PASTORAL

The focus of our pastoral care this year has been to continue to foster a sense of community wherein kindness and consideration for others is at the heart of all that we do. We encourage positive relationships between students and tutors, and make sure every student is supported and cared for.

All students are encouraged to have the confidence to aspire, be self-disciplined, show courtesy and kindness towards others and become more outward-looking. We have continued to develop students’ sense of well-being and have promoted a ‘can do’ attitude, encouraging them to recognise and celebrate their strengths.

“Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to learning, are highly motivated and are determined to make the most of all of the opportunities that the school provides them”.

ISI Inspection Report PASTORAL

Kindness Week

HIGHLIGHTS

Kindness week

Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference Additional tutor time has been introduced this year and it has been used for a variety of activities across the School. This additional time has allowed tutors to work with and get to know their tutees better. Much of this time has been used to develop and explore positive mental well-being and to build a sense of community and belonging.

Activities have included:

Soapbox speeches

Board game challenges

Mindfulness sessions

An exploration of laughter – where students explored health benefits to smiling and laughing The introduction of carousels to try different activities, including mindfulness, building confidence, cryptic crosswords, draw for joy, Pilates, Latin dance, current affairs, silent reading, story time, play reading, country music and sing along musical theatre.

PASTORAL

Dr Kathy Weston

HIGHLIGHTS

We have welcomed a number of external speakers to School this year:

Dr Martijin van der Spoel spoke to students about practical techniques and strategies to help students sharpen their study skills

Dr Kathy Weston spoke to students and parents about building and developing resilience

The Self Esteem Team delivered a session for parents on promoting positive health with young people

The Self Esteem team

Two pastoral residential trips went out in the Spring Term; Year 7 visiting the West Midlands Safari Park, Phasels Wood Activity Centre and Warwick Castle and Warwick Castle, and Year 8 travelling to Bath and Bristol. Both trips provided excellent opportunities for students to get to know one another outside of the classroom, as well as providing lots of fun activities.

Mental Health Day was celebrated across the School in the Autumn Term with students considering the concept of belonging. We also held our second Mental Health and Well-being Conference in October 2019 that was organised by Sixth Form students. The theme this year was confidence. During the conference students heard from a number of key speakers, who provided helpful advice and lots of practical ideas and strategies. Students across the School have again been supported by peer mentors, and the tea and chat sessions on a Friday lunchtime have continued to be popular. Year 11 students have set up a new mental health committee for their peers and they have run a number of support sessions.

Phasels Wood Activity Centre

Year 9 Activity Day

The second annual Kindness Week was packed with initiatives and activities encouraging kindness towards others and to ourselves. Highlights included:

Videos for assembly made by the Year 9

Charity Committee

The Big Six reminding us of the importance of ‘Push-Check-Hold’ (holding doors open for each other)

Whole school quiz on the science behind kindness

The Mental Health and Wellbeing committee serving hot chocolate at break times

Sessions to discuss kindness and unkindness themes in Jane Austin’s works

The creation of self-kindness boxes

Students writing kindness postcards to each other

The first Feel Good Week was held in the Summer term to promote positive mental health. One highlight was the talk given by Mia Eisenstadt from the Anna Freud Centre on coping with lock down and seeking help when in doubt about mental health worries.