Pastoral Care

A great deal of emphasis is placed on pastoral care at Elizabeth College. We are entirely committed to providing an environment that inspires warmth, confidence, creativity and personal development in all our students. A good education will encourage children to take risks, to participate in new activities and to be open to new ideas. They should leave with the confidence and skills to play leading roles in society.

From when children start at Elizabeth College in the Junior School, right through to when they leave us after Sixth Form, we aim:

• To create a caring environment where students are valued for who they are, not just for what they currently contribute;
• To ensure every student has the self-confidence to tackle both academic and personal challenges;
• To provide students with opportunities for involvement, leadership and service;
• To encourage students to exercise individual and social responsibility;
• To ensure that each student has access to personal, vocational and academic guidance and support, where necessary; and
• To establish and maintain excellent communication with every parent, so that together we can help prepare students for adult life.

Pastoral care is the responsibility of the whole school community. The way we talk, interact and teach all contribute to the quality of our care. To ensure all of our students are appropriately supported we have structures in place to make sure everyone in our community thrives. For our students from Pre-School through to Sixth Form, there is regular communication with parents.

Across all year groups contact books and the use of the student diary is paramount. Email, phone calls and the occasional meeting are also encouraged. In addition to the regular parents’ evenings, there are pastoral information evenings to ensure the school is working with parents on issues of pastoral care and academic progress.

Pastoral tracking between the Junior School and Upper School ensures that the often difficult transition phases for students are as smooth as possible. In addition, there is a Welfare Management Team that includes the Child Protection Officers from both school sites. The School Nurse and the College Chaplain visit weekly and provide additional support to all of our students and staff.

For our younger children class teachers are the first point of contact for parents and students. Class teachers are in turn supported by the Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral), who has overall responsibility for the well-being of the students at Elizabeth College Junior School, while the Headteacher is kept informed of all Pastoral matters.

As students move up through the school their Tutor becomes responsible for the pastoral and academic well-being of their Tutees. Heads of Year, with the support of the Assistant Principal (Pastoral), oversee a team of tutors. Tutors and Heads of Year are encouraged to be in contact with parents on a regular basis.