PASTORAL
Headington Rye Oxford Prep School regards the pastoral care of its pupils as fundamental to the ethos of the School. The Pastoral System works in conjunction with all curriculum areas to ensure that a whole child perspective is maintained at all times. All staff aim to encourage a happy environment, where the pupils can flourish in an atmosphere that includes tolerance, integrity, openness and thoughtfulness. Pastoral care is regarded as the key to the well-being and academic success of all the pupils. We believe in allowing them to flourish whatever their academic ability.
We believe that if a pupil is not happy and well-supported emotionally and psychologically, then they will not be able to flourish. We also wish to create a community which reflects the ethical and moral framework of our Christian foundation.
We overtly teach values in assemblies and through class form times and PSHE lessons. We hope to support and encourage better understanding of other people from all over the world by creating an ethos of empathy, one which is caring, honest, hardworking and supportive to all.
Structure
Class teachers see their pupils every day and are a point of contact for routine matters. They maintain a detailed overview of their pupils’ work, activities and general welfare and are the ‘front line’ for them for advice and support in all their school activities. They also cover a number of well-being topics through the teaching of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education), RSE (Relationships and Sex Education), Circle Time and Reflection time once a week. They will respond to phone messages, notes in the planners or link books and emails as soon as possible.
In Years 3 to 6, the form teachers and the Deputy Head, Pastoral use a social and emotional assessment tool, Steer Tracking. It is a proactive tool which highlights pupils who may have or are likely to develop difficulties in navigating their way through social and emotional issues.
The Deputy Head, Pastoral is responsible for overseeing pupil welfare across the School by supporting all form teachers, keeping records of children’s emotional needs and meeting with parents and individual pupils across the different year groups. The Deputy Head, Pastoral is a qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor and Prep school staff members have been trained as Mental Health England First Aiders.
Many members of staff have up-to-date training in First Aid. Headington Prep has its own Health and Wellbeing Assistant who oversees medical and wellbeing issues on a daily basis. She works closely with the wider Pastoral team, including the school counsellor and the Health Centre at the Senior School, who are on hand to help with any medical issues that might arise at the Prep School as well.
Chaplaincy
Rev Tom Howell
School Chaplain
The School has a Christian ethos which is encouraged through termly parent prayers meetings and Explore – an optional weekly club for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 during which we explore and discuss stories from the Bible.
The School Chaplains, Tom Howell and Fran Walsh, are also involved in regular assemblies, RE lessons and our annual Prayer Space, where the pupils are encouraged to have some quiet reflection time.
Absences
Absence from school due to illness
If your child is too ill to come to school, please email reception@headington.org as soon as possible or call us on 01865 759400. Somebody will be available to answer the phone from 7.45 am.
Routine medical appointments
If your child has an appointment during school time, please let her form teacher and Reception know in advance.
Planned absences
We understand that in exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary for the Head to grant your child leave from school during term time. Please make your application in writing to the Mrs Crouch, who will consider each case separately.
Please note that children are not expected to miss days for holidays.
Wellbeing
There are a number of wellbeing initiatives organised in the Prep School throughout the school year. For example, the secret angel acts of kindness fortnight where pupils act as secret angels by anonymously showing acts of kindness to their allocated classmates until “the big reveal” on the last day. We celebrate success outside of the classroom through our awards assembly every Friday. The children are encouraged to bring in any awards that they have from external events, for example a certificate for taking part in a chess tournament.
Politeness and good manners are an important part of our ethos at Headington Prep School. We encourage children to use good manners throughout the school day and we hold a manners week where our Prep community focuses on showing consideration for others. The pupils pay special attention saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, holding doors for others and their table manners.
We also hold a prayer space every year and have reflection time for classes every week. A school counsellor is also available if the pupils need the support and this takes place in our dedicated Pastoral room.
Behaviour
Headington Rye Oxford is a community which expects its members to work together to make the School as happy and stimulating an educational environment as possible. The Prep School has a Code of Behaviour which is displayed in each classroom and read out to the children at the beginning of every term.
Discipline
Discipline is based on mutual trust and respect and consideration for others. Children are encouraged to reflect on how their words and actions affect others, to accept responsibility for them and try to make amends for any hurt or disruption they may have caused. Please see the Behaviour Policy which is available on the website for more details on our rewards and sanctions systems.
Anti-bullying
The School takes a clear and open stance against bullying of any kind. It is the aim of the School to develop a climate of trust and openness and to make the consequences of bullying clear to the bully, staff and parents. Pupils are reminded of the Anti-Bullying Policy on a regular basis. Bullying issues are also explored through the PSHE programme. If parents are concerned about any issues to do with bullying, they should contact their child's class teacher or the Head of Prep.
A full copy of the Anti-Bullying Policy is available on the school website.
