When parents are looking for a school to send their child to, they tend to focus on things like the location and facilities. However, one important factor to consider is the pastoral care in schools. Most schools will brag of superior pastoral care, but this shouldn’t always be taken at face value; it’s worth interrogating. What does pastoral care actually mean and how does the school achieve it? A prep school in Surrey explore in detail below.
disclosure: this is a partnered post
Focus on Child’s Wellbeing
Good pastoral care in schools will focus on a child’s physical and mental wellbeing in the short term. When visiting options for schools, parents should find an opportunity to ask if the staff are trained to deal with a variety of modern issues that young people might face, like cyberbullying or eating disorders.
They should ask what policies are in place to ensure all staff are on the same page when it comes to what behaviour is deemed acceptable and what isn’t. A school should always have the pastoral care provisions in place to support a child with problems as soon as they arise, whether they are academic or personal.
Long Term Commitment
Pastoral care in schools is also a long-term commitment to students. It’s the school’s dedication to providing a thorough education that ensures every student reaches their full potential, as well as extra-curricular activities that promote confidence, resilience, resourcefulness and moral values.
When pastoral care is successful, no child will be neglected. Each child should be made to feel like part of a wider community where they feel safe and happy.
Ability to Monitor Progress
One of the key pastoral carers within a school is your child’s form tutor, as they will spend time with your child every day and can closely monitor their progress. If there’s something going on in your child’s home life, like a new baby, moving to a new house or a death in the family, it’s worth informing your child’s form tutor so that they can keep an eye on your child and ensure they are coping well.
After all, when something happens in one aspect of a persons’ life, it usually interferes with another. Pastoral care aims to prevent this from happening.
We hope this blog post has helped you understand the importance of pastoral care in schools and why it is imperative that you interrogate what your child’s potential school can offer.
