Pastoral Care

When there are concerns about a particular child, all of his or her teachers work closely together with the parents, the medical staff and any other professionals involved to best support that child’s specific needs.

If a child has a problem or is concerned or worried about anything, they are encouraged to talk to someone about it, either a member of their family or close friends at school. If they wish to speak to someone not formally connected with the school, the school has an Independent Listener, who is :
Cathy Knott, telephone number: 01280 313139

In the Boardman, our younger children are looked after by their class teachers, allowing lots of individual attention to ensure they are happy and nurtured. When they reach Form V they are given a tutor who takes special responsibility for their academic and personal well-being. Tutor groups typically have a maximum of eight children and they meet twice a week to discuss how things are going. Tutors are in close contact with parents and are overseen by a Year Group Co-ordinator and the Head of Pastoral Care.

In the Prep-School there are four school clubs: Carder, Boardman, Sprawson and Chappell. Each child is allocated a club when they begin Form III; siblings are not put into the same clubs encouraging a fun sense of rivalry.

Clubs provide the framework for healthy competition and foster connections between year groups. Children earn credits for work of a high standard, excellent effort and exemplary conduct, based on our 7 intellectual characteristics of curiosity, originality, empathy, challenge, perseverance and resilience, collaboration and reflection. Hence credits enforce our Intellectual Characteristics and are earned both personally and for the child’s Club. These are totalled and an average per pupil per Club is announced weekly, giving us an individual Star of the Week and a top Club of the week, culminating in a much-coveted chance to win club ghab on Monday – a special treat at break time.

There are also various events throughout the year when pupils compete against one another to earn points for their clubs: maths, music, poetry, art, cookery, general knowledge competitions and termly sports events including the main sports day in the summer. There is great excitement when all the points are added up and the winning club announced during Speech Day at the end of the year. Credits are displayed, along with the Effort Grades, on boards in the Manor House, by the Staff room. At the end of the school year, we award a cup to the seven children who have accumulated the highest number of credits for each characteristic.

There are two School Councils. The Prep School Council is run by Form VIII students but made up of representatives from each year group (Form V upwards). The Boardman Council is run by children in the Boardman year groups, so the younger children also get to have their say. Children are encouraged to vote for the person they feel will represent them best (as opposed to their best friend!) and in this way, they get their first taste of the democratic process. There is a suggestions box where anyone can contribute an idea, which will then be discussed in meetings. The Councils have their own budget, which they decide how to spend; this year the money was spent on new indoor games. The School Councils give pupils a real voice and engages them in the Beachborough community.

All children are made prefects when they enter Form VIII, the top year of the school. There are various positions of special responsibility, such as Head Girl, Head Boy, Head Chorister, Senior Boarder, Club and Team Captains, but the emphasis is on how pupils carry out the role and make it their own, rather than a traditional system of hierarchy. We have recently added four Wellbeing Ambassadors who will be trained as peer listeners and spend time with the younger children as part of the school-wide Wellbeing Program. We expect everyone in Form VIII to be a force for excellence in the school and to set a good example to the younger children.

Colours, in the form of a special tie or badge, are awarded in a variety of areas to students who show special effort and attainment. They can be won in academic, art, music, drama and sports categories.