Pupil Support

Kirkcudbright Academy seeks to foster a caring and supportive environment within which pupils may live and learn. It is the aim of Academy staff, both teaching and non-teaching, to take an interest in the health and well-being of all pupils and to ensure that their concerns are addressed.

Pupil Support incorporates pastoral care, curricular and vocational advice, learning, study and behaviour support to ensure that the support that all pupils receive is focused, appropriate and integrated. The three Principal Teachers of Pupil Support meet regularly to discuss strategies for supporting youngsters and to formulate practices which will result in a more rounded support service in the school and which will help create more effective links with external services.

Support is also offered by the following: Careers, Home School Link Worker, Attendance and Liaison Officer, Educational Psychologist, Kirkcudbright Academy Support Team, School Nurse and specific classroom support to help pupils' learning.

Pastrol Care

Each pupil is allocated a Pupil Support teacher who focuses on the personal as well as academic needs of the individual. This teacher usually follows the progress of each pupil in his or her charge from S1 until the time he or she leaves school. Pupil Support teachers are concerned with pupils' personal, curricular and vocational welfare. It is hoped that by keeping in close touch with the pupil and his/her parents or guardians, they are able to offer support and guidance at different stages in each child's school career.

Pastoral Care is offered in the following ways:

• arrival interviews with all pupils
• self referral system for all pupils
• liaison with parents/carers as required.

In addition to the above, a number of useful services are offered by Pupil Support staff: advice on subject choices

• careers advice and information
• assistance with interview skills
• references for employers
• computer based data on Higher Education courses
• assistance with college and university applications.

Members of the Pupil Support team are very keen to encourage contacts between home and school and to involve parents in their children's school career. If you would like to contact your son or daughter's Pupil Support teacher, for any reason at all, please do not hesitate to do so. The simplest way to get in touch is by phoning the school. If the teacher is not available at that moment, then he/she will phone back later and, if necessary, a suitable time to meet together will be arranged. Alternatively, you may prefer to contact the school by letter.

Child Protection and Anti-Bullying

The school has a Child Protection Policy which, in line with national guidelines, outlines advice, strategies and support on a number of issues which concern the protection of children from abuse. We readily liaise with Social Services and other external agencies to work together in the best interests of our pupils. Leaflets on Dumfries and Galloway's approach to Child Protection Issues are available from the School Office.

Within school, we believe that pupils are entitled to enjoy their educational experiences without fear of harassment from any sector of the school population. To achieve and ensure this, we have an active anti-bullying policy which is applied consistently and promptly throughout the school. Pamphlets explaining our approach to bullying incidents are issued to parents and the issue is addressed within The Personal Health and Social Effectiveness programme.

Kirkcudbright Academy is a community where each individual can play his or her part in promoting an atmosphere which encourages tolerance, understanding and mutual respect. Respect for oneself and others is the starting point from which we can develop our anti-bullying approach within the school community.

We aim to do the following:

•  create positive relationships at all levels
•  show concern for the welfare of others through words and actions
•  be sensitive to the feelings of other people
•  show respect for differences in gender, race and beliefs.

A summary leaflet or full copy of the school's anti-bullying policy is available from the school on request and is issued to all parents when their child starts S1. A summary of the policy is also printed in the Pupil Planner, which is issued to each pupil at the start of session.

Careers Support

Within school, pupils have access to careers support through a variety of means:

Pupil Support Staff
Staff have access to a wide range of resources relating to vocational pathways. Pupils, particularly seniors, work closely with Pupil Support in exploring different vocational and academic options.

Self-access to the Careers Officer, Ms G McKelvey

This operates by filling in an appointment sheet in the Pupil Support base. The Careers Officer is in school on a weekly basis and has a significant input to the school's PSE programme as well as attending Parents' Evenings.

Computer-assisted research
Pupils have access to "PlanIt & Progress", a national data-base of careers and entry routes to Higher Education. The website www.planitplus.net has a wealth of information on careers and education.

UCAS Applications
In the senior school, UCAS applications are processed using the UCAS online application system. This provides a very efficient means of dispatching university/college application forms.

Careers Library
The school has an extensive Careers Library which has recently been updated and expanded.

Annual Careers Evening

Parents and pupils have the opportunity to meet with representatives from further and higher education as well as employers and training agencies.

Behaviour

The school's Behaviour Policy has at its centre the concepts of partnership and courtesy. The school can only thrive if there is mutual support from each of its partners - pupils, parent and staff - and each of these partners treats the others in a courteous and respectful manner.

The Behaviour Policy seeks to support pupils through negotiation, reward and sanction. In addition, very clear aims and expectations are publicised and promoted regarding approach to learning, behaviour, courtesy, organisation and positive personal qualities and values.

The vast majority of pupils in the school behave very well and work hard, contributing to a positive atmosphere and good working relationships between staff and pupils. There are already rewards for good behaviour in school, but we continue to seek ways of commending achievement and attainment, particularly where a definite improvement has been made.

For pupils who fail to meet our expectations, there is a five-stage gradient of sanctions, the effectiveness of which depends on close parental involvement. These sanctions range from written exercises and detention to isolation within school and, in the rare and serious event when all else fails, exclusion. A copy of our Behaviour Policy is given to all parents when their child joins S1.

Behaviour Support

Pupils are offered a range of support strategies, including specialist help, to manage their behaviour appropriately. A number of different approaches may be adopted to meet the needs of the individual pupil. In each case, there will be close liaison between the school, parents and relevant specialist agencies such as Psychological Services and the Social Work (Children & Families) Department. It is also the firm resolve of the school that pupils who do behave well and whose effort and attitude are consistently good should have their conduct recognised and rewarded.

KAST - Kirkcudbright Academy Support Team

KAST is a group of senior pupils (S4-S6) who have volunteered to operate as befrienders to younger pupils. They have undergone training in counselling techniques so that they can offer support and guidance to pupils in S1. Each member of the group has between 3 and 6 S1 pupils and they are encouraged to make regular contact with the pupils. In the past, the befriending system has proved effective for a variety of reasons:

• S1 pupils often know some of the senior pupils and will readily approach them
• pupils are able to contact members of KAST by e-mail and often find this easier than approaching them directly
• senior pupils are a good source of information for junior pupils
• some pupils prefer to discuss areas of concern with older pupils rather than with parents or teachers.

The pupils in KAST know that they must pass on concerns that they have about junior pupils if they are unable to deal with any issues brought to them.