidance counsellor on personal and career related matters. Students in first, second and third year are seen by the guidance counsellor on a request or referral basis.
If possible small groups of students may be seen together if they have a common interest, for example a number of students wishing to pursue a specific career or course such as nursing.
Other Support Areas
LGBTQ+ Inclusivity & Awareness.
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St Aloysius are delighted to be involved in the BelongTo Quality Mark for schools campaign which guides our efforts to develop our community into one which demonstrates its commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment for our LGBTQ+ students and their families.
Senior Cycle Career Guidance
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The transition from second level to third level education can be quite a daunting prospect to negotiate. There are many factors to consider in planning a future beyond school, and because the information you need to know can change from year to year it is not always easy to plan ahead. The school Guidance Counsellor is always available to senior cycle students to help them plan for this, and will offer whatever time is necessary to 6th years to enable them to finalise their plans for when they will move on to 3rd level.
The CAO process is often the first hurdle that school-leavers will have to negotiate, and the CAO website www.cao.ie provides a wealth of information to both students and parents. Below you will find a small selection of the most common documents accessed by parents on the CAO website:
CAO Handbook (Paper copies available to parents from the school Guidance Counsellor on request)
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Teaching and Learning – Guidance and Support – SUSI
SUSI – Student Universal Support Ireland is the national 3rd level grant application system for students in Ireland. Students who are applying for PLC colleges, Level 6 and 7 courses in Institutes of Technology, and Level 8 Honours Degree courses may all apply for a grant. If students have applied for several types of courses, they complete their application stating the highest level of course they have applied for. Applications are made through the website https://susi.ie – you will also find other information and resources related to the topic on this site.
Students applying to an undergraduate course through CAO should ensure that they have ticked the SUSI box on the online registration form – this will ensure that CAO can provide information to SUSI on behalf of the student when she has accepted the offer of a course in August. Students who are accepting a place on a PLC course will have to download a Final Course Acceptance Form from the SUSI website and have it stamped by the college in order to show that they are registered on a programme of study.
All students and parents must start the process by completing the SUSI Eligibility Reckoner App on the SUSI website. Link to App: http://susi.ie/eligibility-reckoner-app.index.html. You will need to know the total income from the previous year (prior to college entry) for each parent/guardian and student (if applicable). By filling in this information and answering a small number of additional questions, you will discover in a few moments whether you should proceed with the full application for a grant or not. The application process consists of an online application form which is then supplemented by additional paper documentation. You must ensure you send all necessary documents in plenty of time using registered post or obtain proof of postage when sending. Any information received after the deadline is considered as a late application and may your decision and receipt of grant. The actual deadline can change from year to year, so students will need to be mindful of their own application. For college entry in Sept 2018, the SUSI deadline for new applicants is 12thJuly.
Given the sensitivity of the information required, the school is not in a position to assist students in filling out the application form, we may only provide advice on where to seek appropriate assistance. A helpline is available for parents and students who required assistance completing the form, or those who have any difficulty obtaining the requested documentation. Information can be found under the Contact tab on the main home page of the SUSI website.
You may find the following documents useful in completing the SUSI application:
Guidelines for making an Application
SUSI for PLC College Applicants