Pastoral Care- Lower School
We firmly believe that children must feel happy and safe before they start to make good progress in their learning.
Being a small school means that teachers know every child in the school and all staff take responsibility for the well-being of our pupils.
We also encourage pupils to look after each other, and many Year 6 help with the younger pupils as part of their prefect duties.
This contributes to the special ‘family atmosphere’ that so many visitors to the school comment on.
Each pupil has a Form Tutor, who takes responsibility for their welfare and acts as a first port of call if there are any difficulties or concerns. The Form Tutor liaises with parents and other members of staff, as appropriate.
In addition to this, pupils are placed in one of a number of small groups made up of pupils of different ages called ‘Buddy Families’. We encourage regular interaction among the pupils in these families at playtimes, as well as during activities such as the annual Easter egg hunt and Christmas dinner. This unique system ensures that children get to know pupils in other year groups and really feel a part of the school as a whole.
Our House system further promotes a spirit of healthy competition and positive relationships between pupils of different ages.
Our care for our pupils permeates all aspects of school life, so everyone feels valued. The atmosphere of care and support that spreads through the school ensures the social, spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of our pupils and enables them to flourish.
We were delighted with our last ISI Inspection report in which the pupils said: “the school is a safe environment physically and emotionally due to the excellent pastoral care system in place where safeguarding pupils is given the highest priority”
Pastoral Care- Senior School
Our pastoral care is highly praised!
OLA is recognised as offering outstanding pastoral care to all members of the school community. We rightly have a reputation of being a caring and nurturing school that results in creating a harmonious environment giving all pupils the opportunity to thrive.
We place great value on care and support for the individual and our pupils interact with each other positively and with genuine care and compassion.
Previous ISI Inspection Reports highlighted pastoral care as a strength that underpins the school:
“Relationships between pupils and staff, and amongst pupils themselves, are excellent.”
“Leadership strongly promotes values that encourage respect for others.”
“The school is very sensitive to the needs of individual pupils.”
“The moral development of pupils is excellent. Pupils in all year groups have a keen sense of right and wrong and understand the need for rules.”
Pastoral care in action
The Senior School is divided into three sections for pastoral care and the monitoring of academic progress: Transition (Year 7) | Middle (Years 8 and 9) | Upper (Years 10 and 11)
Each section has its own Head who, working with the Form Tutors, quickly gets to know pupils and families very well. Further support is provided by Assistant Heads who have overall responsibility for school pastoral care. Pupil behaviour is guided by our Positive Behaviour Code that ensures pupils fully understand our expectations and the rewards available for good work, effort and contributions to school life. This system is managed digitally and is accessible to parents and pupils. We place great value on support for the individual. We help our pupils interact with each other positively and with genuine care and compassion. Pupils at OLA feel safe, well cared for and well known by all of their teachers. The school also provides a School Counsellor and School Nurse. There are many pressures on young people in modern society and the Pastoral Team meet once a week to discuss current pupil issues in addition to the many informal discussions and interventions taking place every day to help pupils to feel supported, valued and, crucially, happy.
Central to our ethos is helping each pupil to be the best that they can be. We encourage pupils, staff and parents to work together to uncover pupils’ potential and help them to grow. Our pupils achieve more than academic success and leave the school as well-rounded, caring individuals ready to make a positive contribution to the world.
Pastoral Care OLA 6th
Excellent pastoral care and guidance is at the heart of OLA 6th. We support our students to thrive and achieve. We provide a nurturing and caring environment that enables young people to develop as broad-skilled, kind and confident individuals.
The OLA 6th team of Form tutors and teachers are compassionate and highly skilled staff; whose priority is the wellbeing and personal and academic progress of its students.
Student behaviour is guided by our Positive Behaviour Code that ensures they fully understand our expectations and the rewards available for good work, effort and contributions to school life. This system is managed digitally (ClassCharts) and is accessible to parents and students.
“What I most appreciated about OLA 6th was the absence of an excessively high-pressured environment. This not only helped me flourish as a person but also meant I was the most relaxed and prepared I could possibly be to take my exams. For me, this was the deciding factor in choosing OLA. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and feel proud to have been a part of the school.” Alice (former student)