The school’s chaplaincy team are Easter Smart and Jim Dewar, ministers of the Church of Scotland churches in Currie and Juniper Green.
The chaplaincy team is available to the school, pupils and staff, as part of an In-School counselling service, usually described as “listening ear”.
It is introduced to pupils on the basis that there are all kinds of things that might bother them, for which they might want someone to talk to. They are not members of staff, but people who visit the school, able and willing to listen in a concerned but slightly disconnected way. They listen to pupils talk through whatever it is that bothers them, either issues about school or about life more widely, and offer help and support as they deal with these issues.
The team might offer some advice which they can take or leave; all of this is completely confidential. There is nothing religious in these sesssions and they are not out to convert anyone to their view of life and the world.
They have a private room in the school located so that no-one sees what is going on. Sessions typically last up to 30 minutes and one of the team will be in school every week. Pupils can arrange to meet a member of the chaplaincy team through the Pupil Support staff.
The chaplaincy team also contribute to a programme of assemblies referred to as ‘time for reflection’.
Click here for more information about ‘Time for Reflection.
