In many ways, there is no real division between pastoral care and other aspects of life in the School.
Pastoral care, if it is to be effective, is part of a culture and one of the real strengths of HLC at every stage, Bankfield, Highfield and College, is its culture of individual care. Every child matters. Every child is unique. We try very hard to recognise that in all aspects of School life. If our ideals can be summarised briefly, it is through the single word – respect. Our aim is that our pupils should respect themselves, others, their own property and the property of others. If this happens, as it nearly always does, then we all enjoy a truly harmonious community.
For organisational purposes, however, there have to be structures which provide day-to-day support, guidance and encouragement for pupils.
At the heart of this structure in Highfield is each child’s class teacher. That person has a particular responsibility for the day to day care and well-being of the children in her or his class. Each classroom is a safe and comfortable environment in which the child may grow. Rooms are safe and comfortable in a physical sense, and also in a psychological sense. Pupils can try out new ideas and ask questions, secure that their views will be treated with respect.
Class teachers have a particular responsibility for looking after the moral and social development of their children, particularly through our structured PSHE (Personal. Health and Social Education) programme. However, such development amongst young people is a continuous process and opportunities for this arise throughout the day – in the classroom, in assemblies, in the dining room, in the playground, and on the sports field. At all times we encourage children to aim for the highest standards in whatever they are doing and the caring and friendly environment in evidence at Highfield lends itself to this end very effectively.
Our Prep 6 pupils are given the opportunity to act as prefects. Through this role, they take responsibility for helping to care for the younger children in the School. Our aim is to encourage the growth and development of polite, self-disciplined, responsible young people who enjoy an appropriate degree of self-confidence. The School is structured in such a way as to allow a culture to thrive where each child can achieve this goal.