Pastoral care is at its heart, the provision of social and emotional care for students. When a school gets it right, the students feel nurtured and safe.
Wrong and the students don’t know who to turn to in a crisis.
How to know if a school has good pastoral care
How can you work out which schools have a great pastoral care system in place?
There are a few indicators.
The presence of happy students is probably the best indicator of all. When you schedule a visit, you may have some student guides and you can ask your guide if they are happy at school and what it is about the school that makes it special.
In schools with good pastoral care, the communication lines are always open. Not only for parents and teachers but also for students with their teachers.
Children need to feel heard in order to feel safe but they also need to know who to approach if they are in trouble or feeling sad.
Clear indicators such as information about class counsellors or representatives should always be on offer.
Speak to other parents
Speak to parents of current pupils if at all possible. They will be vocal if the pastoral care is good and you can learn much from those with experience.
When children feel that they are in a safe place, they are much more likely to open up about any struggles they may be having – socially, emotionally or otherwise.
When parents keep in touch with the staff at school, they can also be part of good pastoral care. For example, informing the staff if your child is having any issues outside of school which they may not be aware of can help the staff to support your child with any problems which might arise as a result of the issues.
This independent school in Surrey places a strong emphasis on pastoral care and its students thrive as a result.
*collaborated post
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