Pastoral Care

As one of Sheffield's leading secondary schools, pastoral care is one of our number one priorities. The Pastoral System facilitates this in the following ways:

• The Form Tutor gets to know about 20-25 girls as individuals and helps to steer them through all the events and developments of School life. Year 7 tutors hand over to the tutors for Year 8 and Year 9, then to the tutor for the girl’s GCSE years.

• Working closely with Form Tutors is the Head of Year (we have one for Year 7 and four others who take Year 8 through to Year 9 and Year 10 through to Year 11 in alternate years), who monitors and encourages the progress and development of the year group.

• Assemblies, held regularly for different sections of the School as well as for the whole School, with the girls often playing key roles.

• Form Groups elect Form Leaders, Eco Representatives, Charity Representatives, Equality Diversity & Inclusion Representatives Wellbeing Representatives and School Council Representatives.

• School Council, chaired by Sixth Form students, at which ideas and concerns about the School are raised, followed up, and reported back on. The Council is also consulted over curriculum changes and some staff appointments.

• Code of Behaviour, which provides the guidelines for all members of the School Community.

• Emotional Needs are supported, in co-operation with families, the school counsellor and school nurse.

• School Counsellor who offers a confidential service to all Senior School pupils.

• School Nurse, who is available full-time for medical concerns and advice

• Pupils can access the Resilience Hub where they can seek assistance from trained Peer Mentors

• New girls are fully supported as they settle in, whether these are new to established year groups or Year 7s arriving from other Primary Schools or from our own Junior School. Girls will have lots of practical guidance and reassurance and will be guided on how to fit manage homework and school activities into their other commitments. Sixth Form Prefects are attached to each Year 7 (and Year 8) form to support this.

• Individuals joining us at the start of any other year, or during it, soon make friends and settle in and support is given if they need to catch up with aspects of work, with timetables being adjusted if necessary. Parents are contacted about their progress after a few weeks.

• Transition between Key Stages is fully supported, beginning with the move into Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9). A programme of activities and meetings takes place during Year 9 to help girls with the decisions about their GCSE options and, during Year 11, further exploration of possible Career Paths links into the process of beginning to make decisions about A-levels

The Pastoral system is focused on fulfilling our school values, ensuring girls are happy and settled at school whilst remembering that, at certain times, individuals and groups may need some extra help or support.