The Pastoral Care Network

Students and staff are supported by the services offered by the School Counsellor and the Careers Counsellor.

The Pastoral Care structure is administered primarily by the Heads of Year and Heads of House under the guidance of the Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care) and the Principal:

• Subject Teachers are responsible for the pastoral care of students belonging to their classes;
• Homeroom Teachers are responsible for the pastoral care of a specific group of students;
• Heads of Year are responsible for the wellbeing and progress of students within the Year group that they lead;
• Heads of House are responsible for the pastoral care of student in their House as they progress from Year 8 through to Year 12;
• The Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care) has a special responsibility to co-ordinate and oversee Pastoral Care initiatives and roles within the College;
• The Student Counsellor provides personal and educational counselling;
• Year Teams consist of the Homeroom Teachers and Head of Year at each year level. Under the direction of the Head of Year, the Year team plans and implements the Pastoral Curriculum for their year group;
• House structure - students and staff are grouped vertically for some pastoral programmes and activities to support and implement aspects of the College's pastoral curriculum.
• A Pastoral Council meets to co-ordinate planning between Heads of Year, Heads of House, and Principal, Deputy Principals, Head of Religious Education, Head of Education Support and Student Counsellor.

The network of care provided through this pastoral structure is facilitated and enhanced by a number of provisions:

• A clear definition and understanding of the pastoral care aspects of the roles of all staff whichi is provided within this statement;
• The maintaining of regular parent contact through a range of avenues and in particular The Courier, email, telephone, formal and informal parent/teacher meetings, student reports, Student Diary, proforma letters;
• The maintaining of a clear internal referral network regarding discipline, crisis situations, external assessment which is co-ordinated by the Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care);
• Effective liaison with community referral agencies under the aegesis of the Student Counsellor;
• Regular, formalised Year and House student reviews initiated by the Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care) and/or Head of Year/Head of House;
• Formal and informal student interviews - e.g. 'getting to know you', academic progress - can be organised by all staff members.

The Provision of Satisfying Learning Experiences

Regular review of school curicula to ensure the provision of relevant learning occurs within the forums provided by staff meetings, faculty and department meetings, Learning Area Committee, Pastoral Council, Middle Management Committee and Executive meetings:

• Each Classroom Teacher is responsible for the teaching of the appropriated curriculum, processes and skills within their subject area under the direction of Heads of Department of Subject Co-ordinators;
• The Deputy Principal (Curriculum) has a special responsibility to co-ordinate Curriculum maters within the College;
• A Learning Area Committee meets to co-ordinate curriculum planning. This committee consists of the Heads of Department, Subject Co-ordinators, Careers Counsellor, Principal and Deputy Principals.
• Religious Education classes provide integrated and developmental experiences to assist personal development and to foster faith development;
• Personal development, community health and vocational education issues are key areas dealt with at each Year level within both the Academic and the Pastoral Curriculum.
• Library services provide essential resources and scope for individual learning;
• A Careers guidance service is available to all students;
• Skils Development support - e.g. Teacher assisted learning/remediation in the classroom, and small focus classes for basic skills development have been established to assist students in need of additional help;
• An Education Support Centre with a policy of integrated classes where students' needs permit has been established to provide for handicapped students, especially those with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities; and
• Evaluation reviews of Pastoral Care initiatives occur from time to time.

The Development of Quality Relationships

• Homeroom groups, where each student belongs to a small pastoral care group which meets daily with a focus person, provide an important occasion for pastoral care activities;
• Homeroom teachers (and, therefore, classroom teachers) who teach students for a variety of subjects, can extend their pastoral care;
• A House system provides a vertical structure to support the development of on-going relationships and an enhanced sense of community;
• Clear discipline policy and procedures provide orderly teaching and learning environments;
• Regular formal/informal assemblies - whole school, year, class, special ceremonies, assist in developing identity and corporate spirit;
• College Masses and paraliturgies celebrated together as a school/year/class are key faith development experiences for students and staff;
• Involvement of parents - formal/informal - sports coaching/managing, camps, fetes, adult education evenings, School Board, Parent Council, canteen, uniform shop, library assistance, classroom parent mentoring, school-based social activities - is a feature of school organisation.
• Student involvement in student-organised activities is encouraged.
• The Student Council - facilitating involvement of students in real decision-making is an important exercise in leadership training;
• Peer Support relationships are fostered through a pastoral programme which trains Year 10 students to support the following year's in-coming Year 8 students as they make their transition to secondary school;
• Peer mediation skills are taught to students through a pastoral programme to enable them to assist one another when support is needed;
• Camps, retreats, excursions, sports carnivals, festival and fundraising days are essential and integral to the life of the school;
• Social education - school balls, dinner dances, dancing classes, year socials are important planned activities for students; and
• Regular social gatherings, the staff 'buddy' programme, staff meetings and planning days, assist in fostering the development of the staff as a team.