Pastoral Support

Sir Thomas Rich’s helps students develop a strong and clear sense of who they are and what they can achieve. In nurturing and encouraging intellectual curiosity, tolerance and leadership, we prepare young people not only for success at university and in the workplace, but also to lead happy and fulfilled lives.

At Sir Thomas Rich’s we push our students to be their very best, but we also make space for them to have fun at school, to enjoy activities and to give them the opportunity to broaden their interests and refine their skills.

We build a sense of community and what it means to be a Richian right from a student’s very first visit to the School. Above all, we put the highest level of pastoral care at the heart of everything we do; we pride ourselves on our small school ethos, and we work hard to get to know our students as individuals. Our aim is for every student to enjoy their time at Sir Thomas Rich’s, developing healthy, happy relationships with peers and adults which build self-confidence and resilience.

Sir Thomas Rich’s seeks to be a well ordered and caring community providing educational excellence for all pupils and which is underpinned by a pastoral care system that meets the changing needs of pupils as they grow and develop. We believe that the welfare of each individual is important; when a pupil feels safe and secure in their environment that they can develop all their gifts and talents to the full. We make it a priority through our pastoral system that every pupil feels known and cared for.

We are committed to:

  • ensuring every pupil will have a smooth passage throughout their education, and will feel very much part of their form, the year group and the whole school
  • expecting the highest standards of behaviour and courtesy, in and out of school
  • encouraging self-discipline and an awareness of the positive contribution that a pupil can make to school life and to the community in general
  • providing help and guidance for pupils throughout their school career
  • encouraging and establishing strong links with parents through meetings with form tutors and subject staff
  • contacting parents if we think that there is a serious problem concerning their son or daughter
  • providing a moral framework for pupils’ personal development so they develop into courteous and tolerant members of the school and wider community. We do not tolerate any form of bullying or anti-social behaviour.

All pupils are in form groups with a form tutor who looks after their welfare. They take particular interest in the day-to-day matters that affect students, check their pupil planners, register their attendance and listen to their problems.

Each year group has a Head of Year who is also a teacher in the school, and they support their team of form tutors as well as leading and managing the year group. The Head of Year helps with issues of overall academic performance as well as issues of behaviour and they liaise with parents on a regular basis.

Additional support for the pupils comes from the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (and Assistant SENCo) as we seek to support those on the SEN Register. Outside agencies are used as necessary to help in specific areas.

Names and contact details for form tutors, Heads of Year and SEN staff are included in our Contact Us section.

We are proud to be part of the Trailblazer initiative, run by the Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust. As part of the ‘Young Minds Matter’ scheme, Education Mental Health Practitioners are based in a number Gloucestershire schools, and we are very lucky to have NHS colleagues with us in school in order to help support our students.

The team offers a free, confidential text chat service for students: YMM Chat 07480 635723

If you are concerned about your child and would like some support, please contact your child’s Head of Year or Head of Key Stage.