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Whether in primary or secondary school, all children have physical and emotional needs that need to be catered to by the adults in their lives, both at home and at school. After all, feeling happy, safe, and supported are at the core of a good education; children will not be able to thrive if they are dealing with sadness, stress, anxiety, or loneliness. It is a pastoral care department within a school who are responsible for every child’s wellbeing. A private school in Somerset explore the importance of pastoral care below.
When choosing a school for your child, it’s easy to look for information such as previous inspection reports or exam results to help you make your decision, but how can parents determine whether or not the pastoral care is up to scratch? Well, since everyone has different needs, pastoral care can mean different things to different people. However, it’s worth noting that pastoral care doesn’t just refer to one single thing; it’s rooted in every aspect of the school. Perhaps your child is struggling with their mental health and to them, pastoral care is the on-site counsellor who meets with them once a week. For a child who is being picked on or ostracised by their peers, pastoral care might be the Head of Year who deals with the bullying issues before they become too severe. Maybe your child is finding maths tough and needs some extra support? The pastoral care team will be there to help them overcome this hurdle and ensure they reach their full potential.
Pastoral care is all about helping each and every child feel safe and settled within a wider community so that they can journey through their education with minimal setbacks. It ensures that all children know for a fact that they are not alone; they have someone to turn to for support should they need it, whether that be an older student or a member of staff. In most schools, staff are trained regularly on subjects such as cyberbullying and mental health issues so that they are equipped to help the youngsters in their care.
Parents should try to form strong relationships with the teachers at their child’s school so that both parties can work together to iron out any wrinkles that your child is faced with. For instance, if something is going on at home that might affect your child’s mood or performance in school, it’s worth reporting it to their form teacher so that they can be monitored. Clear dialogue between home and school is of the utmost importance.
