EDPROFST 744 : Pastoral Care and Counselling in Schools

Education and Social Work

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Provides an overview of the theory and practice of pastoral care and counselling within New Zealand schools. It includes an examination of pastoral care systems and counselling services, including the roles of staff, in relation to the academic mission of schools, disciplinary systems, the health of children and young people and the school-community interface.

Course Overview

This course offers students the opportunity to explore and examine the pastoral care and guidance system in in Aotearoa New Zealand Schools. With an increasing drive for more counsellors in schools, this course allows students to develop an understanding of the counselling role and how they may engage with other members of the school community.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Counselling

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify the principles and policies that underlie the provision of pastoral care, guidance and counselling in schools. (Capability 1.1 and 4.1)
  2. Understand and critically evaluate the relationship between psychological wellbeing and academic achievement. (Capability 1.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 4.2)
  3. Define the different roles of staff members (and others) in contributing to the pastoral care, guidance and counselling of students in schools. (Capability 2.1 and 4.1)
  4. Understand and critically evaluate the structure and functioning of pastoral care systems in schools. (Capability 1.1, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
  5. Discuss the application of the principles of pastoral care to particular issues that arise for young people, and to the needs of special groups within a school. (Capability 2.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  6. Discuss the application of ethical principles in the practice of pastoral care in schools. (Capability 8.1 and 8.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignment 1: Role Analysis 50% Individual Coursework
Assignment 2: Essay 50% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Assignment 1: Role Analysis
Assignment 2: Essay

‘To pass this course you need to submit all assessments and achieve at least 50% for the course overall’ to the satisfaction of the examiner.

Next Offered

Semester 1, 2026.

Teaching & Learning Methods

  • large group and small discussion groups.
  • Theoretical and practice focused experiences.
  • Interactive activities.
  • Expert Practitioners presentations/demonstrates and/or panel discussion.
  • Critical Inquiry 

Module

Module One:     Foundations of pastoral care and guidance counselling.
Module Two:     Ethical considerations for working with young people in schools.
Module Three:  The challenges young people face.
Module Four:    Assessment, referrals and taking care of yourself.



Workload Expectations

This block course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 150 hours across the semester in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect to commit up to 30 hours of direct contact via on-campus lectures/workshops/visits.

You can also reasonably expect to commit approximately 100-120 hours of independent learning. This may include reading (and more reading), note-taking, face-to-face and/or online discussion, writing, engaging in collaborative group work, problem solving, undertaking practical tasks, reflecting on learning, accessing learning and study resources, and assignment preparation and completion.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as a supplementary resource; however, other learning activities (such as a field trip)  will not be made available as recordings. 

The course will not include live online events.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

As always, this course appreciate the feedback which was provided during class and from the SET evaluations.
The feedback was all around positive and encouraging; the students expressed enjoyment of the course, acknowledged the wide scope and breadth the course covered and signaled the desire for more critical readings. 

Other Information

This is suitable for a  wide range of professionals who are interested in exploring, examining, and understanding  pastoral care and guidance counselling in Aotearoa New Zealand schools. The intention of this course is to support professionals with developing critical questions, thinking, and practices  that they can take forward into their various work settings. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 12/11/2024 05:32 p.m.