Pastoral care is a crucial element of any good school. It helps to accelerate every student’s development of personal, social and emotional intelligence, by providing academic and personal support and opportunities for them to grow in confidence and independence of thought. It would be obvious when a pastoral care system isn’t working, because it influences the atmosphere and ethos of the whole school. I have teamed up with a senior school in Hertfordshire to explore the importance of pastoral care in further detail below.
The main concerns of a pastoral care department within a school is to ensure every child feels safe and happy, is behaving as they should and fairly punished if they’re not and their achievements are encouraged and valued. In other words, every child should be able to perform to their full potential, while integrating with other pupils and getting involved with extra-curricular activities. What’s more, effective pastoral care also guarantees that all staff are 100% committed to the welfare of the students, through regular training.
Your child’s form tutor will act as their main pastoral carer, as they meet at least once a day. The form tutor can provide a bridge between a child’s home and school life, monitoring their performance in both an academic sense, and a personal one. If something big is happening at home, like a new baby, a death in the family, moving to a new house etc, parents should inform their child’s form tutor so that they can monitor how well they are coping and report back if they have any concerns.
As well as looking after each child on a personal level, pastoral care also aims to help all pupils feel a sense of belonging at their school. If you have any concerns about the pastoral care at your child’s school, don’t be afraid to get in touch with them and ask them any questions you may have. There will be policies in place that they may be able to share with you.