Georgie Sherrard

Christmas in the UK is something special. The traditions, the history, the food, the lights! Every school will embrace this wonderfully uplifting holiday that marks the end of the Michaelmas term, and your child will be immersed in everything to do with Christmas. It is an opportunity for students and staff to get together before the holidays and they will certainly know how to put on a celebration!

Pippa’s Guardians’ Area Managers love to visit their students, to get to know them really well, and spoil them once in a while! Both Brighton and Malvern College students were recently treated to evening get-togethers with their local Area Managers.

Each school year can highlight a different range of emotions and feelings for children. The first year can see your child feeling homesick and feeling anxious making new friends. The third year could reveal exam stress and difficulty switching off from homework. Sixth Form can be overwhelming with applying for university while keeping on top of schoolwork.

You, as parents, are always there to support and give encouragement, but the pastoral care that your child’s school provides – from webinars about managing anxiety to talks about managing social media – works seamlessly alongside to help your child manage their emotional health and help them to achieve their best.

Pastoral care support can have a profound influence on your child’s success because it creates a foundation for them to thrive in all areas of school life.  Recent studies (Pastoral Care in Education, Cambridge Scholars) have shown that pupils with better health and wellbeing achieve more at school academically and socially, are happier and more resilient.

So, what is pastoral care?

Pastoral care is a holistic approach to supporting the wellbeing of students and their families. Your school will have a pastoral care team which could include counsellors, nurses and mentors. The team would be on hand for a student or family member to talk to about any personal or academic concerns.  Your school may offer wellbeing programmes or individual sessions that give students guidance and tools to manage issues such as exam pressure and anxiety.  Every student has an instant support network on hand to guide them through their issues and allow them to talk through and understand what they are going through. Every parent has an instant support network to share their own parental issues and have support to help their child.

How does pastoral care contribute to academic success and happiness?

However your child receives pastoral care – whether it is listening to advice given at a wellbeing seminar, talking to a counsellor or asking advice from a tutor – they will learn ways of managing their daily lives more effectively, helping them to achieve more in everything they do.

Increased motivation and confidence

Pastoral care brings a sense of belonging and builds self-esteem. Students are more likely to participate in class, take risks and ask questions if they feel they have a support network.

Resilience and coping skills

Pastoral care programmes can teach students how to handle setbacks. Students are given help in managing exam stress and help them view challenges as something to overcome.

Emotional stability

Feeling anxious and stressed can affect concentration and learning in class. Pastoral care support helps students manage these emotions and help them focus better.

Pastoral care really does underpin everything your child does at school, helping them to achieve their best in everything they do.