Pastoral care as a term is taken from the biblical idea of the shepherd and his flock. A shepherd provides protection and care to vulnerable sheep just as a pastoral care team provide those things to children. Choosing a school involves asking a lot of questions and undertaking a lot of research. Looking into the pastoral care system at each school will tell you a lot about whether it’s a good fit for your child or not.
This independent school in Buckinghamshire takes pastoral care very seriously and this is reflected in the performance of the pupils attending. While most schools still need to take extra care to ensure the kids are following the rules (including modern advances, such as vape sensors) schools with good pastoral care will understand there’s always a reason that kids act out.
What should pastoral care look like?
Pastoral care is more than a few staff members sorting out squabbles or providing tissues to a child who is upset. It’s a complex system which operates on more than one level.
In a large school, each year group will have its designated counsellors and those members of staff who children know they can go to with a problem. But all staff members should provide some level of pastoral care to their pupils.
Knowing each child and understanding their strengths and weaknesses will help staff to notice when things go awry. And most children do go through an awkward patch or two during their school career.
If staff notice changes in behaviour or performance, then they should follow those changes up. Chatting informally with a pupil can often be enough to make sure that child feels heard and gets some issues off their chest. If the problems are more complicated, then other staff members may be brought in to provide additional support.
Children who feel supported in school will always do better academically. The commonplace problems which children face such as bullying, social or academic struggles can always be ironed out by caring and supportive staff.