Our Support for Students staff work to provide a caring and supportive environment for students. They provide a friendly link between the school and the community. Individual guidance on personal, career or subject matters is offered. Wherever possible, each student will have the same Support for Pupils teacher throughout his/her school days - someone to turn to when in need of advice or help.
The Support for students Team
The members of the Support for Students team are as indicated below. In addition, they have particular responsibilities. These include: Social Education Programme; Personal and Social Development; and Pupil Support Group.
Redpath House: Miss K McGillivray
Telford House: Mrs S Baillies
If new first year students have an older brother or sister in the school they will be allocated to the same house. This means that parents will deal with the same members of the Support for Pupils team for their family.
Student Support Group
The Student Support Group consists of teachers and representatives from Psychological Services, Police, Educational Welfare, School Medical Service and Social Work. The group meets regularly to support pupils with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. The school has recently introduced an Integrated Support Base to assist pupils experiencing difficulties.
The Support for students System
The Support for Students system at Forrester seeks to ensure that each student has a number of teachers to turn to for advice and help in all matters. For some students this will be the Group Tutor, the teacher with whom they register each morning. For others, the Support for Students teacher of the house group will be the one whom they prefer to consult. They are available for consultation at various times each day. To complete the Support for Students team, the Depute Headteacher is also available so that there is no shortage of teachers to consult when help or advice is required This team is concerned with the overall development of the individual student - physical health, educational attainment, character development, the acquisition of personal and social skills and the improvement of future career prospects.
Meeting with Parents and Students
In addition to responding to students' enquiries, Support for Students staff have a regular programme of pupil interviews, both individually and in small groups. They monitor pupils' punctuality, attendance, behaviour and educational attainment, and keep parents informed if problems occur. They are also available to see parents on request. Parents should, whenever possible, contact the school in advance to arrange an appointment.
Working with Others
Support for Students teachers keep in close touch with the many staff from outside agencies who can assist our students - the School Doctor/Nurse, Child Guidance, Education Welfare Officers, Social Workers, Children's Panel and Community Workers. In addition, contact is maintained with the Careers Officers, Further Education Colleges, University and potential employers. Indeed, the provision of a reference is often the last, but not least, of the many ways in which the Support for Students system assists students.