This section contains the professional learning materials and supporting resources which can be used to support individual and school-led professional development across all areas of Guidance.
Overview:
This PLE explores explore the principles of whole-school guidance, reviews key documentation, and outlines steps for developing and implementing a whole-school guidance plan. Working with senior school leaders recognises the value they place on WSG as a contemporary model for planning effective guidance in schools. This workshop explores collaborative in the planning and provision of guidance, while also recognising the specialist role of the guidance counsellor.
PLE Presentation: Whole School Guidance for Senior School Leaders April 2025
Whole School Guidance for Senior Leader Padlet:
Whole School Guidance for Senior Leader Sandbox of Ideas:
By clicking on the link to the sandbox below, please input ideas, strategies, or examples of best practice that you would like to share, that would inspire, create or strengthen impactful whole-school guidance practice in schools.
Overview:
This three-part webinar series explores whole school Guidance planning. Webinar 1 explores the collaborative whole school approach to Guidance planning and the shared responsibilities of various stakeholders. Webinar 2 explores whole school Guidance planning in more detail, and webinar 3 explores improvement planning for whole school Guidance.
Webinar 1 of a 3-Part Webinar Series:
This professional learning experience looks at the contemporary whole school guidance approach to planning Guidance as a collaborative approach with shared responsibility in a school community. It explores the roles and responsibilities of school personnel and the school community in relation to developing a whole school approach to Guidance. It also considers the inclusion of student, parent/guardian and community voices in whole school guidance planning.
Webinar 1 Recording: Whole School Guidance (March 2025)
Webinar 1 Presentation: Whole School Guidance 2024- 25
Webinar 2 of a 3-Part Webinar Series
This professional learning experience (part 2 of a 3-part series), focuses on whole school guidance (WSG) planning, drawing on examples from the Department of Education Information Note 01/2024 to illustrate effective provision. It explores strategies for identifying needs and priority areas, ensuring a targeted and responsive approach to guidance. The webinar will guide schools through the design and review of their WSG plan, examining possible headings and sections to structure a comprehensive WSG plan. Additionally, prompts for effective classroom guidance planning are provided. A core theme throughout is the recognition that WSG is a shared responsibility, requiring collaboration across the school community to meet the diverse guidance needs of all students in their context.
Webinar 2 Recording: Whole School Guidance (March 2025)
Webinar 2 Presentation: Whole School Guidance 2024- 25
Webinar 3 of a 3-Part Webinar Series (March 2025)
This PLE reinforces the provision and practice of whole-school guidance as a collective and collaborative responsibility of the school community. It particularly focuses on improvement planning in whole-school guidance, with the exploration of possible themes or areas for improvement. It acknowledges the importance of evaluation as a key consideration in WSG and explores both self evaluation and that of external evaluation in supporting the guidance needs of pupils.
Webinar 3 Presentation: Whole School Guidance 2024- 25
Whole School Guidance Padlet:
Overview:
This PLE explores a brief introduction to the TY Programme Statement 2024 with a focus on the dimensions of the curriculum. In particular it examines the dimension of career exploration in practice and its benefits for the holistic development of TY Students now and into the future. Through the dimension of career exploration, we examine strategies to support meaningful experiences to enhance student development. We reflect on collaborative practices to enhance career exploration experiences though examining the component of work experience. The requirements of this academic year are outlined as an audit year to reflect on how current practice fits with changes or indeed if it’s a springboard for meaningful change or improvement. This workshop was facilitated by Oide Guidance at the IGC Conference 2025.
PLE Presentation: Career Exploration, Transition Year Programme Statement
Career Exploration TY Padlet:
Career Exploration Sandbox of Ideas:
This sandbox activity captured experiences, activities and opportunities that occur in a school context through the dimension of career exploration that support student developmental indicators
Overview:
This online professional learning experience (PLE) explored inclusive practice for all students in Guidance. The workshop is tailored to supporting the social and personal, educational, and career guidance needs of all learners.
Case Studies and Padlet:
In the workshop, participants were asked to consider a number of fictional case studies and answer questions on a prompt sheet. The case studies could be used in school-led professional learning on inclusion in Guidance. The prompt questions my also be useful when considering the Guidance needs of students in your settings. The accompanying padlet is designed as a repository of further supports in the area of Inclusion in Guidance and is split into categories.
Links to the presentation and accompanying resources are available below.
Inclusion in Guidance Padlet:
Adapting and Managing Successful Transitions:
Additional Resources and Supports:
Overview of the Webinar Series:
This three-part webinar series explores whole school Guidance planning. Webinar 1 explores the collaborative whole school approach to Guidance planning and the shared responsibilities of various stakeholders. Webinar 2 explores whole school Guidance planning in more detail, and webinar 3 explores improvement planning for whole school Guidance.
Supporting Materials:
Recordings of the webinar are available below.
Slides, recordings and additional supports are available on the accompanying padlet below the webinar recordings.
Schools may wish to use the recordings and supporting materials for school-led professional learning.
Whole School Guidance Planning Webinars:
Additional Resources and Supports:
Overview of Guidance Professional Learning Experience 2024/25:
The Guidance Professional Learning Experience 2024/25 focuses on planning a responsive and effective Guidance programme across the continuum of learning, catering to both new and experienced guidance counsellors. It begins with a session on self-care and available supports, emphasising the importance of guidance counsellor well-being, along with professional agency. Case studies are utilised in session one to discuss strengths, challenges and solutions to planning Guidance in schools.
Sessions two and three focus on planning a developmental Guidance programme. Participants collaborate to develop a unit of learning, tailored to student needs.
This PLE concludes by revisiting the role of the guidance counsellor, reinforcing the importance of planning a balanced Guidance programme, and closing with a focus on self-care.
Presentation for Guidance PLE 2024/25:
The presentation for this Guidance Professional Learning Experience to guide discussion, collaboration and a solution focused environment of learning can be accessed below.
Padlet of Resources: Guidance PLE 2024/25
This workshop is complemented by a padlet of resources for guidance counsellors. This contains case studies, supplementary information and resources as appropriate to support the learning. This is accessible through the link below:
