The Pastoral System

Aims

Our aim is to provide a friendly, civilised and well-disciplined environment in which pupils will develop personal qualities that will equip them well for their future careers and rôles within the community.

All teachers are part of the pastoral system, for we are acutely aware that a well-motivated and happy pupil is one that learns fastest and enjoys coming to school.

Each pupil is the responsibility of a number of staff for normal day-to-day purposes including their Form Tutor, Head of Section and Housemaster.

Pastoral Staff

The Senior Master is responsible for the pastoral life of RGSAO and works through the Heads of Section and Form Tutors to ensure that all pupils feel valued and understood by somebody.

The Form Tutor is in loco parentis and he or she has the responsibility of knowing his/her pupils so well they will anticipate as many problems before they arise as possible. We have four sections in the School and each has a Head of Section and a team of tutors who specialise in the issues common to that age group.

The first two years in the school are the responsibility of the Head of Lower School. His Deputy Head of Lower School and team of Form Tutors are particularly experienced in matters concerning transition into the Senior School and all the daunting issues of organisation that confront a newcomer of 11 or 12 years of age.

In Year Nine pupils move into another section, where the Head of Section and his Form Tutors will guide them through the year of transition from a junior to a senior member of the community.

The Middle School period of Years Ten and Eleven requires equally specialised guidance through the stormy waters of GCSE examinations and adolescence.

We regard the pinnacle of education at RGSAO as the Sixth Form when pupils can benefit from the closer pastoral guidance of tutorial groups and enjoy the independence and flexibility of life in Gordon House.

Record of Achievement

Through these years of development a thread of continuity is maintained by the Records of Achievement programme, which is a formalised pastoral system tailored to the particular needs of each different age group. Records of Achievement enhances pupil-Form Tutor relationship by providing the encouragement of recorded successes and the confidence given by one-to-one counselling.

Health Administrators

Mrs Armstrong and Mrs Small are in charge of ensuring that the day-to-day health needs of pupils are met. The health and care of the pupils are of paramount importance to RGSAO, for we know that the physical, social and emotional health of a pupil is an important part of academic success.

The Health Centre is part of our pastoral system. Here we care for pupils when they are injured or feeling unwell, support pupils with long or short term medical needs and provide an environment where they can discuss problems or worries. We also liaise with the Local Health Authority to promote health within the school.

If you wish to discuss your child’s health, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Armstrong or Mrs Small at school.

It is imperative that the school has a current telephone number so that contact can be made if your child becomes ill during the school day.

Please be aware that pupils may not leave the school site for medical reasons without first seeking permission from a member of staff.

We recommend that a pupil should stay away from school following a period of illness until they have been symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours.

If your child is taking prescribed medication during the school day it must be given to Mrs Armstrong/Mrs Small for safe keeping on arrival. This should be accompanied by a letter of authority giving the pupil’s name, form, prescribed dosage and time of delivery (hourly/after meals, etc). In the event that Mrs Armstrong/Mrs Small is unavailable to deliver the prescribed medication, the Senior Master, Mr Lowson, will deliver the medication.

The exceptions to the above are drugs required for; Diabetes, Asthma, Anaphylaxis and Migraines where pupils need to keep their medication with them at all times. Please ensure that the Health Centre staff are aware that your child is carrying his/her own medication.

Any medication not collected by the end of the school year will be disposed of. Should your child require medication during a trip away from school for a day, a letter of authority to the member of staff concerned should accompany the medication. For pupils away from school on longer visits, consent for the administration of medication should be given on a separate form, which will be sent with details of the trip.

Please note that whilst sun blocks and creams are strongly advisable during hot weather, these items are not supplied by the school.