It’s vital that all children feel happy and safe at school as happy children thrive and excel. Pastoral care systems ensure that the wellbeing of pupils is taken care of. They are allocated form tutors, put into school houses and often are given mentors to help them through their issues and settle in. Below are facts we’ve learned from a prep school in London on the role of pastoral care in schools and why it is so integral to school life.
The School House System
If you’re not familiar with the school house system, most schools in the UK are broken into teams (otherwise known as “houses”). Children have the chance to participate in school competitions such as sports day to represent those teams where they must work hard individually and as a collective. This gives children a sense of togetherness, works on improving their social skills and helps them integrate into the school community.
Form Tutors
The most common form of pastoral care in schools is the allocation of form tutors. They are usually for secondary schools as this is where children are split into different classes for each of their subjects. A form tutor is a teacher who carries out registration, and often activities such as PSHE so they will see them daily. This makes them an excellent judge of character and someone they can talk to regarding any concerns they may have. If matters must be escalated, there are a number of teachers that children can talk to such as their head of year.
School Attendance
There are several issues a child might face at school, such as peer pressure, issues within their friendship groups, bullying, difficulty academically, their mental health and things going on at home. They can all impact their ability and willingness to learn. In more extreme cases it can affect attendance and have serious consequences on their grades. Support structures such as those mentioned above can give children a way of dealing with their problems and improve their motivations for school.
Life Skills
Children also get to learn life lessons through PSHE, which stands for personal, social, health and economic education. This equips them for later life, as well as dealing with their emotions correctly.
These are just a few ways in which a school might help their pupils on a more individual basis. Parents are just as important in the equation, and if there are any concerns you have with regards to how your child’s getting on at school or anything else affecting their performance, their teachers are there to help.
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