Pastoral care

Pastoral Care is the foundation of our success at Windsor. Highly regarded by students and parents, our last three OFSTED's rated it as outstanding.

"Excellent attention is given to all aspects of pastoral guidance and care, which are firmly rooted in the well-established house system and ensure that pupils feel safe" - OFSTED, November 2008.

Pastoral care statement

The pastoral care system supports and promotes the shared values and aims of the school within the context of Every Child Matters. It is an integral part of the life of the school, underpinning the academic work of the school. Two Key Stage Directors and an Assistant Headteacher for Student Services all report to a Deputy Headteacher in overall charge of Student Services.

Our clear aim is to provide a support network that will enable each student to work and achieve to his or her potential. Raising achievement is a key priority.

Pastoral structure

At Windsor High School the Pastoral structure is based on vertical House teams led by a Head of House. Each House consists of two tutor groups from each year group. The Head of House leads half termly meetings with House tutors to share good pastoral practice. There are regular House assemblies led by the Head of House, which focus on raising aspirations and developing vertical citizenship. The Heads of House are a really strong team of committed colleagues ably supported by a number of other staff.

A non-teaching Pastoral Manager supports each of the five House Heads. They are all experienced in the many aspects of pastoral work and are a valued resource in support of the work of the Head of House. In addition to the Pastoral Manager we have an experienced School Counsellor who works with both students and their families offering support both on and off site.

As part of our raising achievement programme we employ a number of Learning Mentors who work along side the Pastoral team in supporting students.

We are an over subscribed ten form entry school and two Assistant Headteachers co-ordinate our Primary Liaison work and the transition from KS2 to KS3. The vertical organisation of the Houses is a real strength. It provides the Head of House with a whole school role and shares responsibility at key times such as Options in Year 9. The benefits of older students working with younger students and mixed age assemblies are enormous in promoting cohesion and unity across the school.

The Head of House strives to:

• lead their team in pursuit of excellence.
• empower students with the basic skills, experiences, knowledge and attitudes that are required for work and leisure in a rapidly developing society so that students become active, confident and responsible members of the community.
• lead their team in maintaining high standards of attendance and behaviour and in maintaining an orderly atmosphere that supports the ethos of the school.
• provide an atmosphere in which all students are confident that they are safe, valued and respected.
• enable students to achieve their true academic potential by supporting the academic curriculum and the work of the Faculty and Curriculum Leaders.
• encourage students to respect others and the school environment.
• encourage students to be responsible members of the school community.
• strengthen the links between parent/carer and the school, recognising that education is a shared task involving students, home and the school.

Student Leaders

We put a great deal of importance on student leadership. Our pastoral leadership programme encourages students to take the lead in a variety of ways. Our team of Prefects are led by the Head Boy and Girl who are assisted in this role by a team of Senior House Prefects. We have recently introduced Pastoral Seniors to our leadership programme. They have a responsibility as part of the induction of our new intake, helping out on pen pal visits, induction day as well as working with the Year 7 Form Tutors during registration periods.

Extra-curricular house activities

We have a thriving and exciting House Activity programme. Last year 100% of students took part in at least one activity. This programme makes a huge contribution to the positive ethos of the school. The Heads of House are actively involved contributing to the range of activities on offer and supporting youngsters as they participate in the House Activity programme. There are a wide range of sporting and non-sport related competitions. House Seniors are Year 10 Students who, after a special training programme, assist in the organisation and delivery of these events and have a responsibility to organise teams for the various competitions.

"The school’s success is based on both high aspiration and hard work. This is exemplified through the excellent transition arrangements from primary to secondary school." - OFSTED, November 2008.