Pupils' well-being
Children learn best when they are happy and nurtured, which is why, at St. Paul’s, healthy emotional development is at the heart of everything we do.
Our strong Pastoral Care and PSHE – personal, social, health education - programme is guided by the We Care Programme principals, a whole school pupil focused well-being and Mental Health prevention program. A programme designed to develop social emotional skills, building respectful, trustworthy relationships to improve behaviour and support positive emotional development.
Each school section has a Head of Pastoral to support pupils in behavioral and emotional issues. Our full time Psychologist works as our School Counsellor and offers individual sessions to pupils across school.
Safeguarding our children
There is nothing more important than your child’s safety. Our well-being and child protection policies and procedures follow the ‘getting it right for every child’ legislation. We are constantly reflecting on what we could do better, always making sure that the wellbeing and protection of our young people is integral to what we do here.
Pastoral Care and support
In the Junior School, the class teacher is responsible for the pupils’ welfare (academic, social and emotional), helping to ensure that the children in their care are happy and productive. A strong liaison between all teachers and parents is essential.
When moving to the Senior School, pupils have the support of the tutorial system, which is a central aspect of life at St. Paul’s. All pupils are allocated to a tutor group by house, and a tutor.
Tutors have overall responsibility for the pastoral, academic and social development of the pupils in their group. They act as guide and counsellor and will offer positive criticism as well as a sympathetic ear. A tutor can often arrange one-to-one meetings to see a tutee at lunchtime, or before or after school.
If parents have a concern about their son or daughter’s development, the tutor should be the first port of call. It is hoped that tutors and parents can work closely together to support our pupils’ learning, and to resolve concerns before real difficulties occur.
The aims of our tutorial system are to:
- create house spirit and a feeling of belonging
- develop self-esteem and emotional wellbeing, by forming and maintaining worthwhile and satisfying relationships, based on respect for themselves and for others, at home, at school, at work and in the community
- develop self-awareness, social skills and citizenship through tutorial sessions, talks, links with charities, community service, assemblies etc.
- acquire enduring values, develop integrity and autonomy and becoming responsible citizens capable of contributing to the development of a just society
- develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally and, in particular, develop principles for distinguishing between right and wrong
- prepare themselves for positions of leadership through field courses, assemblies, public speaking etc.
- respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities, managing risk and coping with change and adversity.
Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)
In the Prep School, personal, social and health education programme (PSHE) is an integral part of the topics studied. Through it, we focus specifically on important issues such as e-safety, citizenship and bullying, among others. In the Senior School, tutors also play a major role in the delivery of the programme. This may involve assemblies, debates, visits from outside speakers and/or tutorial activities, with topics such as personal strengths and challenges (knowing myself), good work habits (organisation, research and study skills), personal safety – stranger danger, traffic awareness, cyber bullying, etc.
Mental Health
St. Paul’s School recognises a responsibility to protect and nurture positive mental health by developing skills within our pupils that lead to positive relationships, good decision making and socially minded behaviours that contribute positively to the school community and beyond.
The WE CARE programme is a whole school pupil focused well-being support programme intended to promote the character traits we wish to see in all Pauleans. We provide as much support and guidance when they fail at this, as praise and recognition when they succeed. It does not replace the school’s behaviour policies nor is it a school policy which might dictate what action should be taken in a particular situation. It is a set of values and a mind-set that promotes a certain approach to all situations, whatever behaviours are being encountered or action is being taken.