Pastoral Care
STUDENT WELLBEING
Pastoral Care
As you would expect in a school whose only true rule is ‘Be Kind’, our pastoral care is second to none. Every young person at Thomas’s College knows that they matter and that every other member of the community has their back.
Almost every teacher at the College is a tutor in the first lesson of every day: tutor time. Each tutor has a small, mixed age group of around 15 students. In the Fourth Form, tutor groups comprise Lower and Upper Fourth (Years 7-8); in the Fifth Form, Lower and Upper Fifth (Years 9-10); in the Sixth Form, Lower to Upper Sixth (Years 11-13).
Tutors lead discussions, share ideas, provide a listening ear, give advice, and represent the first link to home so that every family has a dedicated point of contact who knows their child well and is their champion in the school setting.
Teachers are getting to know my son as an individual, not just another face in a sea of blazers.
– Thomas’s College Parent
The Pastoral Team
Tutor groups are integrated with our House system, enabling genuine inter-year friendships. The tutor teams in Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Forms are led by dedicated Directors of Stage, and supported by Assistant Directors. They have oversight of student progress and wellbeing at each stage and are there to support families through more complex challenges. They come together as a pastoral team under the direction of the Head of Pastoral Care (DSL), who ensures that the student experience is at the forefront of the College’s Leadership Team.
Counselling and Medical Support
Counsellors are available to carry out one-to-one therapeutic work with students, to support their personal, social, emotional and related educational needs.
The College Medical Centre is staffed by two registered nurses. Our counselling and medical teams recognise that every student is different, and we use a holistic approach in planning student care, including their physical, emotional and psychological needs. The Medical Centre can provide first aid for minor injuries, first aid for mental health issues, emotional health and wellbeing as well as support students with their understanding of how to maintain their own physical and mental wellbeing.
