REFERENCE CENTRES IN EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE IN CATALONIA

Abstract

Despite the importance of guidance as a key strategy for developing students' life projects, there is little evidence on the state of guidance in Catalonia and on the profile of the schools that stand out in this area. This study identifies the characteristics of public and charter schools in basic education (primary and compulsory secondary education) that excel in their guidance practices. Using a two-phase sequential mixed research design (QUAN>qual), a survey study was carried out with a sample of 665 primary and 496 secondary schools which, in the second phase, led to 7 focus groups with members of management teams, heads of studies, stage coordinators and guidance practitioners. The findings show that schools excelling in their guidance efforts, at both stages, clearly have formalized guidance in their institutional documents, implement it continuously, and integrate it into the curriculum, being in the medium-high complexity schools where these practices are more recurrent. However, while guidance in primary education is addressed throughout the entire stage and not just at the end, in secondary education, reference schools either apply these practices throughout the whole stage or at specific levels. This emphasises the need to promote a conceptual and regulatory framework that structures guidance in schools and connects it to local contexts.