Child protection
CLIP is committed in safeguarding pupils and promoting their welfare.
CLIP fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection.
All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse, therefore any suspicions or allegations of abuse and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately.
CLIP also has in place policies, procedures, and practices that are designed to reduce and eliminate bullying and harassment as well as processes and procedures to deal with similar incidents.
Parents will be contacted when needed. In all circumstances the best interest of the student is taken into account and action taken as deemed appropriate.
Learning support
Learning Support and Special Educational Needs (SEN) principles at CLIP are firmly in line with the school’s Guiding Statements.
The Wellbeing Team along with the SEN Deputy decide on the different support arrangements after careful student observation, assessment procedures and follow-up intervention.
The school also has an excellent relationship with outside agencies who work in collaboration with staff and parents in assessing, diagnosing and advising our staff on the necessary procedures.
The issues encountered normally include cognitive, social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
An educational plan may be drawn up with the aim of setting appropriate strategies for a student’s development and with parental knowledge and collaboration. Academic and emotional support may be provided to students through a variety of methods including special/adapted programmes, learning support classes, monitoring of academic and emotional needs and progress, support within classes, and / or accommodations in the classroom and for assessment.
Healthcare and health education
CLIP promotes healthcare and health education to students through a variety of curricular and non-curricular opportunities.
The school curriculum covers many topics related to healthcare and health education, through:
- LS/MS PSHE/US Guidance and Counselling Programme
- Sciences
- PE
- School projects
- Occasional initiatives
CLIP Clubs and CLIP Teams offer after school, weekend and school holiday camps and activities, promoting health education and healthy lifestyles.
The food offered in school complies with national health regulations and CLIP provides a selection of free fruit available daily at break times.
CLIP’s facilities and outdoor spaces encourage sports and physical activities.
Counselling
- Pastoral care and Counselling
Each member of the school community is responsible for the social and emotional wellbeing of every other member.
Teachers in every area are in a position to promote wellbeing throughout the teaching and learning strategies they use and the way they develop relationships with students, parents and colleagues. Parents are a very important key in this challenge as students’ wellbeing is directly linked with their home environment and everyone with whom they come into contact and situations they face in their daily lives. Wellbeing is promoted by any action taken to maximise learning, health and wellbeing amongst the school population and individuals.
- Form Teachers/Tutors
The Form Teacher/Tutor is the front line of pastoral care and student wellbeing and, in normal circumstances, will be the first point of contact with parents.
The Form Teacher/Tutor’s role, in brief, is to keep a watchful eye on his/her students; to lend a sympathetic ear to them; to encourage or censure them when the occasion warrants; to manage the group efficiently; to keep accurate records of students’ progress; to liaise closely with the Leaders and Directors; and to pass on accurate records to the next Form Teacher/Tutor.
- Career Guidance
Career Guidance at CLIP happens throughout the school as students acquire the life skills of resilience, become cooperative and independent learners, competent researchers, confident ICT users, critical thinkers and fluent public speakers. Although there is no fixed Career Guidance programme for the entire school, there are a variety of activities that take place annually.
In Lower and Middle schools, students are exposed to some job and career options and real life experiences in order to be aware of what is available to them in the future.
In Upper School there is a team of people in place to guide and support students which includes:
- An University Counsellor who coordinates the UCAS process as well as other overseas options
- An University Counsellor for Portuguese universities who is responsible for the Portuguese university process
These designated people together with the Form Tutors, psychologists and the Upper School Wellbeing Team work together to provide a systematic career guidance and education choices.
Students are given opportunities to:
- Visit local and abroad universities
- Attend university orientation sessions
- Participate in the CLIP Career’s Fair
- Visit companies and listen to professional guest speakers
- Experience internships in companies
- Volunteer for further work experiences over the holidays
- Educational Psychology and Counselling
Psychological support and counselling is of utmost importance in school, in order to ensure that students are kept safe and can be appropriately cared for when unwell or in need of additional support whether physical, social or emotional.
Intervention takes place as follows:
- Educational support – analysis of group/class structure, intervention strategies to manage group/individual behaviour.
- Group/class intervention - development of strategies for behaviour management; development of study skills; vocational guidance tests; relaxation strategies and anxiety control.
- Individual intervention – referral by the Special Needs Deputy/Wellbeing Team for pedagogical/emotional support after identification by the teachers.