Pastoral Care
Purpose
Pastoral & Boarding Vision: Everyone in our community feels safe, known, and cared for, so that they can strive to achieve their own successes.
The well-being of our students is paramount. We aim to provide a safe and secure environment and a happy, supportive and close community, in which students can thrive, both mentally and physically. Students are encouraged to become considerate, confident, independent and resilient adults, ready to take their place in society.
It is the policy of the school that the highest quality pastoral care is afforded to all students, that every student is known and cared for, and that every member of the academic and boarding staff is considered to have a pastoral responsibility. A number of school policies address issues of welfare and guidance. These are made available to all staff via the Policies folder on the Staff Dashboard.
Major pastoral responsibility belongs to the Deputy Head – Pastoral & Boarding, the Principal, and the Assistant Head Boarding and House Parents, working with the Pastoral Leadership Team (PLT): the Pastoral Leads (Upper and Lower School), the Assistant Head (Pastoral), the Heads and Assistant Heads of Year, and all Form Tutors. In Boarding, the Assistant Head Boarding works with House Parents, Assistant House Parents, and Boarding Tutors. The Social & Emotional Counsellor works alongside and supports these teams.
The CCA programme provides an opportunity for students to develop their interests beyond the classroom in various areas. The House System creates a community within a community. All staff and students are members of a House.
Our Lifeskills programmes focus on various themes designed to equip children and young people with the skills they'll need to navigate age-appropriate challenges. The topics we cover span a wide range, from building positive relationships and maintaining a healthy diet to managing schoolwork and budgeting effectively.
Nursing staff provide medical care and access to doctors both on and off-site. Welfare issues are also covered by the nursing staff and Pastoral teams on an individual basis.
Our students are supported by:
- Teachers
- CCA leaders
- The safeguarding team
- The social and emotional counsellor
- University and careers counsellors
- Their Head and Assistant Head of Year
- Their tutor
- Their mentor
- Head of House
- Boarding House Parent & Tutors
- The medical centre
Structure
The school consists of four year groups, a Pre-A level and IG1 (One Year IGCSE) cohort. Each year group is split into multiple administrative form classes. Every student is assigned to one form class, with a dedicated form tutor appointed for each class.
Tutor Groups
Students regard their tutor group as their home at Dulwich.
Form tutors are the first port of call whenever students have school-related questions. As staff members who know students most intimately, form tutors are in charge of supporting pupils with their academic journey at school. Should students encounter any troubles, tutors will do their utmost to offer assistance and guide them towards solutions.
Kindly note that form time is not free leisure time, nor is it intended for finishing leftover homework or having meals. It constitutes a vital part of students’ daily schooling; hence the school expects all students to value this period. Each tutor group is also placed in a House. Every student and member of staff is a member of one of the four Houses.
Dragon Spirit Time: 10:15-10:40
During this period, form tutors check students' journals and school uniforms to ensure personal attire complies with Dulwich’s dress code. Tutors exchange information with pupils. Most importantly, tutors take time to build an in-depth understanding of individual students and tutor groups. They go over activities, discuss academic targets with students and support them in drafting study plans to achieve these goals.
Form tutors accompany their form classes to the weekly year group assemblies and assist students with preparation and content arrangement for such events. During fire drills, students assemble at designated areas by class, and form tutors complete attendance checks.
Unexcused lateness to tutor meetings counts as a disappointment resulting in a one-point deduction. An unauthorised absence from a scheduled tutor meeting is recorded as truancy, incurring a five-point penalty.
Students are also supported by a dedicated mentor. They will meet their mentor once a week in a school group. This additional session is provided so that we can ensure that every student has at least one adult in school who they know well and will reach out to for support.
Pastoral Team
Ms Winton, Assistant Head – Pastoral
Lower:
- Mr Sohail, Year 10 and Year 11 HOY
- Ms Zhao, Lower School Pastoral Lead, Y11 and IG1 AHOY
- Ms Shen, Y10 and PAL AHOY
Upper:
- Ms Wu, Upper School Pastoral Lead
- Mr Aston, Y13 HOY
- Ms Zhang, Y13 AHOY
- Mr Whitwam, Y12 HOY
- Ms Li, Y12 AHOY
*HOY: Head of Year, AHOY: Assistant Head of Year
For our parents the Assistant Head of Year should be the first point of contact for any queries, questions or concerns you may have. The Head of Year is responsible for managing the student experience in our school. If you have any questions about your child's:
- academic performance
- personal or social development
- questions regarding the curriculum
- concerns about a course or teacher
- Subject choice or academic pathways
Any other question or query in regard to your child's academic or personal experience in our school
Please contact your Assistant Head of Year who will work with the Head of Year to respond to your request.
Boarding Management Team
Ms Wang serves as Head of Boarding. A team of house parents and residential staff reside on campus to assist with boarding management and address any queries raised by boarding students after school hours.
Boarding Email: [email protected]
