Pastoral Structure and System

Chosen Hill School has a long tradition of strong pastoral care and support based on mutual respect and high expectations. We recognise that the modern world is an increasingly challenging place for young people with the rise of social media and the pressures of academic assessment.

For 2020-21 the school has completed a targeted  pastoral review in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to increase the pastoral leadership and support capacity needed to ensure students are fully supported when they return to school.

Each student is part of a Learning Mentor Group with one key adult as their first port of call each day in the form of their Learning Mentor. The Learning Mentor is the first person to whom a student will turn for help or advice and the first point of contact at the school for parents. Each Learning Mentor Group is attached to one of our four Houses – Carne, Whittle, Masefield and Scott.

Each year group follows a richly resourced Learning Mentor programme delivered by the Learning Mentor which focuses on Literacy, Numeracy and personal development in the Foundation phase and study skills, exam skills, personal and leadership development and futures guidance in the Transition and Pathways phase.

Each year group is over seen by a Year Lead – Progress Coordinator who oversees the progress and development of each child in the cohort, focusing on their academic and personal progress and development and ensuring each student receives the support and guidance they need to remove any barriers to learning.

Senior Progress Coordinators oversee the Foundation phase (Years 7 and 8), Transition phase (Year 9) and Pathways phase (Year 10 and 11) supporting, tracking and securing accountability from their team of Year Leads and Learning Mentors to support student progress, academic, wellbeing and personal success.

Our school leads for the Personal Development Curriculum (PDC) have developed a full, targeted and responsive programme for each year group delivered through dedicated curriculum time. In Year 7 students will study a range of modules that address brain power and learning behaviours, finance education, internet safety, the democratic process, philosophy and ethics, healthy relationships and healthy living. The programme is delivered by a team of specialist teachers and through a range of external speakers and workshops.

Our school lead for students’ Social, Moral, Cultural and Spiritual development ensures that the school provides a joined up approach to these key areas of personal development across the curricular and extra-curricular provision at the school.

A member of the Senior Leadership Team is the Designated Mental Health Lead, working collaboratively with the NHS and other schools across the city as a national pilot, to offer a Mental Health Support Team service. This includes employing Educational Mental Health Practitioners to support students and ensuring the school takes a preventative approach when it comes to mental health provision.

In addition to these key pastoral staff, the school offers joined up student services provision which includes key non-teaching post holders:

• Behaviour Lead Officer, who supports students across the curriculum to access and engage with their learning and meet the school’s behaviour expectations;

• Student and Families Welfare Officer, who supports vulnerable students and their families to ensure a child’s needs are met so that they are confident and secure in lessons;

• Education Welfare Officer, who supports students and parents regarding issues linked to school attendance and punctuality;

• Mental Health First Aid trained staff to provide mental health and well-being assessment and triage for students alongside our fully trained School Counsellor;

• A Careers Lead, a Key Stage 5 Futures Lead and Independent Advice and Guidance;

• Careers Advisor who work across the year groups and with the Sixth Form to support students with Options Choices, work experience, Further Education, employment, apprenticeship, training and Higher Education decisions.

These staff are further supported in their work by student leaders who offer peer mentoring and peer listening provision and work through the School Council anti-bullying working group to tackle bullying or any peer group issues quickly and effectively.