Pastoral Care

A friendly and caring community

Outstanding pastoral care is at the heart of the King’s School: we know that all our pupils have enormous potential and our staff are committed to providing an environment in which every single pupil will flourish.

The priority at King’s is that children should be happy at school.  Respect and good manners set the tone for good behaviour. We are unashamed about expecting the highest standards in academic work and behaviour, but our friendly approach and focus on each individual’s wellbeing mean that pupils learn in a calm and supportive atmosphere.

There is a strong sense of community, aided by our Prefect system, House system and peer support networks. These also help children to develop confidence and give them responsibility. Pupil voice is encouraged through our School Council and we also have the expertise of a team of school nurses.

an emotionally healthy school

We pride ourselves on being an emotionally healthy school: we are in tune with our pupil and parent body, endeavouring to build close relationships built upon trust. We strive for pastoral excellence and emotional wellbeing for all. We place positive relationships at the heart of our school. We aim to create a nurturing environment where everyone feels valued and safe, where everyone feels they have a voice.

an INCLUSIVE school

King's is a place where everyone can feel welcome. Hear from some of our current pupils talking about Inclusion:

INCLUSION2024.mp4

Small classes and strong relationships

We know that young people only have one chance at education. We are very proud of our bespoke tracking systems and good communication with parents that help children thrive. Our small classes and, importantly, small year groups sizes, allow strong relationships between pupils and staff - something highlighted by our ISI Inspection as being a real strength of the school. The size of year groups is such that no pupil can go unnoticed or ‘slip under the radar’.

Dedicated Pastoral TEam

Within each Division is a well-structured pastoral team. A pupil’s class or form tutor is central to her or his wellbeing and will take an overview of their school life and personal development.

Each year group has a Head of Year, who is an expert in pastoral care and takes an overview of pupils’ academic and pastoral welfare. The Vice-Principals and Principals also have responsibility for pupil welfare and head up the Pastoral Teams.

Alongside these teaching staff, we also have dedicated Pupils Managers, whose role is dedicated to pupil welfare. These Pupil Managers are highly trained and use the ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) Programme, which provides a series of practical resources designed to improve the wellbeing of young people, either individually or in groups. The activities are underpinned by the latest research in educational psychology and include resilience, self-esteem, friendship and social skills, therapeutic stories and dealing with loss and bereavement. 

Other members of the Pastoral Team include our school nurses, our Learning Support team, our trained Mental Health First Aid staff and our School Counsellor.