The pastoral team in any school is responsible for the health and happiness of every student, in terms of their academic performance, relationships with their peers and teachers and within their personal lives. It is crucial to ensure every child is safe and content throughout their time at school, otherwise they won’t be able to reach their full potential. With that said, it is normally quite obvious if a pastoral department is working well within a school. An independent school in London explores in more detail below.
Both pastoral care and parenting involve protecting children and helping them solve personal problems and overcome challenges, to ensure they are mentally and physical healthy and performing well in all aspects of their life. However, a pastoral department have hundreds of children to support, which makes it all the more complicated. As a result, there have to be various policies and procedures in place to ensure the team are working effectively. Every single child must feel supported and fairly treated during their time at school.
Successful pastoral care will help each and every pupil develop a strong sense of self and therefore the ability to create and work towards realistic goals. They will learn to take risks in a healthy way and work on their strengths, rather than wallow in their weaknesses. As a result, the students should perform well academically and have a wholesome social circle.
Each child is looked after on an individual basis, but it also enables students to feel like part of a wider community. Essentially, pastoral care helps children find comfort in the sense of belonging that comes with being a member of a strong system. If you would like some more information about the pastoral care department in your child’s school, don’t be afraid to contact them with your questions or simply browse the website.
Laura x