In Years 7-9 we have a system of two form tutors sharing responsibility for each class, taking specific responsibility for some 12-14 girls each. They share out the morning and afternoon registration periods and each take one of the weekly form times (Tuesday and Thursdays 8.30-8.55 a.m.) During one of these form periods a structured Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHCE) programme is followed with specific materials provided by our PSHCE Co-ordinator. The form tutor reads the end of term report individually with each of their 12-14 tutees and discusses it and the pupils’ targets for improvement. They also have progress discussions with their tutees throughout the year. At the parents’ evening they see the parents of their particular tuutees (queues are much reduced with 12-14 rather than 25-28 pupils).

In Years 10 & 11 there is a form tutor with a deputy form tutor, and the same staff normally remain with the form for the two-year GCSE period. They share the registration and tutor periods proportionately. The tutorial programme is mainly concerned with study skills and time management as there is a separate PSHCE programme taught by specialists during a dedicated weekly lesson on the timetable.

In the Sixth Form each tutor group (max. size 16 pupils) consists of both Year 12 and Year 13 pupils so that the Year 12 learn from the Year 13 girls’ experiences of AS examinations and applying to universities. The girls stay with the same tutor for the two year period. Tutors spend much time providing academic and pastoral support, in particular help with study skills and time management, as well as with university and career choices and with university applications. Tutors draft university references and help with Personal Statements.

Each Section of the school (Years 7-9, Years 10 & 11, Sixth Form) has a Section Head, with a private office and a dedicated external ‘phone line. Section Heads have the major responsibility for pastoral care, welfare and discipline, supported by the Deputy Head and the Headmistress as necessary. They liaise closely with Heads of Departments and subject teachers concerning girls’ academic progress and any causes for concern. Our school policy is for all contact with parents to be with or notified to Section Heads (who liaise closely with the Headmistress) and for there normally to be two teaching staff present at every meeting with parents, one usually being the Section Head. All three section Heads are members of the SMT (Mrs Emma Mayo [Years 7-9], Mrs Jean Larkman [Years 10 & 11] and Mrs Vikki Askew [Sixth Form]). During the past two years we have appointed Deputy Section Heads for each section, to support the Section Head in the care of the girls (Miss Alice Wynn-Jones [Year 7], Miss Stella Turner [Years 8 & 9], Mrs Giulia Marchini [Years 10 & 11] and Mrs Kate Firth [Sixth Form]). 

Two well-qualified School Nurses (Mrs Karen Cattanach & Ms Jackie Martin) work as a job-share and are available to deal with medical and personal problems for both pupils and staff . They are also very supportive of parents, staff and families who are dealing with serious illness, bereavement or family crisis. We also have a confidential, drop-in adolescent counselling scheme, run by Redthread.

In 2005 we set up a system of Staff Mentors to offer support to individual girls, who might need help with organisation, or who had suffered bereavement or family crisis or who had low self-esteem. We have recruited mainly part-time, non-form tutor staff and try to match their talents, sympathies and interests to the girls. We reviewed this system in 2007 and refined it, so that some mentoring is now specifically for a short period of time and ceases once problems have been resolved.

Each form from Years 7-11 has two Sixth Form helpers who work closely with the girls on matters such as preparing assemblies and charity events and can act as friends and advisers.

We also run a “big sister” system for Year 7, recruiting and training volunteers from other year groups who are in the same House. These help new Year 7 pupils to settle into the school. Sixth Form Mentors are also provided to some girls in Years 10 & 11 who need extra support in a paricular subject or with some other issue as they prepare for GCSE.

The House System (four houses: Bettany, Clarke, Desenfans and Holst) provides a good means for pupils to mix across the year groups. Normally there are 4 forms in a year group and each form is also a House group, (where there are 5 forms, girls are spread between two or three Houses per form). Houses have assemblies and meetings for all at least once a fortnight and a separate House Committee. They are very involved with charitable fundraising, sports, music and other inter-house events. Credit marks (for good work or helpfulness) are also converted into house points. House Captains are elected by the girls themselves, with all the House voting, after hustings and an election campaign.

The school has a Head Girl and two deputy Head Girls (elected by their Sixth Form peers with input from staff) – they try to keep an eye on the general well-being and behaviour of the younger pupils, as well as leading and inspiring. They are also responsible for running the School Council, which meets termly to discuss issues put forward from each form. Recommendations are then passed on to the Headmistress for consideration. [We also have an Environment Committee, dealing with recycling and environmental issues which has representatives from every form in the school.]

Some years ago we introduced the Comments Box, a large locked black box next to the pupils’ entrance. Any girl can write a comment anonymously and leave it in the box which is opened on Fridays. The Deputy Head, Mrs Deborah Bicknell, reads all the comments, shares them with relevant staff and acts upon them.

Last updated 2007