Guidance / Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care assists pupils to gain the maximum benefit from their secondary school experience. Bishopbriggs Academy has a Pastoral Care Team whose role is to provide specialised support to assist the Senior Management Team in their pastoral duties. Most of them are involved in the delivery of our personal and social development programme to all of our pupils.

Pastoral Care Aims

Pastoral Care Team

When pupils join the school they come under the care of a member of the Guidance Team. This teacher is responsible for all aspects of life affecting the education of the pupils in their group. For this purpose the school is divided into six houses by surname.

For session 2023 - 2024 the structure will be:

Year	Surname	Teacher	House
1 - 6	A - C	Miss H. Chittick	Burns
1 - 6	D - G	Miss S. McLaren	Fleming
1 - 6	H - L	Mrs S Ramage	Kelvin
1 - 6	Mc - Mac	Ms J McSherry	Macdonald
1 - 6	M - R	Mrs A Currie	Muir
1 - 6	S - Z	Mr A. Wilson	Thomson

This means that where parents have more than one child in the school the same member of the Guidance Team will deal with all members of the family. These teachers are the main link between home and school. Pupils should not hesitate to ask advice or discuss a problem with their Guidance teacher. This is particularly important at times when the curricular choices have to be made i.e. in Second Year and Fourth Year. There is close liaison between the Senior Management Team and the Guidance Team. Parents are encouraged to contact the appropriate member of the team with any general concerns. A convenient contact time can then be arranged. Parents may also wish to contact the Guidance team or members of the Senior Management Team by letter.

It is essential that parents do not delay in consulting the school when a matter which concerns them arises. The problem may be curricular, social, medical, emotional or vocational. It may be circumstances outwith the school which could affect behaviour or attitude within the school. Very often early and frank discussion brings a speedy resolution to the problem whereas delay may compound the difficulties.

All pupils coming to the school will visit it in June prior to their starting in First Year in August. Their parents will also be invited to a meeting in the school in June.

Other members of our Pupil Support Team are listed below:

Mrs A Slavin Principal Teacher – Learning Support Resource (LSR)

Ms M Stevenson Principal Teacher – Enhanced Learning Resource (ELR)

Enhanced Learning Resource

Bishopbriggs Academy Enhanced Learning Resource (ELR) opened in August 2011 and provides full time support for pupils with significant language and communication needs. Learners from across East Dunbartonshire attend Bishopbriggs ELR.

All ELR pupils have full access to the academic, social and extra-curricular activities available to their peers. Learners within the ELR each have an individual timetable which is updated weekly giving details of subject classes they access across the school and time they spend within the ELR. Pupils benefit from the small-group environment of the ELR for some subjects in order to receive intensive support and access a differentiated curriculum responsive to their individual learning needs. They are supported to gradually access subject areas across the school according to their individual strengths and interests. There is a strong focus on health and wellbeing and LCR staff work very closely with SMT, Learning Support Resource staff and the Pastoral Care team. ELR staff also work collaboratively with a variety of other agencies to meet individual learning needs including Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology and CAMHS.

Aims and objectives of the Enhanced Learning Resource:

To create a supportive environment where all learners experience success and develop the confidence to access classes throughout the school.
To provide a differentiated curriculum which is responsive to individual language and communication needs and enables all learners to achieve their fullest potential.
To support the inclusion of ELR pupils within subject classes across the school to ensure all pupils experience appropriate levels of challenge.
To ensure specific language and communication needs are addressed through provision of an individual support plan which is continuously monitored and regularly reviewed.
To involve pupils in decisions about their own learning and levels of support required.
To communicate regularly with parents/carers and facilitate their involvement.
To work in partnership with teaching staff throughout the school and with other agencies such as Speech and Language Therapy and Psychological Services.
To develop social communication skills within meaningful and relevant contexts and support pupils to develop relationships within the school.
To encourage and support pupil participation in a broad range of school experiences such as whole school/year group events and lunchtime clubs, celebrating the wider achievement of all learners.

Psychological Services

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