Pastoral care and strong foundations

Mrs Brown, Head of Pastoral Care, sums up our aims and pastoral focus for the term

At Westbourne House, pastoral care is woven into everyday school life. 

So far this term, our pastoral programme has focused on friendships and relationships: how to build positive connections, recognise when a relationship may be unhealthy, and know what to do when things aren't going so well.

Through discussions and practical activities, pupils have learnt how to respond to difficult situations and, importantly, how to seek help when they need it.

Understanding bullying and how to seek help

Anti-Bullying Week provided an opportunity to reinforce pupils’ understanding of what bullying is, how the school responds to concerns and where they can go for support.
 
It is important that children know they will be listened to and that concerns will be taken seriously.

"Through the focused sessions throughout the week, pupils learn some key things: how we as a school would deal with a situation where we felt that bullying was a risk, the school's processes in dealing with incidents, and how we would support both the child who has been hurt and the child whose behaviour has caused harm." 

 Mrs Brown

Alongside this, activities such as our gratitude pumpkin, offer a simple but meaningful way to encourage children to pause, reflect and appreciate the people and experiences that bring something positive to their lives.

Preparing children for the world they live in

This term, the pastoral team and our teachers have run personal development workshops, twice-weekly Learning4Life sessions, and specific workshops using resources from Wellio, a pupil wellbeing platform, to help pupils explore the challenges they may encounter as they grow up, both in school and beyond.

One particularly valuable Year 8 session this term explored online masculine narratives.

"This session really helped Year 8s to see the red flags online and what to look out for. In group work scenarios, they practised how they would respond if they were to see something that was concerning." 

Mrs Brown

The aim is not simply to tell children what to think, but to equip them to think for themselves, question what they see and make thoughtful decisions.

Support for families

Pastoral care extends beyond the school gates. The Wellbeing Hub is an online resource for parents, offering practical advice, useful parenting courses and webinars to help families navigate the challenges children may face as they grow.

"It's an amazing go-to online place to seek support for anything that your children are going through. You can go there for advice. You could join a webinar to seek support. I really recommend it for all our parents across the school." 

Mrs Brown

Find out more about the Wellbeing Hub.

Growing together

From everyday conversations about friendship to focused workshops on more complex issues, pastoral care is part of how we help children thrive at Westbourne House.
 
By creating an environment where children feel able to speak up, ask questions, make mistakes and seek support, we help them develop the confidence and understanding to navigate challenges, build healthy relationships and care for those around them.
girl with odd socks
Sammy Angelo singing on stage
pupils with a pumpkin
girls writing on a pumpkin
odd sock day

Odd socks to highlight that everyone is unique, a gratitude pumpkin and all the wonderful messages and Sammy Angelo performing in Anti-Bullying Week.