The Importance of Pastoral Care in Schools | AD

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Pastoral care is a crucial element of any school; it ensures that the physical and emotional wellbeing of every single student is supported. The responsibility for pastoral care is shared amongst the teachers and other staff and enables children to develop successfully on both a personal and academic level. For a stronger understanding of why pastoral care is so important, an independent school in the West Midlands explore some of the benefits below.

From injuries in the playground to illnesses during school hours, pastoral care aims to deal with any accidents and sickness. Generally speaking, it involves protecting students and keeping them safe from any physical or emotional harm, both at school and within their personal lives. This involves monitoring each child closely and liaising with parents on a regular basis about any issues that arise so that they can be tackled fairly quickly. 

A child’s primary pastoral carer will be their form tutor, who spends time with them at least once a day and is able to keep an eye on them. They will watch out for any friendship problems, as well as monitoring their academic progress and ensuring they are completing their homework on time. If anything significant is happening at home, it would be worth letting your child’s form tutor know so that they can check in and make sure your child is handling it well. 

The pastoral care department must also ensure the school is safe and secure. The caretaker will be asked to regularly check the school boundaries and fire alarms to make sure everything is in check and any visitors to the premises will have to sign in and out. 

Each school will have their own policies and procedures when it comes to pastoral care to ensure that all staff are on the same page. It is often included in lessons, as children learn about bullying, sex education, drug and alcohol abuse, safe use of the internet and road safety. 

Children thrive in environments where they feel safe and happy, which is ultimately the true mark of pastoral care. When their time at school concludes, they will be able to make sensible decisions regarding their future, have built strong relationships with their peers and be equipped with appropriate skills and qualifications to help them succeed in life. If you want to know more about the pastoral care provided in your child’s school, don’t hesitate to contact the teachers for some additional information. 

Michelle