Chronicle Spring 2022

35 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

through different forums. Mixed gender PSHEE lessons and assemblies are examples but an external and expert voice can be particularly compelling, so, at times, we collapse the timetable and have external facilitators run carousels for separate groups of boys and girls. These can be followed up in House groups where discussion can often be more open and where school nurses can be a very valuable additional resource. Furthermore, whatever the educational provision is for groups of pupils, our aim is always to individualise our pastoral care and make sure all pupils know how to access help if they are concerned about themselves or about another pupil. This is a critical but difficult part of the jigsaw: for pupils to have the culture, courage and resilience to speak up and feel as if they are really listened to if something is not right. The learning is not just for pupils; it is crucial that there is whole-staff awareness and education. Knowing how to identify and respond to any inappropriate behaviour is part of the induction process for all staff and our ongoing training. It is also part of Prefect training for the Upper Sixth. It is vital that we work closely with our senior pupils to fulfil our longer-term objectives. Rules and regulations will not, on their own, address cultural and attitudinal issues. Our aim is to build a strong sense of awareness amongst pupils of their individual and collective responsibilities, remembering that pupils spend as much time out of school as in it. Our work focuses on decision making, often in what could be referred to as ‘pressurised or difficult situations’ e.g. at a party, where alcohol is present – and it is at these moments when core values and principles are tested. Much has been done but there is a great deal more to do. We are in the process of building an exciting programme to involve parents in this important area and we have recently given new expression to our school values (see the inside front cover), another important step on this journey. We have created a new role of Director of Wellbeing further to strengthen our pastoral provision: Virginia Macgregor joins us in this role from September. As ever, parents have a vital part to play in our pastoral care, so please see this article as an invitation to share your views. Rachel Bellamy, Deputy Head Pastoral, Virginia Macgregor, our new Director of Wellbeing, and I can be reached at pastoral@stedwardsoxford.org

Rachel Bellamy and James Cope

meetings and focus groups with current pupils. We also wrote to parents last year to share details of our new RSE curriculum and to seek feedback on it. You can read more in the RSE Policy on the Policies page of the website under the About tab – or contact James Cope or Rachel Bellamy via the details below. It became clear from our work within the school community and from the Ofsted report that a major focus needed to be on healthy and positive relationships and thus

on trust, respect, privacy, boundaries and open communication. In Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE) lessons we run a ‘spiral curriculum’ in which topics such as the above are revisited and emphasized annually, at an appropriate level for each year group. Our challenge now is to work with pupils so that we keep the learning very much alive and engaging as they go through the School. We are lucky that we have the opportunity to work on all pastoral issues

Omolara Sowande, Albert Way and Henry Moore in Summertown