Guidance Activities

Transition Year

• Administer and interpret the differential aptitude testing.  (DATS) and Eirquest interest test.  All transition year students take DATS and Eirquest in December/January.  Following this, each student has a meeting with the guidance counsellor to discuss their results and the importance of subject choices.  These results are also given to students to discuss with their parents.  Guidance Counsellors are available to meet with parents to discuss these results.

• Provide career guidance classes on a modular basis; to help students build their self awareness and increase their knowledge of various vocational opportunities.  In these classes, each student completes a number of interest inventories and aptitude tests and the results of these are given to students to discuss with their parents.  The students complete a computer-aided research class.

The following topics are discussed in these classes:

• Introduction to college life and entry system.
• Preparation of CV and letter of application and the world of work.
• Subject Choices - The Guidance Counsellor presents the subjects on offer at St. Andrew's College and helps the students consider their subject options in line with college courses entry requirements.
• Transition Year Head helps students find work experience.  The experiences students have are discussed in the guidance modules.
• The Guidance Counsellors hold an information evening for parents and students, presenting the senior cycle options both in the International Baccalaureate and Leaving Certificate.

• The Guidance Counsellors are available to students for support / guidance / counselling whether self-referred or referred by others and are available to meet parents on request.

 

• All staff continue their role in helping to build students self esteem, be observant of bullying and identification of students at risk.