Foyle Guardians

Foyle Guardians is a new programme tailored to assist our Year 8 pupils in their transition from Primary School to Secondary School.  On the first day of the programme, each Year 8 pupil is paired up with a current Year 13 pupil who will act as their ‘guiding star’ and help them settle into their new school and welcome them to the Foyle Family.

Foyle Guardians takes place every Tuesday morning during registration, and each registration group has their own designated meeting area. The programme is complemented by an activities booklet that encourages the Year 8 and 13 pupils to get to know each other. The Year 8s are encouraged to chat to their Year 13 guardians, tell them about their school experiences so far and seek guidance on any difficulties they may be experiencing.

In preparation for their role, our Year 13 pupils are given Safeguarding training by Mrs. O’Connell and are given instructions during pastoral time on how to carry out their mentoring role. They are taught the importance of confidentiality but are also aware of its limits and know when and how to inform the facilitators if there are any concerns about the Year 8 pupil.

This programme is a fantastic support for our new Year 8s and is also a valuable personal development experience for our Year 13 pupils who are actively promoting the core values of the school.