What is pastoral care in schools?

What is pastoral care in schools?

At its simplest, pastoral care is the provision a school makes to ensure the physical and emotional welfare of pupils. It is the essential foundation upon which learning can take place. That said, schools with high standards of pastoral care go far further than a basic commitment to welfare, with pastoral care extending to every aspect of school life in order to foster pupils’ personal development as much as their academic progress.

Why is pastoral care important?

All parents want their children to be safe and happy at school. The importance of pastoral care goes well beyond this, however. Education and health are closely linked, and recent studies have shown that pupils with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically. What is more, life skills, such as those taught in a successful PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) programme, are associated with greater wellbeing and higher achievement. Good pastoral care in school is also fundamental to the development of character and social skills, which will be of critical importance to pupils in later life.

How do I recognise good pastoral care?

Schools dedicated to high standards of pastoral care will have put this at the centre of their operations. It should be reflected in every aspect of school life, from its ethos, the environment for learning, and the way personal development is fostered in the curriculum and co-curriculum. It should also be apparent in the friendly and respectful staff-pupil relationships, and how far pupils are known and treated as individuals by their teachers.

What does pastoral care in a GDST school look like?

GDST schools have long been committed to a holistic view of education; the Trust has over 152 years’ experience to draw on in tailoring its provision, not only to how girls learn, but also to how they develop emotionally. This experience informs all its work.

Good pastoral care matters to GDST girls: they have said so themselves. In 2016 pupils were surveyed across GDST schools on what they thought makes for great teaching. Strikingly, the pastoral attributes of teaching, such as pupil-teacher relationships, figured as strongly in the responses as more academic concerns such as subject knowledge.

The typical size and all-through nature of GDST schools means that they genuinely have a family atmosphere. Staff know pupils as individuals and care about their progress; the excellent pupil-teacher relationships are regularly commended in school inspection reports. Issues are spotted and dealt with swiftly, and every girl will have a number of trusted staff she can go to if she has problems or difficulties. Girls form strong and supportive friendships and are well disposed to help each other. Many schools foster this support network with ‘Big Sister – Little Sister’ mentoring arrangements.

Which staff are involved in pastoral care?

All GDST schools have highly trained and exceptionally dedicated pastoral staff, who are well placed to deal with issues such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, bullying and stress. The pastoral care team are supported by a medical specialist and counsellor in every school. Whether or not they have a specific responsibility in this area, every teacher recognises the important pastoral role they have to play.

What distinguishes pastoral care across the GDST?

GDST schools can also benefit from the central network in developing their pastoral provision. The Trust has an extensive pastoral training programme, and there are GDST Consultants for PSHE and for Mental Health who work across the network improving school practice and helping to share ideas and successful initiatives. The opportunity to collaborate benefits pupils: for example, PSHE teachers regularly share resources which have been specifically devised for the single-sex context.