In St.Paul's College, We offer a comprehensive guidance service to students from 1st to 6th year including;
- Career/Vocational Counselling
- Educational Counselling
- Personal Counselling
PERSONAL COUNSELLING:
Any student can attend the guidance counsellor for personal, educational or career guidance. Students allocated an appointment will be issued a permission slip to be signed by their teacher at the time of the appointment.
EDUCATIONAL COUNSELLING
At the beginning of each term, the guidance counsellor, year heads, and management of the school review each student and identify students at risk. Students identified are met by the guidance counsellor and yearhead/management about their results. Study skills, class behaviour, attendance, homework, daily routine, extra-curricular committments and revision are addressed. A student may be put on report and/or met after the next set of results to monitor progress. Parents are generally contacted if a student is not performing consistently.
Students are referred to the guidance counsellor when they request to drop from higher to ordinary level in core subjects. Students in 3rd and 5th year can only drop down a level in subjects after a midterm examination in order to reduce class disturbance and furthermore ensure that the student does not make a quick and easy decision that may cost them points in 6th year.
3rd and 6th years are given a seminar on study skills in September to encourage and motivate students at an early stage in the year.
VOCATIONAL COUNSELLING
4th Year students Transition year student and time tabled for careers for one third of the year. The classes include; career interest tests, personality profiling, an introduction to the points system and colleges in Ireland, qualification standards and levels according to the NFQ and college entry requirements. An online profile on the website careers portal is set up by each student. Online tests on careers interests link enrolled college courses in Ireland and careers to consider. All assessments completed can be viewed by the guidance counsellor. Students will take the Differential Aptitude Test (DATS), their first introduction to aptitude tests and an alternative evaluations of their aptiudes. All 4th years have the opportunity to meet with the Guidance Counsellor individually or in groups to discuss subjects choices for senior cycle and subject requirements for particular courses in universities and colleges.
5th Year students Fifth year students are met throughout the year. A study skill seminar is held at the beginning of the second term. Students are met thoughout the year, both individually and as a group. Groups of students attend college open days as well as individually booked visits to college.
6th Year students . All 6th year Students attend the RDS Higher Options at the beginning of September. Irish & UK Universites, the Military, FETAC Colleges and seminars on career sectors make the RDS Higher Options a worthwhile experience. All 6th years will be allocated an appointment to meet the Guidance Counsellor before midterm. The appointment is a time, to discuss their career interest tests, summer results, and college/work options to consider. 6th year students meet the guidance counsellor regularly throughout the year in relation to subject levels, course options, stress management and financial and disability access routes. The careers classes in 6th years include; careers interest tests, evalutation of points, guest speakers from universities and colleges, financial access routes, disability access routes, stress, multiple intelligences, interview techniques, CAO applications and further education college applications.
