Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

PASTORAL CARE

We place great importance on our pastoral care. All our students are valued and valuable members of our community.  Staff are strongly supported in their pastoral role and time is dedicated at staff meetings for pastoral matters. Every staff member at Sevenoaks Prep is involved in the pastoral care of each child. Their wellbeing is the very core of our school. We feel that in order to flourish, our children must be happy. The excellent relationships between adults and children create a happy atmosphere in which each child is helped to grow in confidence, make positive contributions to the life of the school and perhaps most importantly, to have fun.

Our classes have around 20 children and an enviable adult to child ratio. The means that each child benefits from a fantastic level of attention from the very beginning which is hugely beneficial at this formative stage of their lives, when the child is developing rapidly and is being given time and encouragement to help maximise their true potential.

All the children know that they can talk to any adult in the school at any time about any of their worries. No matter how small.

Each child in Year 2 is given a Year 7 ‘Buddy’. During the year, there are lots of opportunities for the buddies to meet up, take part in activities and have lunch together.  As well as a sense of community and belonging the children benefit enormously from offering support to younger pupils and being mentored by older pupils, developing their individual and collective responsibility and helping the Pre-Prep pupils with the transition to the Prep.

WELLBEING

At Sevenoaks Prep School we have a dedicated Wellbeing Team working alongside our Safeguarding and Pastoral Teams to support everyone in our school community.

Wellbeing is everyone’s business at Sevenoaks Prep School, and we strive to promote, develop, equip and prepare healthy learners for life, and support all within the community by:

“empowering everybody to achieve their potential by giving them the tools to cope with life’s challenges.”

We are committed to making it our mission to promote resilience, positive wellbeing and mental health for all our pupils, parents, carers and staff.

We have appointed a Wellbeing Team (Katherine Hougham and Elliott Wilkins), a Family Liaison Office (Sophie Fuller), Wellbeing Reps from each class and Parent Wellbeing Champions.

The Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS)

We have recently been awarded The Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS) which allowed us to reflect on our current provision and to celebrate our achievements. The award verifier noted that:

“Wellbeing is strongly embedded in the school’s vision statement and ‘Way Of Life’ ethos which is exemplified and celebrated around the school and on the website.”

Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2024

And more recently we have won ‘The Debrett’s Education Award for Outstanding Pastoral Care’ in the national Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2024 as well as becoming runners up in the Prep School Category in the You HQ Global Wellbeing Awards.

Support We Offer In School

Staff Led Support

We have a team of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) trained to support children in times where immediate support is needed.

Five staff members trained in Drawing and Talking, a child lead therapeutic practice, alternative to CBT. A member of staff trained as an ELSA that can run a wide range of interventions based on the needs of the individual child.

Family Liaison Officer (FLO)

The Family Liaison Officer helps to build bridges between home and school, strengthening communication and making it easier for families to access the support they may need. The service provides guidance, information and signposting to appropriate resources, ensuring that pupils are well supported and able to thrive both socially and academically. It also offers a clear point of contact for parents who have questions, concerns or need practical help, contributing to a smooth, positive experience of school life for families.

YouHQ

YouHQ gives pupils an opportunity to reflect on how they are feeling during form time through simple weekly check ins and more in-depth surveys once a fortnight.  It also gives pupils the opportunity to set goals, track their mood via the mood tracker and make use of online resources to support their mental health and wellbeing.  Form Teachers are able to monitor the moods of the pupils in their form to continue an open dialogue on how they are feeling and give additional support where needed.

Wellbeing Hub

We have a dedicated room within the school where wellbeing activities can take place. The prime purpose of this space is to hold all wellbeing meetings, including counselling appointments, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) discussions and opportunities for wellbeing drop-in sessions. Additionally the room houses an accessible wellbeing library available to pupils, parents and staff.  Activities such as board games, mindful colouring or crafts are on offer throughout the year.

School Counsellor

Our Wellbeing team includes a School Counsellor, whom parents can contact if they feel their child would benefit from counselling.

Leaflets and Guidance

Please find a selection of leaflets for parents on a variety of topics related to yours and your child’s wellbeing.

EXTERNAL PROVISION

We have contacts with a range of services to support your child’s wellbeing, please feel free to get in touch and we can provide you with further information.

Contacts with

  • Private Counsellors
  • Child Psychologists
  • Psychiatrists and a wide range of specialist therapists

REACHING OUT

Email us:

Katherine.hougham@theprep.org.uk

Elliott.wilkins@theprep.org.uk

Anonymous concerns: We have white letter boxes stationed around the school for children to reach out for support if they do not feel comfortable asking face to face.

Pre-Prep Parent
“The atmosphere is incredibly warm and supportive.  My child feels comfortable stepping out of his comfort zone and trying new things.”

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