Abbey Vocational School

Wellbeing Policy

2017/2018

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE WELLBEING

CURRICULUM

CSPE, SPHE & PE

  • Subject plans, schemes of work and lesson plans for CSPE, SPHE & PE will establish and implement the learning outcomes and the indicators of Wellbeing.
  • For their first few weeks of PE within the school, First Year students take part in ice-breaker, team building, trust and communication activities which link back to the Wellbeing Indicators of being active, responsible, respect and connected.
  • Furthermore in PE, students in both Junior & Senior Cycle will work together to achieve the Active School Flag.
  • Lunch time activities are run throughout the school week. Each year groups have a designated day in which an activity is run for them. This is run and supervised by a member of staff.

Guidance

  • Our guidance department work hard throughout the year to offer our students as many opportunities as possible. The following are just a few examples which as offer:
  • Art therapy
  • Positive mental health talks for students and parents.
  • Study skills.
  • Mock interviews.
  • College choice talks.
  • Drop in service.

Other Subjects and Learning Experiences

  • The seven indicators of Wellbeing will be displayed in every classroom in the Abbey Vocational School, they will also be evident in all subject plans.
  • Young Social Innovator, BT Young Scientist, Young environmentalist are just a few areas that out students have the chance to get involved in throughout the year.

Extra-Curricular & Co- Curricular

  • A wide range of extracurricular activities are offered for all students within the school at all age levels. Activities offered include Gaelic football, basketball, athletics, soccer, rugby, Girls Active, & golf.
  • A number of co-curricular activities are also established within the school for students. These activities include the aforementioned activities for physical development through extracurricular, Science Fairs, Debate Teams, The School Newsletter, School Council Activities and a Wellbeing Garden but to name a few.
  • Preforming arts plays a key role in the Abbey Vocational School, each year there is a school musical where students get the chance to sing, dance, act, develop their art skills, build sets, show production, advertisement, PR, costume design and hair and makeup. Many departments within the school come together to put on our school musicals.

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE WELLBEING – Policy and Planning

Policy and Planning:

  • School policies.
  • School self-evaluation.
  • Subject and whole-school planning.
  • CPD planning.

School Policies:

CCTVPolicy Oct 2015

Child Protection Policy

Critical Incident

Acceptable Use Policy 2017

Admissions Policy September 2015

Anti-Bullying Policy June 2014

AVS Attendance Policy

AVS School Excursions Policy October 2014

Code of Behaviour May 2016

Drug Abuse Policy

Expulsion Policy

H&S Policy statement

Homework Policy DRAFT 2016

Inclusion Policy- in the process of being developed.

Mobile Phone Policy 2017

Pastoral Care Policy

R.S.E Policy

SEN Policy

Smoke Free Policy

SPHE Policy

Student Council Policy June 2012

Suspension Policy

Work Experience Policy

Gifted and talented policy Draft

School self-evaluation

  • A professional culture requires teachers who are willing to share, support, and explore together. In the Abbey Vocational School we have a collaborative teaching culture we believe that it will reduce teacher attrition, improving student learning, and creating the type of school that everyone searches for when they decide to become an educator.
  • Instructional leadership plays a key role in all classrooms in the Abbey Vocational School.
  • Literacy and numeracy is assessed throughout every subject in the Abbey Vocational School.

Subject and whole-school planning

Whole-school:

Abbey Vocational School Wellbeing Programme
Academic Year 2017/2018

A collaborative wellbeing team formed in October 2016 to discuss and begin planning for the current academic year. The team consisted of teachers from different subject areas such as PE, career guidance, cspe and sphe, as recommended in the guidelines. Initially we read and discussed the guidelines and reviewed what we were already doing that promotes students wellbeing in junior cycle and also what contribution to the different subject areas already cover our students learning for wellbeing. At the time a healthy schools committee had been formed and we were also involved in the pilot programme for active schools flag. Mr. Clarke was also involved in young environmentalist and the careers department had been using the friends for life programme. The school also signed up for the junior cycle YSI programme specific to wellbeing.
The principal gave staff an overview of the area on learning wellbeing and at the end of that day a random group of teachers were given the questionnaire and feedback sheet to help with planning.
We also met with the student council and a first year focus group for a workshop to aid with developing a wellbeing programme. The principal met with parents of junior cycle students and also gave an overview of the area of learning that is wellbeing and some parents volunteered to be part of a focus group.
Having looked at the feedback and after many consultations with the wellbeing team and focus groups the planning for the 400 hours was put in place. CSPE would still have one 40min period a week in 1st, 2nd and 3rd year. SPHE would also have one 40min period a week in 1st, 2nd and 3rd year. PE would still have one double class per week for every class in junior cycle. In addition to this 1st year tutors would deliver one shorter unit of learning in wellbeing for 40mins per week. 1st years would also get to experience another 40min period per week in the area of wellbeing. This would be 3 x 10 week blocks of learning for the year based on cspe, PE, SPHE & careers or other national initiatives that the school is already involved with. 2nd years would have one 40min class per week of 3 x 10 week blocks of learning and the same for 3rd years.
The wellbeing guidelines and the programmes and initiatives already in place in the school were used to plan and prepare the 10 week blocks of learning. Subject teachers were given a block to plan using the wellbeing indicators.

CPD planning:

September:

  • Whole School Day 3 Wellbeing Programme.(JCT)

October:

  • A whole school approach to Wellbeing.(JCT,HSE,PDST)
  • Mind Out.(JCT,HSE,PDST)

November:

  • Technology for Wellbeing 2017.(Reach Out Ireland)
  • Health Promoting Coordinator training.(JCT,HSE,PDST)

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE WELLBEING – RELATIONSHIPS

Student/Teacher

  • Prefects have been chosen from both TY & Leaving Certificate students
  • Lunch time activities are run throughout the school week. Each year groups have a designated day in which an activity is run for them. This is run and supervised by a member of staff.
  • Senior Mentoring System – Each Leaving Certificate student in the school has been paired up with a teacher. This teacher will mentor and support the student throughout the year as they prepare for their Leaving Certificate.
  • The school has a whole are implementing a Restorative Practice approach in order to forge closer links and build stronger relationships between students and teachers. In the coming months we will invite Rita Glesson into the school to talk to our teachers in relation to practicing Restorative Practice.

"Restorative Practice is keeping students IN school. It is a learning process, rather than punishing through suspension or expulsion”

Peer

  • Mentoring System – This system is called “The Big Brother, Big Sister”, in which First Year students are paired off with Transition Year students for the academic year. Mentoring promotes healthy and positive relationships between peers and in turn builds community capacity. Furthermore, Senior Students are developing their skills of being responsible role models, confidence & self-esteem.
  • Instructional Leadership is practice in every class, this promotes peer assessment and group work within the classroom.
  • There are extracurricular groups set up in the school where students can meet new friends and blossom existing friendships through sport, leisure, music, art, performing arts and education.

Student Voice

  • Student Council – 2 students are chosen from each Year Group as members of the Student Council. This Council is a group of students elected by their peers to address issues of concern and organise student events and activities. It is a representative structure through which students can work in partnership with school management and staff, staff and parents.
  • Leaving Certificate and TY prefects have been is formed to be a voice for the students in the school. They meet regularly to think of and implement plans that will benefit all students’ daily experiences both holistically and educationally.

Parents/Guardians & Community

  • Parent/Teacher Meetings are arranged throughout the academic year.
  • Open Evenings for parents/guardians to visit the school to gain an insight of what the school has to offer.
  • Coffee Mornings are arranged with parents/guardians who will be new to the area.
  • Coaches and parents who are involved within community activities are involved with a wide range of activities within the school.
  • Parents Association.
  • Board of Management.

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE WELLBEING –School Culture

Culture:

  • School mission and ethos.
  • Physical and social environment.
  • Classroom culture.
  • Teaching, learning and assessment.

School mission:

  • In the coming weeks the school mission statement will displayed around various areas in the school building. This will be done in conjunction with the Health promoting schools incentive.

“Abbey Vocational School is dedicated to the holistic development of students in a caring environment where tolerance and respect are nurtured and valued.”

School Ethos:

1.​The aim of the School is to allow the students to develop their spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional and physical potential and become fully mature human persons.
2.​While respecting and acknowledging the rights of the students, our school also seeks to promote a safe and harmonious working environment for all our staff members.
3.​This spirit of cherishing the personal welfare of each individual will not take from the social and community development of the students and the importance of their becoming caring and responsible citizens.
4.​As reflected in the Motto and Mission Statement of the School, the School acknowledges and undertakes to cherish the Religious, Cultural and Historical Heritage of its students.
5.​The quality of relationships between teachers and students is crucial and is a powerful influence on behaviour in a school. The school code fosters relationships of trust between students and teachers. Adults have more responsibility than students for building these relationships.
6.​In acknowledging the primary rights and duties of parents as educators of their children, the school will seek to work in close partnership with parents. We also see the School as an integral part of the local community and will follow the educational programmes of the Dept. of Education & Skills under the direction of Donegal Education & Training Board.

Physical and social environment:

Whole School:

  • The Seven Indicators of Wellbeing will be displayed in poster form around every classroom in the school building.
  • The following incentives and programmed will be run in the school throughout the year:
  • Health promoting schools.
  • Active schools Flag.
  • Cycle against suicide ambassador schools programme.
  • Young Social Innovator.
  • The Primerica Spirit of the community Award.
  • BT Young Scientists.
  • Young Environmentalists.
  • Amber flag.
  • Friends for Life
  • Moving Up NCCA
  • Internet safety
  • The outside area in the assembly has been developed into a sitting area.
  • A mindfulness garden will be created in the upper part of the school around room 15. The LCA and the TY students will work together to develop this garden.
  • A charity wall was designed and put up in the geography area. Here photos of all the fundraising done in the school goes up.
  • A number of colourful benches has been added to the school, we hope to get more benches added by the end of 2018.
  • A positive noticed board will be erected in the assembly, daily positive comments, achievements will be displayed on the board.
  • A positive mental health notice board will be erected including amber flag, cycle against suicide and many more mental health promoting organisations.
  • Mental health week will take place in the school in October , throughoutthe week there will be many inspiring and worthwhile talk and workshops for all our students to attend, each department in the school will give an input into the week, for example, the music department will run a sing for mental health day.
  • Lunch time activities for each year group takes place throughout the week.
  • The English department host a book club each week for all students. They will also set up a TY public speaking computation on the area of wellbeing.
  • The Irish department will again this year host Seachtain Na Gaeilge, throughout this week there will be promoting the Irish language through song and dance.
  • All language departments will again run a European Language day in the school this year, here they will be promoting the use of all European languages.
  • Throughout the year there will be many bonding and year trips organised, to date the TY and LCA students have went on trips to Gartan adventure centre and Bundoran adventure centre, other trips for example senior cycle educational trip and the first year school tour in the coming months.
  • Refurbishment of the school library.
  • SPHE department will once again be organising an Anti- Bullying week. Throughout this week they will be promoting the importance of friendship and appropriate communication.
  • Throughout the year, parents will be invited into the school to receive talks an example of some of these talks will be, mental health, first year parents information and careers.
  • There will be an open day for all income first year students. Here all the students will get an experience of life in the Abbey Vocational School. There will also be an open night where all incoming first years and their parents can come in and see what the Abbey Vocational School has to offer.
  • PE department will get positive quotes painted on the changing room walls. They will also do a wellbeing wall in the gym. The 6 inductors will be put up on the wall with examples of each.
  • Positivity classes …...5 second rule.

Inclusion:

  • A welcoming notice board for all the different nationalities in the school will be erected at the entrance into the school, this board will have a welcoming message in all different languages displayed. In conjunction with this a group of TY students will produce a book with useful Irish sayings in all different languages. This is to try and make life easier for students that come into the school that does not have English as their first language.
  • The annual coffee morning for incoming first year students takes place on the first day of school. Coffee mornings will be a taking place throughout the year for any parents that are new to the area.
  • In the coming weeks the SEN department will be promoting the Drop Everything and Read Campaign on a Friday. During this time students will go up to the SEN rooms and have tea and hot chocolate while they read a book. They are also introducing the Leadership for Life programme with SEN students, Leadership for Life is an exciting programme that enables young people to develop the skills and qualities necessary to be effective leaders, as well as challenging them to use these skills for the betterment of society. It is set out to empower young people to make a positive difference to their community through practical actions and projects.

Staff:

  • In relation to staff wellbeing a yoga class start every Thursday after school for all staff. There will also be a staff social outing once a month throughout the year. A staff choir will also run throughout the year.
  • Christmas dinner will be provided in the staff room on the last day of the term.
  • Volley ball computation will take place against Ballyshannon.

Classroom culture:

Instructional leadership (IL) is a big part of the classroom in the Abbey Vocational School, Instructional leadership involves setting clear goals, managing curriculum, monitoring lesson plans, allocating resources and evaluating teachers regularly to promote student learning and growth. Quality of instruction is the top priority for the instructional principal. Instructional leadership is committed to the core business of teaching, learning and knowledge. To date the school has work hard in promoting and developing IL strategies in all classrooms the Abbey Vocational School. A group of teachers have designed a resource book for all teachers to use in their classroom.