At RIAB pastoral care is within our culture; we have an emotional well-being team in school who are dedicated towards the enhancement of student’s emotional, academic and social wellbeing.
Our support encompasses British Values, Character education, Life skills, Psychological Support and Cultural Variations.
What is ‘Pastoral’ care?
We hear a lot about “Pastoral Care,” but what is it? What does it mean? And what should parents look for? The word “pastoral” originates from Late Middle English from Latin pastoralis ‘relating to a shepherd’, from pastor ‘shepherd’. In today’s world pastoral care has evolved from a shepherd looking after his/her flock to a “teacher’s responsibility for the general well-being of pupils or students.” (Oxford English Dictionary). Pastoral care is a vital element of your child’s education; one you should scrutinize.
Meeting pastoral needs
Meeting the pastoral needs of students is a demanding one, particularly in relation to children’s emotional and mental health. In an ever-complex world, real pastoral care is long term and covers all elements of student life. It is incorporated into the subjects a school offers, ensuring they are those which a student will actually need to realise opportunities outside the classroom. It also involves a clear intent to provide activities, opportunities and situations which develop resilience and resourcefulness, a training in good habits and, above all, the values and moral dimension which will sustain an individual’s wellbeing throughout their life.
In other words, pastoral care involves teaching and providing opportunities for young people to grow in their self-esteem, confidence, and independence of thought.This facilitates the development of their personal, social and emotional intelligence. The quality of pastoral care influences the ethos and tone of the whole school and is therefore, extremely important when creating an atmosphere in which young people can feel secure and achieve.
Who Will Be Mentored?
Any pupil can put themselves forward using one of the emotional wellbeing lunch clinics or by dropping a note in the support box available outside the pastoral office. In addition, staff can also put pupils forward. Students can also be included within a more focused mentoring program through referrals of subject teachers or even parents in cases of bereavement, etc. Mentors liaise with staff to identify learners who would benefit from mentoring.
Our mentors specialise in supporting students with:
- Poor attendance
- Lack of self-confidence, self-esteem or motivation
- Failure to achieve their full potential
- Behavioural or emotional difficulties
- Difficulty settling into school and building relationships with staff
- Personal crisis- trouble at home, bereavement, and bullying.
- Primary to Secondary transition