"The Mosslands School aims to help all students fulfil their potential and experience success through an educational environment which responds to individual need and stimulates and challenges each and every student. The processes of informing, advising and guiding pupils are accorded a high priority within the school, and are seen as crucial in preparing pupils to make decisions regarding the opportunities and challenges of adult and working life. 

For the purposes of this policy the following definitions have been used; 

Information – Information is data on opportunities conveyed through different media, both mediated and unmediated including face-to-face contact (individual, group, class etc), written/printed matter, telephone help lines, ICT software, websites and virtual learning etc. 

Advice – This involves helping students to understand and interpret information; to provide information and answers to questions and clarify misunderstandings; to understand their circumstances, their abilities and targets; to advise them on their options or how to go about a given course of action; to identify needs and to signpost and refer students who may need more in depth guidance and support. Advisory work is usually provided on a one-to-one basis but may also be provided in small or class groups. 

Guidance – Guidance aims to support students to better understand themselves and their needs; to confront barriers to understanding, learning and progression; to resolve issues and conflicts and to support them to develop new perspectives and solutions to problems and be able to better manage their lives and achieve their potential. Guidance may also involve advocacy of behalf of some students and referral for specialist guidance and support. This involves more in-depth one to-one work conducted by staff trained and competent in guidance work. Guidance usually involves the exploration of students’ circumstances - their ideas, values, needs and beliefs in relation to opportunities or issues that are confronting or confusing them."