Pastoral care
Throughout school, our students receive pastoral care from their Phase Leader. Phase Leaders act as a direct support and are available at all times to help with any issues our students face.
At Year 6, the Key Stage 3 (KS3) Leader begins to build a relationship with each student by arranging a Transition Day, where pupils experience a day at high school before they officially start. The KS3 Leader also meets Year 6 teachers throughout the year. At these meetings, each Year 6 pupil is discussed, to ensure that the correct support is being provided.
Our pastoral team ensure that we create an ethos of trust and that students know they always have a safe place to go to. Phase Leaders also monitor each pupil's academic journey, as well as their attendance, attainment, progress, and behavior.
Each term, Phase Leaders will take the time to read each child’s report card. The Leader will then decide if they need to speak to the student about any particular subject, or with your child and the Head of Secondary. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss how, as a school, we can support the child to improve in class. It's essential that our Phase Leaders have an excellent relationship with parents and that you feel able to discuss your child’s progress throughout the year.
At the end of Year 9, students are carefully guided through our options process. Parents are invited to attend an Options Evening, which explains the subject choices available. Students also complete an Options Interview with their Phase Leader where both careers and further education routes are discussed.
At sixth form, our students are guided through the UCAS process. Your child will receive weekly guidance in relation to completing their Personal Statements.
Throughout your child’s journey at BST, they'll have the opportunity to get involved in school life. Students can become both prefects and members of the School Council. They can also take part in enrichment programmes, like The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, which will aid them in their journey to further education.
Support groups
Throughout the year, various support will be offered to students who feel they're struggling in school. Last year, the school successfully ran a Give Us a Break group, which helped children who were struggling with their home-life or socially in school. We also run an Emotional Literacy group, which helps pupils to control their anger. This year, the school plans to run Growth Mindset and Anxiety and Exam Stress groups.
Health and wellbeing
Our pastoral care team ensure that wellbeing support is provided throughout the year. We also consider your child's wellbeing in both our schemes of work for PSHE (Personal Social and Health Education) and PLP (Personal Learning Planning).
In PSHE, students take part in lessons focusing on healthy relationships, emotional wellbeing, substance misuse, and planning for choices and changes. In PLP, students learn about careers, achievements, target setting, and study skills.
Topics covered in PSHE include: drugs, smoking, alcohol, bullying, stress, self-image and homelessness. In PLP, topics include: exploring, career paths and occupations, target setting, experimenting with various study skills, and writing a CV.
Form tutors offer support and guidance to each student. All form tutors teach PSHE and PLP on a weekly basis.
