Pastoral

The role of the Form Tutor

The Form Tutor plays a key role in both the pastoral and academic lives of Junior School pupils. They are responsible for monitoring students' day-to-day wellbeing and act as the first point of contact for parents. Through daily interactions in form periods, registration, Wellbeing lessons and other academic lessons, especially the core subjects, Form Tutors are deeply involved in their pupils' pastoral development. Alongside the year group team and the Deputy Head Pastoral and Operations, they will look after all aspects of the pastoral lives of the pupils and promote our Junior School core values: Do the right thing, Care for others, Join in, Strive for excellence. 

Settling In

When pupils join the Junior School, we do all we can to ensure they settle in quickly, make friends and enjoy their new environment. They are assigned a Year 6 buddy who writes to them in the Summer Term before they start and meets them at the induction afternoon to show them round the school. Then, in September, the pair are given activities to complete together, such as playing patball or reading in the Library together, to help foster this bond further. Pupils are also assigned to a Day House, where their Housemaster will provide further care and guidance as they go through the Junior School, helping to monitor participation in co-curricular activities alongside the Form Tutor. 

Support Systems 

Pupils can talk to any adult in the Junior School about concerns or worries they may have. For those who find it difficult to initiate conversations, we offer ‘pastoral post boxes’ in classrooms and regular check-ins via the ‘Reflect’ app to ensure pupils always have a means of reaching out. Our half-termly Wellbeing Survey gathers each pupil’s perspective on various aspects of the school so that we can continue to improve their experience in the Junior School. Due to the close relationship between pupils and their Form Tutors, most concerns are dealt with quickly by them, however the Deputy Head Pastoral and Operations is always happy to meet with parents or pupils to discuss any matters. Also, the school has counsellors who can meet with pupils individually or provide advice or support to parents should a particular issue arise.  

Fostering Independent Learners 

We believe that the dialogue between pupils, parents and staff starts in Year 3 as a triangle of communication and responsibility between all three parties. However, as they pupils mature and become independent, they take control more of their lives and learning. By Year 6, for most pupils, this triangle develops into a straight line where the pupils are in the middle with parents and staff at either end. The pupils organise themselves and they tell parents and teachers of issues they are having, so that when they transfer to the Lower School they are fully equipped to enjoy the higher level of responsibility and independence that Year 7 brings.  

Creating a Safe Learning Environment 

We strive to provide a safe and supportive environment where pupils can learn without fear of failure. Our goal is to help pupils grow into responsible, kind, and confident individuals, equipped with the skills needed to lead happy, healthy and independent lives.