PASTORAL CARE POLICY
Introduction
At St Joseph’s School we have a responsibility for the care, welfare, safety and
learning environment for all our children. The Pastoral Policy should be used in
conjunction with all other polices referred to in this document.
Aims
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To promote the ethos and values of the school, in which each individual is cared
for and valued equally, in an environment that is felt to be secure, sympathetic
and supportive.
To create and maintain an atmosphere where everyone feels they are well
known, respected and happy.
To encourage children to develop confidence, self-respect and a feeling of self
worth, self-discipline and responsibility.
To respond to the individual needs of every child and to create an ethos in
which children can achieve and in which their achievements are encouraged
and celebrated.
To provide opportunities for intellectual, sporting, creative and social potential
to be realised.
Pastoral Structure and organization
It is recognized that all members of staff including non-teaching staff, have a role to
play in the pastoral care of all the students. All staff have a ‘duty of care’ and are
expected to conduct their professional duties in a supportive and caring manner.
However, within the Staff, there are those who have specific pastoral
responsibilities: The Class Teacher (Junior School) or Form Tutor (Senior School), is
responsible for the provision, guidance and care of the children/students in his/her
group.
Senior Form Tutors and Junior Class Teachers meet with their Tutor groups or classes
twice a day at registration. They monitor the records of attendance of the students
in their care as well as overseeing their academic progress. Concerns about day-to-
day administration, work, extra-curricular activities or morale, should be addressed
to the Form Tutor or Class Teacher in the first instance.
In the Senior School the Director of Studies oversees the academic progress of all
students and the Deputy Head oversees the pastoral and disciplinary aspect.
In the Junior School, the Junior Head oversees the academic progress of all students
along the pastoral and disciplinary aspects, with the assistance of the KS2
coordinator.
Parents of children with Special Needs concerns should contact the Director of
Studies in the Senior School and the Class Teacher in the Junior School, in the first
instance, who will liaise with the SENCo.
An efficient pastoral system will aim to facilitate Teaching and Learning by
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Having a key role in the monitoring and tracking of the students’ progress.
Communicating relevant information to all interested parties.
Implementing the Rewards and Sanctions policy.
Providing all students with appropriate advice, support and guidance, that is
informed by the systematic monitoring of overall academic progress.
Supporting and enabling students to perform effectively by creating a
positive ethos which allows them to achieve their potential.
Helping students to develop the skills and attitudes to enable them to
become good citizens.
Playing a key role in developing a supportive structure within which all staff
can operate effectively.
The pastoral system will promote moral, cultural, spiritual and social development
by
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Reinforcing ‘right and wrong’ through the implementation of the Rewards
and Sanctions policy.
Encouraging charity work.
Encouraging students to take responsibility for, and helping them to reflect
upon their own actions.
The public recognition of high moral standards.
Setting high standards of personal and professional conduct and integrity.
Raising the level of awareness of multi-cultural issues.
Raising awareness of a diversity of beliefs.
Raising awareness that fulfilment is not necessarily materialistic.
The encouragement of a positive self-image.
Encouraging an acceptance of the attitudes, values and beliefs of others.
The provision of leadership and team-work skills.
The encouragement of personal responsibility.
The creation of opportunities to contribute to the life and development of
the school.
The pastoral system will assist in the creation of an orderly environment by
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The creation of an atmosphere of mutual trust, support and understanding,
for all members of the school’s community.
The administration of the Rewards and Sanctions Policy.
The effective administration of the whole school Behaviour Policy.
The provision of timely and appropriate intervention, advice, support and
guidance.
Close collaboration with parents (in instances of both good and poor
behaviour).
Liaising with external agencies as appropriate.
The pastoral system will seek to assure regular and punctual attendance by
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Ensuring all students and their parents know the importance of regular and
punctual attendance.
By promptly identifying attendance or punctuality concerns.
The pastoral system will seek to eliminate bullying by
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The vigorous implementation of the Anti-bullying Policy.
The implementation of the Rewards and Sanctions Policy.
The reinforcement that bullying is antisocial and unacceptable.
The early identification of the behaviour that indicates the bullied and the
bully.
Creating an atmosphere of security within which all the members of the
school community feel comfortable about disclosing any incidents of bullying.
Effectively dealing with those that are being bullied and those that bully by
collaboration with parents, ‘in-house support’ and by post-resolution
reviews.
The pastoral system will promote and protect the well-being of students by
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The vigorous implementation of the Safeguarding Policy.
The vigorous implementation of the Health and Safety Policy.
The vigorous implementation of the Drugs Education Policy and the Drugs
Misuse Policy.
The vigilant identification of the signs that may suggest a form of abuse.
Creating a safe and secure environment in which children are able to disclose
alleged abuse.
The prompt notification of all such disclosures to the School’s Safeguarding
Team
The early involvement of outside agencies.
Ensuring that all staff are aware of procedures relating to medical
emergencies.
Dealing with a Crisis
No pastoral system can cover every situation. However, the School does have a
Major Emergency Contingency and Recovery Plan. This would be brought into
effect if a crisis situation were to occur or develop. An effective pastoral system will
have created a mutually supporting environment and an awareness of the roles of
appropriate supporting agencies, which will enable such crises to be dealt with in a
professional, effective and caring manner.
The following policies are included under the Pastoral Care Policy of the school and
are available separately on the website:
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Ethos
Safeguarding policy
Curriculum policy
Gifted and Talented policy
Learning Support policy
Rewards and Sanctions policy
Behaviour policy
Anti-bullying policy
Cyber-bullying policy
PSHEE policy
Illness, medication and medicines policy
Supervision policy
Date of last review: January, 2015
Reviewed by: Governors’ Pastoral Committee
Date of next review: January, 2016