Pastoral

At Edge Grove, the wellbeing of our children is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to providing each pupil with a safe, nurturing environment where they can thrive and grow. Our robust pastoral care system, known as The Circle of Care, ensures that every child is supported by a network that includes Form Teachers, Pastoral Heads of Department, the Senior Deputy Head (Pastoral), School Nurses, and our Learning Support team who are are located in our wellbeing hub, affectionately called The Chapel.  

Our aim is for every pupil to feel valued, supported, and empowered during their time with us. We strive to help them develop confidence, happiness, and a strong sense of self, enabling them to build their unique character and personality.

At Edge Grove, we strive to make every child’s experience positive and rewarding. However, we understand that there may be times when your child feels worried about friendships, academic challenges, transitioning schools, or preparing for exams. These pressures can sometimes affect their wellbeing.

If you have concerns about your child’s wellbeing, we encourage you to contact their Form Teacher as your first point of support. Our Form Teachers are well-equipped to address your initial concerns and guide you through the next steps, including connecting you with external support services when appropriate.

Your child’s happiness and wellbeing are our priority, and we are here to support them every step of the way.

Yes!  There are a number of therapeutic interventions available to pupils from our Art and Play Therapist Claire Pearson.  You can find out more about these here

Pastoral time with Form Teachers is an important part of the Edge Grove day, no matter what the age of your child.  Pupils will see their Form Teacher at the beginning and end of each school day.

The Pastoral Team at Edge Grove is led by our Senior Deputy Head Pastoral, Mrs Marion Wright.  She works closely with the Assistant Head (Junior) and Assistant Head (Middle), as well as Form Teachers.  The extended Pastoral team also includes our School Nurses and our School Therapist.

Their Form Teacher should always be your child’s first point of contact if they are worried about something; if they then feel that your child could benefit from talking to someone else, then they will point them in the right direction.  We will. of course, always inform you of what action we have taken.

At Edge Grove, we recognise that pupils thrive in environments where they feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, and where they are valued. Motivated and successful learning stems from this foundation, and we are committed to inspiring a love of learning in every child. Our approach to monitoring pupil wellbeing and happiness places our pupils at the heart of everything we do, treating them as our most valued stakeholders.

To ensure our pupils feel a strong sense of belonging, we employ the following strategies:

• Pupil Voice Meetings: These reinforce our commitment to being a Listening School, where every child feels heard.
• Weekly PSHE sessions: These provide pupils with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves happy, healthy and safe, as well as provide an open forum where they can share their thoughts and feelings.
• Pupil Surveys: We provide platforms for all pupils to share their thoughts and experiences.

Specifically, we conduct regular Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) surveys to gain insight into attitudes that might hinder achievement and impact wellbeing. These surveys help us understand each pupil’s mindset toward school, assess their confidence, and ensure they are ready and motivated to learn. The data collected allows us to identify pupils who may need additional support and implement tailored interventions to address their challenges.

Weekly pastoral meetings across all key stages, chaired by the Senior Deputy Head (Pastoral), enable us to track and review key information from our safeguarding, medical, and pastoral teams. This process helps us identify trends, prioritise issues, and address any emerging concerns promptly.

We are dedicated to providing every child with a safe, secure, and happy environment where they can thrive. Through nurturing guidance and personalised support, we help our pupils reach their full potential, fostering confidence, motivation, and a lifelong love of learning.