Pastoral Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care
The House system and House dining is a distinctive feature of the School. The House provides pupils with a 'home from home' in which to study and relax. Houses are run by a Housemaster or Housemistress (Hm), an Assistant Hm (Ahm) and a Matron who, in the case of Boarding Houses, all live in the House. Each pupil has a House Tutor who acts as an academic and pastoral mentor.
Tutors in both boarding and day Houses have the overview of a pupil's progress through the School and see their tutees in-House throughout the week either during their evening duty or after lunch. Parents are encouraged to discuss their son or daughter's progress with both the Tutor and the Hm.
The Hm and Ahm are on hand during the week to ensure the safety and smooth running of the House. Matron and the Assistant Matron run the domestic side of life and are available to pupils throughout the day and night. Matrons deal with minor medical issues and ailments with anything more significant being referred to the Sanatorium, or when necessary to the nearby hospital.
Apart from seeking help from the House team, pupils are able to arrange appointments with the School medical st aff or see the School Counsellor in total confidence. The Chaplain and Assistant Chaplain visit Houses throughout the week and are also available to see pupils.
Pupils also have a PSHE tutor who provides another useful point of contact for advice or help.
The Levée (School Prefects) play a key role about the School, either as Head of House or as a School Prefect with a defined role, and they too play a supporting role helping to reinforce the School's values and helping Hms to care for the House. All st aff and senior pupils receive child protection training.
Boarding and day Houses are designed and refurbished with the pupils' comfort and safety to the fore. There are strict rules regarding access to Houses and pupils. Doors are coded and alarm systems in operation. The School has a full time security team.
Accommodation varies slightly from House to House but most F Block (Year 9) pupils spend their first year in modern split dormitories and have a separate study. In the E Block (Year 10) they move into a shared or single study bedroom and from then on have a single bedsit. In the day Houses pupils have an individual study area and storage space for books and clothes. All Houses offer a range of leisure facilities including common rooms. There are gardens and play areas in or adjacent to the House.
In-House dining cements the family feel and the House spirit: visitors to any of the Houses are likely to be told at some stage that that House is the 'best'.
‘The warm and all-encompassing pastoral support, given to each individual pupil by all adults with whom they have contact, ensures that pupils feel both cared for and valued. In interviews with pupils this was readily acknowledged and much appreciated by all. They spoke very warmly of the importance of forging strong and lifelong friendships whilst at School. There is a strong awareness that the flourishing House system both encourages and enables this. The importance of nurturing each individual is highlighted in the school's documentation and this aim is successfully met. One boy summed things up nicely when, referring to his tutor, he said, "It’s like having a parent at School." (ISI2 Inspection Report 2008, Section 3.3)
