Student Support Services

The VIS student support services team aims to support our students in developing positive relationships and experiences within our school environment and the wider community. Our objective is to assist all students in becoming effective learners whilst maintaining a healthy well-being.

The Student Support Services Handbook can be found here.

Click here to access the High School University Counseling Handbook.

Social-Emotional Wellbeing

Each section of the school is supported by a School Counsellor/Advisor.

Ms Catherine Jolly ES Social-Emotional Advisor and PSHE Teacher		Ms Alexandra Vella McIntyre MS Social-Emotional Advisor and PSHE Teacher

Ms Colleen Currie College and Career Counsellor		Ms Corinne Borg Inclusion Coordinator Head of Student Support Services

Our social-emotional programme provides individual as well as small group counselling. Individual referrals may be made by classroom teachers or other school staff, by parents or through students themselves. Depending on the particular case and the age of the student, parents would be involved accordingly.

Through our PHSE programme we provide social-emotional and life-skills education on a range of topics including:

• Bullying
• Social Media
• Mental Health Issues
• Making Positive Choices

Child Protection Policy

VIS believes that child protection is an essential element of the school’s responsibilities towards children and young people’s protection. VIS’ priority is to prevent any form of child abuse, violence, exploitation or neglect and to recognize that such acts are a breach of children’s human rights. Therefore, ensuring the protection of young people’s physical and emotional wellbeing is the school’s commitment.

Please click here for the comprehensive Child Protection Policy

The School Nurse

Ms Odette Micallef Engerer

The school nurse is involved with the following responsibilities:

• Day-to-day medical/emergency care, to look after your physical health.
• Coordinates with the PSHE teachers, to provide support in the PSHE programme were both physical and mental health related topics are concerned. Health education topics may include nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, puberty, addictions and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Is part of the Student Support Services Team, so as to ensure that V.I.S takes care of the total wellbeing of its students by providing a multidisciplinary team approach.
• Is part of the Occupational Health and Safety (O.H.S.) Team, to help identify hazards and develop written work procedures for them, accident investigation, school inspection, and written documentation of all these. Also helps to coordinate and provide necessary training, such as Basic First Aid Courses, Basic Life Support & AED, and Paediatric First Aid Courses.
• Liaison with parents/ guardians regarding any concerns and continuity of care with students.
• Liaison with external agencies and other health services to ensure that VIS meets all medical obligations with regard to Maltese Law.

Inclusion Department

Ms. Corinne Borg

VIS is a non-selective school and we ensure that an inclusive environment is nurtured across the school in everything we do. We aim to provide students’ needs within the parameters of our school resources. Modification and differentiation techniques are provided within classrooms to allow every student to experience success. The Inclusion Department consists of the Inclusion Coordinator (InCO) and Learning Support Educators (LSEs). When necessary outside specialists and services are contacted for further support. For further information, one can access the VIS Inclusion Policy from the VIS website.

Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Policy

As an international school, we expose students to the diverse world around them and celebrate different cultures. We celebrate diversity by ensuring that all members of the school community regardless of ancestry, culture, ethnicity, sex, physical or intellectual ability, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or other factors – are welcomed, included, treated fairly, and respected. Teachers are encouraged to provide students with a variety of opportunities to learn about diversity and different cultures.

We value people’s right to express views and opinions in a respectful manner, however, discrimination on any basis is unacceptable.

The anti-discrimination policy, will apply for all issues related to school life, including but not limited to: teaching and learning; facilities and access to them; guidance and counselling; and on all our community interactions. All members of the VIS community, including Board Members, Leadership team, staff, students and parents, are expected to respect this policy which is aligned with the VIS Inclusion policy.

University Counselling

Ms. Colleen Currie

Welcome to the latest edition of the High School College Counselling handbook, a resource outlining the support  services given to our High School community throughout the last four-year journey prior to university. 

What follows provides a window into the life of the College & Career Counselling Department, with milestone guidance from the entry into Grade 9 to the leaving of Grade 12 students, who head out into the world, ready to contribute to it. 

Applying to universities both locally and internationally is an exciting and revealing experience which gives students a chance to look at who they are, what they value, and what they might want to do with their life. 

Whilst the application process can in itself be a daunting, demanding and time consuming series of events, University & Career Counselling at VIS provides students and parents with a road map toward graduation and beyond. We at VIS pride ourselves on having attracted acceptances from world-class universities around the world. 

This guide is meant to assist students and parents on this journey, to support students in their search for self-discovery at VIS and beyond.

Click HERE to access the High School University Counselling Handbook.