Pastoral Care
At Omagh Academy the welfare of our pupils is of paramount importance. As a staff, we endeavour to provide a warm, caring and stimulating environment in which our pupils will feel supported and secure, recognising that this will best facilitate their development. Pastoral Care is exercised by all our teachers and is led by a Pastoral Team comprising Heads of Year and Miss Faris, Vice-Principal with responsibility for Pastoral Issues.
Each class has a Form Teacher who meets with his/her class members every morning. The Form Teacher takes the class for Personal Development and, as far as possible, will also teach a further curriculum subject to the group. This close association with the class enables the Form Teacher to develop a detailed knowledge of the academic and emotional needs of each pupil in his/her care.
Each Year Group also has a Head of Year who, by liaison with the Form Teacher, has responsibility for overseeing matters relating to that Year Group. The Head of Year monitors the attendance, behaviour and academic progress of pupils and may request meetings with parents to discuss matters of concern. They meet with the Year Groups at Year Assembly and will continue to give pastoral support to their assigned Year Group throughout their time at school.
Partnership with Parents
At Omagh Academy we recognise the crucial role played by parents/carers in the education of their children and we are committed to working in partnership with them in order to achieve the best outcome for our pupils.
Parents/carers of pupils in Years 8-11 are issued with two reports each year and are invited to discuss their child’s progress with teachers at parents’ meetings. The progress of pupils in Years 12-14 is monitored by progress cards and by a formal report after the mock examinations early in the Spring term. Parents’ meetings in the senior school are also an opportunity to inform parents/carers on broader issues, such as university procedures, as well as facilitating discussions with subject teachers.
All pupils are issued with a school diary in which they are expected to record all homework. The school diary also provides class teachers with a quick and effective way of communicating with parents/carers on issues of concern. Parents/carers are asked to support class teachers by checking homework diaries regularly and by signing the diary at the end of each week. Parents/carers who are concerned about any matter relating to their child are encouraged to contact the pupil’s Head of Year. Conversely, Heads of Year may request an appointment with a parent/carer.
Omagh Academy also uses an electronic app - School Gateway - which allows quick and easy means of communication, with regards to attendance, achievements and behaviour updates and links to school letters, texts and emails.
The support of parent/carers at major school events such as the School Play, Spring Concert and the Christmas Carol Services, as well as at our many sporting fixtures, is always appreciated.