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Our pastoral structure is designed to place student wellbeing at the heart of what we do. |
We have an extensive network of support including form tutors, heads of year and house staff as well as a wellbeing team comprising of our nurses, psychologist, chaplain and the safeguarding team. All students and parents also have access to The Wellbeing Hub, an online portal with a wealth of wellbeing advice and resources. The sense of security provided by this support encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and embrace opportunity, thus developing their independence and resilience.
| Form Tutors and Heads of Year |
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| Tutor groups are small, generally around 18 in the lower and middle years and 8-10 in the sixth form. They meet daily and their form tutors get to know their tutees well, often providing the first layer of support, as well as the initial point of contact for parents. Form tutors are supported by Heads of Year who oversee the support and pastoral programmes in each year. |
| Boarding House Staff |
| Boarders also have housemistresses and/or a housemaster who all live on site and ensure that full and weekly boarders enjoy community life to the full, with the right balance of study, relaxation and challenge. |
| Families |
| All students are part of a ‘Family’. These are a group of students from across all years who meet each half term, under the guidance of sixth-form ‘aunties’ to develop relationships between girls of different years and to provide peer support and encouragement. |
| The Wellbeing Team |
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We have a delicate team of staff whose primary responsibility is the wellbeing of students. They meet weekly to review incidents and actions and are experienced and agile in catering for a range of needs of students and their families. Our wellbeing team comprises of:
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| Support for Parents |
| Pastoral care and conversations around wellbeing do not stop at the school’s doors. The most effective pastoral care involves the parents and so we offer support for parents that includes external speakers; a Positive Education course for parents; information about topics being taught in PSHE; wellbeing and mental health resources on the parent portal and access to the Wellbeing Hub. |
| The Wellbeing Hub |
All students, staff and parents have access to The Wellbeing Hub, an interactive online portal designed to help parents understand and meet their child’s social and emotional needs. Students have access to resources specifically tailored to support them with their mental health and wellbeing. All parents will benefit from:
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| Girls on Board |
| ‘Girls on Board’ is a programme that teaches girls how to make positive friendships, how to ensure that no-one is left out and how to sort out friendship problems effectively, when they arise. It empowers girls to sort out their own friendship problems and recognises that they are usually the only ones who can. We feel strongly that this is a crucial life skill, and we use the principles of this approach when appropriate to help girls navigate the sometimes choppy waters of friendships. |
| Safeguarding |
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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 students’ concerns will be listened to and acted upon. We have an experienced safeguarding team led by our deputy head pastoral who work with students and families where safeguarding support is needed. |
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