Pastoral Care All staff at the College are pastoral carers; in our many different roles and varied interactions with the girls, we strive to ensure the girls’ safety – physically and emotionally - and to support the development of their identity and sense of belonging, whilst honouring their passions, strengths and personal journey. We acknowledge this is key to allowing them to engage fully and successfully in their learning experiences.
Chapel together and work with their entire House each week. Beyond that, they celebrate together, encourage, support and share the journey together, just like a family.
‘A supportive and proactive learning environment promotes inclusion and collaboration’[1] and thus, in turn, effective care makes meaningful learning possible.
The College actively pursues excellence in this field in both the day school and within the boarding community. A purposeful approach to this care is led collaboratively by The Wellness Team - a staff group whose expertise spans emotional, academic, health, boarding and spiritual care. Our dynamic approach promotes inclusivity and finds foundation in a restorative approach to managing relationships within a community.
We recognise that effective pastoral care is important to the girls’ learning and something they all deserve from our community. We purposefully craft small family units – Holme Groups – in which girls interact with others from their Middle or Senior School each day, in some fashion. These small groups attend Assembly and
Holme Groups undertake House-based projects throughout the year and devise their own activities to complement these. Groups work together towards our spirited Interhouse sport carnivals and cultural competitions each year. These shared activities are critical to a strong sense of belonging and genuine connections across a
broad range of girls in the Middle and Senior School. Throughout 2021, our Year 12 Leaders were absolutely vital to House and Holme Group connections, to establishing and sustaining a sense of identity and belonging, and supporting and recognising the accomplishments of the girls. Their purposeful care of the House – girls and staff – was most effective and truly commendable. This work is at the heart of the precious Fairholme spirit. [1] Practice Principles for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Victorian State Government.
