VIS Annual Report 2021-2022 - Report - Page 36
Counselling
and Wellbeing @ VIS
The Counsellors at VIS work collaboratively
us to provide several small counselling group
with others in the school community to promote
opportunities. During the 2020-2021 school
students’ academic, emotional, social and career
year, there were 16 small groups which met on
success.
a weekly basis throughout the year, both inperson and online. Counsellors also supported
The challenges of the last year impacted all the
Individual students through family, sibling and
students at VIS. As our community navigated
individual sessions, peer mediation, and teacher
through a time of uncertainty and change, we saw
and parent consultations. In total, 146 primary
the importance of social emotional health and the
students received individual or small group
role it plays in our students’ lives. The Counsellors
counselling support.
worked to support students’ increased needs
both online and in person. This was achieved in
Additionally, the addition of a second counsellor
individual and group sessions, consulting with
allowed the primary counsellors to promote
teachers to create strategies for student support
Social
in the classroom and collaborating with them
classroom by facilitating lessons throughout the
to deliver a Pastoral Curriculum to develop
year. The Primary Counsellors implemented a
students’ social and emotional skills.
total of 205 classroom lessons for classes from
Emotional
Learning
(SEL)
in
the
ELC to Grade 5.
As well as working with students directly, the
Counsellors worked to help staff members and
Topics for group and individual support and
parents understand the unique challenges faced
classroom lessons included: empathy, protective
by our students during the lockdown period and
behaviors, expressing feelings, family change,
how this has impacted their mental health and
healthy relationships, conflict resolution, coping
wellbeing.
strategies, growth mindset, anxiety, self-esteem,
emotional regulation and identity.
Primary School Counselling Programme
Last year, the Primary School was excited to add
a second counsellor to the team, which allowed
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