The SHSG family

THE FAMILY – Connecting everyone

Once a member of the SHSG family, always a member of the SHSG family.

Being part of a large, busy and high-performing selective school can be demanding. The bar is raised very high. However, we anchor everything we do in our guiding principles that students are safe, happy and successful. We are a very friendly and caring school and place high importance on students and staff being safe and happy and feeling valued.

PASTORAL CARE – Connecting school and home

Pastoral care at Southend High School for Girls is outstanding. Communication and partnerships with parents are outstanding.

As an SHSG student, you will meet in your form group every morning for registration, and your tutor is the first point of contact each day to check in ready for the day ahead. There is also a non-teaching Pastoral Support Officer attached to the year group to provide additional pastoral care and advice whenever necessary. The Head of Year leads the year group and students get together, celebrating achievements in the fortnightly year group assemblies.

A senior member of staff leads the pastoral team and coordinates a wide range of external support services, counselling and visiting speakers.

As a parent, SHSG delivers on all levels, both encouraging and aiming for academic success and supporting the personal development of my daughter. I am highly impressed with the way the teachers and support staff “ at SHSG maintain this on a daily basis.

Parent

Year 10

THE SCHOOL BIRTHDAY – Connecting the past, present and future

THE HOUSE SYSTEM – Connecting year groups

As a member of the SHSG family, you feel part of something special that lasts for life.

On the school’s birthday in October, ex-students return to join in the celebrations and point out their younger selves in the black and white photos lining the corridors by the Assembly Hall. It’s a time to connect the past, present and future, and exemplifies our family ethos and sense of belonging.

The house system has been part of SHSG’s traditions and pastoral system for many years, and it is an important mechanism to establish connections between all year groups and to create the family ethos. House assemblies with Years 7 – 13 take place twice every half term and are led by student house captains. Every student and member of staff is a member of either Aphrodite, Artemis, Athene, Aurora, Hera or Hermes.

House captains organise a wide range of lively charity and competitive events throughout the year, involving all staff and students. They are a wonderful way to bring the whole school community together.

OUR HOUSES:

APHRODITE

Goddess of love and fertility

AURORA

Goddess of the dawn, driving a chariot drawn by winged horses ARTEMIS

Daughter of Zeus and goddess of the hunt and wild animals, and protector of young girls

HERA

Wife of Zeus, Queen of Olympian gods, and goddess of marriage and of the life of women ATHENE

Daughter of Zeus and goddess of warfare and wisdom

HERMES

Son of Zeus, the messenger of the gods, and god of eloquence