Pastoral care
Achieving individual potential
At The Abbey School, pastoral care is central to our thinking and we offer a very high standard of care for our students. The welfare of each individual in the school community is of the greatest importance and all members of the school are expected to act with due consideration and respect for each other.
A well-established system of form tutors, assistant form tutors and Heads of Year, supported by the Assistant Head-Pastoral, the Deputy Head and the Headmistress, supervises and monitors each girl as she progresses through the school.
During the first two years, the girls establish friends within their forms that are geographically supportive. In UIV, [Year 9] our policy is to rearrange the form groups as the girls enter adolescence and the Pastoral staff feel that it is highly beneficial for the girls to move into a different form group ready for the next important stage of their education, as they prepare for their GCSEs. In the Sixth Form, girls belong to a small tutor group which enables staff to offer the extra support needed to check the progress of their work, discuss university applications etc.
Appropriate policies, including anti-bullying, positive behaviour and discipline, are in place and the school operates an ‘open door’ policy of access for parents to discuss any problems which may arise.
The culture we promote throughout our school is one of tolerance, openness, responsibility and mutual respect. These values are presented in assemblies usually led by our senior staff but also by the girls themselves. The School Council is made up of girls from every year in the school and at their regular meetings they discuss issues which affect everyone in the community. Our girls raise a great deal of money for a variety of charities and the Charity Committee, which is run by the girls, organises many fundraising events each year.
The Nurse
The Medical room is well equipped and is open throughout the school day. Our full-time nurse provides First Aid care for any sick or injured girls, takes responsibility for any prescribed medicines brought into school by pupils and keeps appropriate records. She also delivers Skills for Life lessons on health issues to girls throughout the school and is an important ‘listening ear’.
Raising self-esteem
There are many opportunities for social integration, raising self-esteem and self-awareness, all important aspects of girls’ development. The House Reward scheme is a way for girls to gain House points for their hard work which never goes unrewarded or unnoticed. Our ROSA stickers are given for any special achievement and these too add to the House point scores. Abbey postcards are sent to the older girls in recognition of their outstanding achievements. In UV, an Academic Mentoring scheme is in place offering support for girls who may need a little extra support to reach their potential at GCSE.
