Pastoral Structure

The high quality pastoral care provided is a core part of the overall progress and well-being of every individual child in the school.

An experienced team led by the Assistant Headteacher (Engagement for Learning) includes both teaching and non-teaching pastoral staff.  Our Pastoral Structure is organised into Year Groups and Tutor Groups. On entry to the school your child will be assigned to one of these groups.

We hope that your child will enjoy coming to our school and that you will soon get to know us.

We look forward to working closely with you over your child's time with us and hope that, whatever your child’s ability, you will be pleased with the success achieved whilst at the school.

Our aim is that each child should succeed and fulfil their potential.

The Tutor

The key person in your child’s school life is the Form Tutor. It is the Form Tutor who will monitor your child’s progress and keep in touch with you.

The Tutor will meet your child daily. They will guide your child in prayer and direct your child in upcoming events and administrative tasks to enable your child to feel supported in their daily life at school.

If you have questions about your child’s progress in individual subjects, you may ring the school to make an appointment to see the individual teachers.

Welfare & Safety

We take the safety of your child very seriously. We have a Welfare Officer who is based in the Welfare Office, whose role includes dealing with children who become unwell or who receive an injury at school.

Please let the Welfare Officer know if your child suffers from any medical condition which the school should know about.

Where a child becomes ill or receives injury our policy is to contact the parent to collect the child as soon as possible. If the case is serious we call for an ambulance and then contact the parent.

It is essential that parents leave us a contact number for emergencies in addition to the home / work number.

N.B. Any change of address or telephone number should be notified to the school immediately.

Please do not send your child to school if she / he is unwell. We do not have the resources to deal with children who need home attention.

Food

The school Café provides a range of hot and cold food which conform to the 'Healthy Schools' standards. Breakfast is available before school from 8:00am, with a full service at break and lunch time. Sixth Form students can access the Café throughout the day.

Hot food must only be eaten in the dining room. Sandwiches and cold food may be eaten only in the covered way and Hall during Break and Lunch Hour. Food MUST NOT be eaten in classrooms and around the school.

Financial Assistance

If your family is on low income and you are resident in Hertfordshire, to find out if you are eligible for financial assistance while your children are at school, apply on-line at www.hertsdirect.org . Benefits that may be available include free school meals, help with travel costs and help with music fees.

Pastoral Care

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ."

Galatians 6:2

Your form tutor and learning co-ordinator are there to support you with both your studies and your pastoral care. There may be times when issues become difficult to manage on our own e.g. problems in friendship groups, feeling sad for periods of time, pressures and anxieties about work and making progress, worries about the health of family members or relationships within families, anxieties about being pressured into behaving in a way we are uncomfortable with. Their form tutor, pastoral lead, Learning Co-ordinator and other members of staff can support them in dealing with these issues, including providing details and information about support groups and organisations.

In school we also have the chaplain and the school counsellor.

The Chaplain

The school chaplain is available throughout the day and after school should you need somebody to talk to. Sometimes just talking about what is concerning us can bring great relief. The chaplaincy office is located next to the chapel and is always open.

The Chapel

There are times when a quiet space can be just what we need. The chapel is ideal if you need time to pray, think,  or maybe even have a good cry and compose yourself. The chapel should always have a quiet and calming atmosphere and be a hub of peace at the heart of a busy school.

School Councillor

The school also provides access to a professional counsellor who is present in school at various times throughout the week. You may feel this service will benefit you if you've experienced bullying, bereavement (death), low self-esteem, depression or anything else that affects you and how you feel. If you think you would like to speak to the counsellor speak to your Tutor, Learning Co-ordinator or come along to one of the counsellor’s drop-in sessions to find out more.