Pastoral Care

Introduction

A boy's Housemaster has the prime pastoral responsibility for all aspects of his welfare and progress at the school - academic, extra-curricular, social, and personal. In all Houses, both boarding and day, the accommodation for the Housemaster and his family is part of the House, the Housemaster's study forming the direct link between the private side and the boys' side. The Housemaster comes to know his boys (and usually their parents) very well, and takes a close interest in every aspect of their life and development at the school, offering guidance, support, and encouragement as appropriate. When a boy joins the school his parents are asked to complete a "pupil information sheet" giving details of family, of educational and medical background, and any other information which may be helpful in the pastoral supervision of their son: and of course there is close liaison and exchange of information in less formal ways between Housemaster and parents throughout a boy's time at the school. To assist in the monitoring of a boy's academic progress internal reports are written by all his subject teachers about every three weeks. These reports are discussed with the boy by his Housemaster or his Year Tutor in the House, and a boy who receives particular commendation for good effort shows his report to the Headmaster.

Each boarding House has three members of staff attached to it as House Tutors, and each day House has two Tutors. These Tutors, some of whom are resident in the House to which they are attached, act as assistant Housemasters, helping the Housemaster in his general supervision of the House and, like him, making it their concern to get to know the boys as individuals. If there is any problem concerning a boy, or other need for assessment and advice, a Housemaster will naturally consult with his House Tutors, who may well be able to make a helpful contribution from their own knowledge of the boy. All Housemasters and House Tutors are full-time members of the academic staff.

A further tutorial system is designed particularly for boys in their first year. Every new boy has a member of staff as his Tutor, and each Tutor has charge of a small group of four or five boys. With the others in their group boys visit their Tutor in his or her home for an hour once a week in the first year. These informal meetings in a domestic context are of great social and pastoral value in a boy's early months in the school.

The school attaches the greatest importance to the quality and extent of pastoral care provided for the boys. The regular tutorial systems, as described above, ensure that for every boy there are at least three or four members of staff who have a particular concern for him, and to whom he can readily turn for help or advice. But the full range of support and guidance available to a boy extends beyond the formal systems. In an important sense every teacher is a pastor, and a boy will seek and receive advice from other members of staff who come to know him and whom he comes to know in the classroom, in extra-curricular activities, or on the games field. The school Chaplains between them have met every boy in the classroom, and are always available if any boy wishes to talk with them: both Chaplains have offices in the centre of the school. A pleasant feature of social life is that House lunches, which are always formal meals, are attended by several members of staff as well as the Housemaster and the House Tutors: the Headmaster joins a House for lunch on most weekdays, sitting with a different group of boys each time.

The Headmaster teaches almost all boys in their first year, and is freely available to any boy who wishes to see him. The School Counsellor spends one afternoon each week at the school, and may be seen by boys, and sometimes their parents, in total confidence.

An important pastoral role is also fulfilled by the House Matrons and by the Medical Centre Matrons, whose knowledge of the boys is often gained in a different context from that of the teaching staff.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) also provides a reinforcing structure designed to look after the personal and social well-being of each boy. The Tonbridge PSHE programme is designed to give boys the skills and attitudes needed for handling the pressures of youth and modern life. The programme is delivered over a range of activities and experiences at the school.