 |
Wellbeing and pastoral care are at the heart of what we do at St Swithun’s. We strive to create an environment in which all our pupils can flourish and we truly believe that children who are happy and healthy are far more likely to succeed. Our ethos is based on our founding values of humilitas, caritas, and sinceritas, and we encourage everyone in our community to interact in a kind, positive and meaningful way. |
Our pastoral support structure is integral to all we do and we pride ourselves on our strong staff pupil relationships. We firmly believe that by developing these appropriately informal relationships we are able to quickly deal with issues as and when they arise. Staff trained and experienced in delivering the appropriate support and are able to supplement this with access to our ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) and, if appropriate, to our school psychologist.
We also believe the peer support is vital in child development and our House System encourages pupils from Reception to Year 6 really develop their sense of community and the girls have a strong sense of belonging to each of our four houses. Our Year 6 take great pride in acting as ‘big sisters’ to our EYFS pupils.
The sense of security provided by this support encourages pupils to step out of their comfort zone and embrace opportunity, thus developing their independence and resilience.
PSHEE
The PSHEE curriculum at St Swithun’s Prep is a developmental programme which aims to help our children understand themselves and the world around them. It contributes to their personal development by encouraging them to understand their own feelings and those of others, build empathy, celebrate difference and challenge unkindness, as well as exposing them to elements of life which they may not yet have awareness, such as careers, finances and healthcare. We constantly review and tailor our curriculum to ensure that it equips students to live healthy, safe, productive, responsible and balanced lives, both in school and beyond.
Support for parents
Pastoral care and conversations around wellbeing do not stop at the school’s doors. The most effective pastoral care works in partnership with the parents and developing those relationships and ensuring that staff are accessible is important to us. We have an active PTA and we also offer support for parents that includes events such as external speakers and information about topics being taught in PSHEE for example.
Safeguarding
Underpinning all of our pastoral care is a commitment to safeguarding and the promotion of the welfare of young people and we expect all staff, visitors, governors, volunteers and parents to share this commitment. We therefore aim to provide an environment where children’s concerns will be listened to and acted upon. We have an experienced safeguarding team led by our deputy head who work to support children and their families.
Apply to Join Us
Admissions
Our dedicated admissions team is here to guide you through every step, from your initial enquiry to the final enrollment. For more information on the process go to our Admissions page.