Pastoral Care

At BBS, the education of the ‘whole child’ is at the heart of our philosophy. At Early Years and Primary School the class teacher, and in the Secondary School the form tutor, are responsible for the general well-being, as well as the academic development, of their students. We want the time they spend at the school to be a happy and secure one. Bullying in any form, and displays of prejudice, are not tolerated at the school.

In Early Years and Primary School the class teachers, teaching assistants and indeed most staff working on site, know each child by name and are available for consultation by pupils if they have a problem. Most are as comfortable approaching the Head of School for a chat as they are the hausmeister or a dinner lady. There are classroom as well as playground rules with which all the children are familiar. Weekly assemblies are often devoted to social themes, and children receive a lesson each week in Personal, Social and Health Education.

In the Secondary School, the form tutor develops a close relationship with his or her tutees, plays an important role in their academic development and general pastoral care, and liaises closely with subject teachers. The PSHE programme is delivered by the form tutor, who:

monitors each student's general well-being, health, happiness and progress
encourages the development of the tutor group as a social and caring unit
ensures that all students are aware of the school rules and emergency procedures
ensures that students show concern for their working environment and respect for others’ belongings

Form tutors keep small problems of their tutees confidential. However, if the problem is a serious one, or one that might be a danger to anyone’s health or welfare, confidentiality may have to be broken and others’ professional advice sought. Any issues of a pastoral or disciplinary nature may have to be referred to the Key Stage Co-ordinator who, together with the Head of School if necessary, determines the appropriate measures to be taken.