Since we welcomed our first pupils in September 1974, St Brigid’s has always been aware that, while academic success is important and the best possible examination results are a worthy goal for pupils and teachers there is much more to a good school than high grades alone. A school which values its pupils as individuals and promotes the welfare of the whole person, rather than just work at good results, will be acutely aware of its duty of care to and need to ‘look after’ and cherish, each of its pupils. That, in a nutshell is what we try to do through our pastoral care system. Jesus spoke of himself as the Good Shepherd who looks after his sheep; the Latin word for shepherd is ‘pastor’ and a teacher could have no higher ideal.
The pastoral Care System in our school has the Form Teacher at the core; the Form Teacher in effect, takes the role of parent or guardian for each pupil in his or her form class. Each year group then has a year tutor, a mini-principal, if you like for that year. Since last year 2006 years 8-10 ‘Junior School’ and years 11-14 ‘Senior School’ have had their own Head of School; and the Vice-Principal (Pastoral) who has the responsibility for ensuring, in cooperation with those already mentioned, that the highest standards of positive behaviour are achieved throughout the school.
A vital part of our Pastoral Care network is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who is in charge of the support unit, and at present, is also our ‘Designated Teacher ‘. Our own wealth of resources is supplemented by outside agencies including our Educational Welfare Officer and , at present, three counselling and support groups (NSPCC, Contact Youth and LATCH) who each visit the school one day a week.
It is our firm belief that, in giving each and every one of our pupils all the support we can in all aspects of their school and family life, our pastoral Care System is second to none and meets in a most positive way the aims and ideals of our school, firmly rooted in our Catholic Ethos.
Since we welcomed our first pupils in September 1974, St Brigid’s has always been aware that, while academic success is important and the best possible examination results are a worthy goal for pupils and teachers there is much more to a good school than high grades alone. A school which values its pupils as individuals and promotes the welfare of the whole person, rather than just work at good results, will be acutely aware of its duty of care to and need to ‘look after’ and cherish, each of its pupils. That, in a nutshell is what we try to do through our pastoral care system. Jesus spoke of himself as the Good Shepherd who looks after his sheep; the Latin word for shepherd is ‘pastor’ and a teacher could have no higher ideal.
The pastoral Care System in our school has the Form Teacher at the core; the Form Teacher in effect, takes the role of parent or guardian for each pupil in his or her form class. Each year group then has a year tutor, a mini-principal, if you like for that year. Since last year 2006 years 8-10 ‘Junior School’ and years 11-14 ‘Senior School’ have had their own Head of School; and the Vice-Principal (Pastoral) who has the responsibility for ensuring, in cooperation with those already mentioned, that the highest standards of positive behaviour are achieved throughout the school.
A vital part of our Pastoral Care network is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who is in charge of the support unit, and at present, is also our ‘Designated Teacher ‘. Our own wealth of resources is supplemented by outside agencies including our Educational Welfare Officer and , at present, three counselling and support groups (NSPCC, Contact Youth and LATCH) who each visit the school one day a week.
It is our firm belief that, in giving each and every one of our pupils all the support we can in all aspects of their school and family life, our pastoral Care System is second to none and meets in a most positive way the aims and ideals of our school, firmly rooted in our Catholic Ethos.