Supporting Students & Parents
This page provides a brief overview on some of the services and supports provided by O’Carolan College.
Student Voice & Student Leaders
In O’Carolan College, we operate a Student Leader & Student Voice system. One leader is appointed in every class group, as representatives for the group. They are given special duties by their tutors in relaying information to and from students, acting as representatives for the class group and acting as ambassadors to the school. Each student who is a Student Leader is recognised at the end of the academic year at the awards ceremony for their work in the role.
The Student Voice is a representative body for the whole of the student body. They meet regularly and discuss issues related to the student body, and the student experience in O’Carolan College Nobber. Each member is recognised at the end of the academic year at the awards ceremony for their work in the role.
Bullying & anti-bullying week
In O’ Carolan College, we recognise the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact which it can have on the lives of pupils. Therefore, we are fully committed to the following key principles of best practice in preventing and tackling bullying behaviour:
A positive school culture and climate which:
- Is welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity
- Encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-threatening environment
- Promotes respectful relationships across the school community
- Effective leadership
- A school-wide approach
- A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact
- The implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awareness raising measures) which build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils
- Anti-bullying week through SPHE with a variety of workshops and talks organised
- Explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying including homophobic and transphobic bullying
- Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils
- Supports for staff
- Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour (including use of established intervention strategies) and
- On-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy.
Counselling & guidance
The aim of the Guidance and Counselling programme is to help students to develop an awareness and acceptance of their talents and abilities, to explore opportunities and to make informed choices about their lives. It also aims to provide support to all students in a caring and kind manner. We recognise the importance of guidance and counselling in enabling each student to gain maximum benefit from the education system. Guidance is regarded as a whole school activity and one to which all members of the school community facilitate and contribute. The delivery of a comprehensive Guidance Programme is the responsibility of the Guidance Counsellors but a whole school approach is essential to realise this objective.
Home school liaison
Silver circle
Every year, O’Carolan College runs a fundraiser called the Silver Cirlce draw. This is an annual fundraiser for the school, in which students sell 10 tickets to family, friends, neighbours, etc. There are many prizes for the tickets sold, as well as prizes for students who sell cards. The funds from the silver circle draw are raised by the students, and spent on the students. Money from silver circle goes towards subsidizing buses for school trips, affliation fee’s for various sports clubs, guest speakers to the school, and many other events.
