Westbourne House selected as a Pastoral Care and Wellness Finalist by Talk Education.
We were delighted to be shortlisted for the Pastoral Care and Wellness Award from Talk Education.
A recent parent survey underscored that our staff are "caring and nurturing and connect deeply with children".
Martin Barker, Headmaster
The key pillars of our Pastoral Care are:
- A deeply nurturing staff culture
- Proactive and immediate intervention: our system is designed to spot problems before they escalate
- Dedicated social, emotional & behavioural support
- A high level of peer mentoring
We are proud to have Emma, a dedicated Social, Emotional and Behavioural Coach who provides tailored support, individually and in groups, helping students identify barriers and develop coping strategies through fun and creative methods, including cosy, accessible drop-in sessions.
Mrs Brown, Head of Pastoral Care
Peer mentoring inspires our pupils to be the best that they can be. For younger children, it gives them role models to admire and look to for advice, and for older children, it gives the chance to make a difference and inspire others.
In Year 8, pupils have the opportunity to be trained up as ‘Friends'. “It was thought-provoking to learn that keeping secrets is not something you should do as a peer mentor," said a Year 8 pupil. Our younger pupils can confide in a Friend if they are sad or worried, need a bit of homework help, or have lost something and just need a friendly face to help them find it.
Mrs Brown, Head of Pastoral Care, said: “The training session was so positive. I could tell that the pupils were learning so much by thinking through the concepts of trust, honesty and compassion and how to be a good listener.”
We also have structured inter-year support such as 'Playground Pals' (Years 3 & 4), who provide visible support during playtimes, while 'Play Dates' (Years 4 & 8) creatively build cross-year friendships through themed activities. 'Buddies' (Year 6) actively support younger children during breaks and Happy Helpers (Year 7) pop down to the Pre-Prep and are much-loved role models.
For the fourth year running, we were blown away by the sheer number and quality of entries from hundreds of schools around the globe. Our panel of informers and judges – experienced researchers and educational experts, former heads, teachers and advisers, all with their eyes and ears to the ground – have spent the summer locked away in very heated discussion, whittling down our shortlist to the schools that have impressed them the most.
Talk Education
Our matrons and nurses in the medical centre also play key pastoral care roles as care givers and mental health first aiders, and have created a safe, informal space for pupils to seek support, talk, or simply receive "TLC".