Chronicle 687

11 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

have joined an already strong pastoral network, led by Clare Hamilton, the Sub Warden, and Eve Singfield, the Deputy Head Pastoral. It’s definitely harder now to be a teenager, but there is a wealth of professional support available at Teddies. And what benefits will the pupils have experienced as a result of these initiatives? Hopefully many! They will have noticed much greater consistency between Houses and a much more joined-up approach with the Health Centre. When children are very young, they ask lots of questions. When they grow up, they often find it much harder. With the new wellbeing curriculum, we’re hopefully providing answers to the questions which they might be hesitating to ask. With the new pastoral team, whatever the question, there should be someone to whom they feel comfortable to put it and who can provide them not just with an answer but with perspective and advice too. What role does pupil voice play in ensuring that pupils feel a sense of belonging at School? Pupil voice has a huge role to play because it gives pupils agency, it gives them a say in

Dr Jim Panton to it. Jim’s role is to make sure that every aspect of pastoral care is co-ordinated, from the counselling service to the Health Centre, from the work of the Matrons to the teaching of wellbeing lessons. Our new Safeguarding Team of Vienna Osborne-Ricketts as Director of Safeguarding (see page 14) and Sarah Turpin as Safeguarding Coordinator are equally important additions to the team. All the new people and roles I have talked about Whether it is post-prep football, weekend cricket, cinema or trampolining trips, day pupils are always welcome. I have the same opportunities as the boarders in all areas of community life here at Teddies. THOMAS POOLE, FOURTH FORM PUPIL

the challenges is to make sure that we’re hearing from everybody, not just from the representatives in the committees and year group forums – that’s why we now set time aside in the Houses for open meetings to take place, so that everyone can express a view. What impact has pupil voice had on the development of the School in recent years? It’s had a huge impact! The list of things which are new and different at Teddies in the last few years as a direct result of pupil voice is long. Football as a main team game, changes to the rules on uniform and jewellery, more access to Summertown, new arrangements for subject clinics, better internet access times, new guidelines on prep, new boards for societies, new display screens in Houses, greater clarity on confidentiality about pastoral issues, changes to the weekly reading lessons, changes to the menus, more access to the gym at the Nuffield Health Centre, sharing with pupils our annual objectives for St Edward’s – it’s already a very long list, and there are more changes and improvements in prospect as a direct result of pupil voice. Fiona Wickens, who teaches History, has been leading our work in this area as Head of Pupil Voice and Action – the second half of her title is just as important as the first. There are a lot of things I will take away from my experience of boarding at Teddies. It has taught me so much about forging and maintaining relationships and friendships, managing my time, finding supportive people to share a space with, and the value of work ethic. ZAC GARDNER-HUTCHINSON, LOWER SIXTH PUPIL

their future. Pupils are also the best people to ask for advice about new ideas, new policies, new initiatives. They are living school life every day, and that inside knowledge is invaluable – that’s why we have set up so many new channels for pupils at Teddies to tell us what they like and, much more importantly, what they want to see done differently and better in their school. It’s not enough just to ask pupils for their views. They have to know that their views have been heard and that action has followed – that’s why we provide feedback every half term in assembly on the issues and ideas which they have raised, explaining what we are going to do in response. One of

Ethan Powell teaching Mia Lu how to use a pottery wheel