For families attending private school, by far the most important driver of their likelihood to recommend their school was how they perceived the care the school offered to their children.
The Right Choice, Robert Drew, Education Review, March 2018.
Excellent pastoral care, like motherhood, is one of those desirable things you can’t disagree with, but it’s surprising how often it is taken at face value and not really interrogated. So what is pastoral care and what does saying we have great pastoral care actually mean?
Let us begin with what we say:
SCAS Website: Student Wellbeing
It is clear that students who are happy and engaged at school feel more positive about their overall education experience and tend to achieve greater success. At St Columba, student wellbeing is central to the mission of our school. We therefore provide our students with every opportunity to cultivate positive relationships, community connection and personal development. This includes nurturing their physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development.
Let us consider what has happened in school pastoral care over the years:
During my school days some fifty years ago, and during my teacher training, I never heard the expression Pastoral Care. It was used within the church to describe the apostolate of the pastor tending to the spiritual needs of his flock. It was subsequently borrowed by even secular schools to describe their commitment to student welfare. Nowadays, it is commonly used as a selling point to win over prospective parents. It assumes that the school will be responsible for the physical and emotional health of the child, offering both a safe environment and programs which will foster student wellbeing. My thesis is that pastoral care is very rarely delivered effectively by schools and that there is often only a token commitment to the physical and emotional health to students.
Why pastoral care is only a token commitment to student wellbeing, Greg Cudmore July 18, 2017
What should really good Pastoral Care/Wellbeing look like?
Here are some of the criteria I would choose:
We know this.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways.” James 3:1-2 ESV
Stumble? Let me be reckless/brave enough to ask these questions:
If, after considering these questions, you wish to respond, please consider contacting me at the school and setting up a meeting so that we can discuss any concerns you have (or praise you want to give us) face-to-face.
Mr Terry Muldoon Principal, St Columba Anglican School |
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