**Collaborative post**
Pastoral care is at the heart of every good school. How well it’s carried out is a huge part of how children feel about their educational experiences. The ideologies of the school are part of the day-to-day running of the classes, the extracurricular activities and the management of staff and this really a big part of pastoral care and what it encompasses.
The main aim of good pastoral care is to ensure that all children are safe both in and out of school and that they feel that their voice is heard. Feeling heard is sometimes misunderstood as a concept – what it really means is that each and every child feels recognised and important.
In the past, it was easy for quieter children to slip through the cracks in a large school. It was easy for them to feel that their talents and efforts went unnoticed. Pastoral care should seek to address this as much as it should to address the issues of bullying or other social problems. This senior school in London has a team dedicated to pastoral care and much emphasis is placed on the general well-being of pupils.
Why pastoral care matters
During any child’s years at school, it’s extremely likely that they will at some point hit a few bumps in the road. These might be due to social issues, academic problems or problems at home.
A pastoral system designed with the child in mind will always pick up on these moments and staff who are equipped to help, will step in to support the child in the best way possible. Parents can’t do it all alone – especially when so much of a child’s life is in a school setting.
Some issues which children face in school need additional help and that’s why pastoral care is in place. When children know they are supported, they are far more likely to succeed in all aspects of their education.
