Mental health and wellbeing sit at the heart of our ethos here at St Joseph’s College, we believe in nurturing not only academic excellence but also the spiritual, emotional and social growth of every student on their journey from acorn to oak.
We have a reputation for outstanding pastoral care and visitors often comment on the school’s warm and friendly atmosphere. Our pastoral structure ensures that we are able to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where every child feels valued, heard and cared for. We offer a safe space for our students to confide, encouraging them to talk to their teachers and friends alike through all stages of their school journey. Regular communication between students, teachers and parents ensures that no child is overlooked and that the health and happiness of each child is given priority.
Our PSHEE and tutoring programme, rooted in the Catholic values of compassion, respect and understanding forms an integral part of our pastoral care. A dedicated team of staff are committed to guiding students on their educational journey, helping them to develop a strong sense of self and meaningful connections with the world around them. Our approach fosters resilience, encourages positive relationships and prepares students to face life’s challenges with confidence and a moral compass.
Wellbeing Support
We teach all our students, from the youngest years, the importance of looking after our mental health. A number of staff are trained in Mental Health First Aid and all staff are equipped to understand and look out for the mental wellbeing of our students. Support is given to help manage a wide range of concerns; from workload, to friendships, to mental health.
For the times when things are more challenging, our Chaplaincy and Wellbeing Centre, offers a calming space where students can access support for mental health or spiritual wellbeing.
Our Lay Chaplain is available to offer pastoral support and guidance to all students. If they are having any worries at home or in school, or facing bereavement, the Lay Chaplain can offer a friendly face, a kind word and even a cuppa (with biscuits included) to help them feel better.
As well as our Lay Chaplain, we have a resident Mental Health Practitioner, who is trained to assess children and young people for mild to moderate mental health problems, and to deliver low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to children, young people and their parents using evidence-based CBT interventions for anxiety and low-mood. CBT is a talking therapy which looks at the links between our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and behaviours. They offer short-term support (usually 6-8 weeks).
In addition to our Mental Health Practitioner, we have a Therapist who is able to work with children on specific worries which may have been referred by the College or external services such as the child’s GP.
If you are worried about a child please see our Safeguarding policy on our Policies Page.
Pastoral Structure
Small is big in our community, where the size of our Prep classes and senior tutor groups ensures a personalised approach within an inclusive and supportive environment. Positive relationships and excellent communication between students and their Class Teacher/Tutor, fosters a deeper understanding of each students’ strengths, enhances learning, and allows us to address specific needs more effectively.
The Prep Class Teacher/Tutor is usually the first point of contact when issues arise, they may involve the other key pastoral staff as appropriate. Our Prep Pastoral Lead takes responsibility for managing and triaging more significant pastoral issues for pupils from Pre-reception to Year 6. Our Heads of Year from Year 7 – 11 and our Head and Assistant Head of Sixth Form do the same, all under the watchful eye of our Assistant Head Wellbeing and Safeguarding who is also our Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Students are tutored in houses across mixed year groups which encourages a sense of community spirit, house identity, and peer support with induction and next steps in students’ educational journey. We group Year 7 and Year 8 students into the ‘Lower Seniors’ tutor groups and Year 9 and Year 10 students into the ‘Upper Seniors’ tutor groups.
Our stand-alone Year 11 offers a more tailored approach as students experience public exams for the first time and opportunities are provided to link with the Sixth Form, ensuring a smooth transition as they step up between GCSE and A Level study.
Life in the Sixth Form is a new and exciting time. Each student has a personal tutor who knows them as an individual and is responsible for the day to day monitoring of their academic and personal wellbeing. There is an emphasis on helping students to achieve the best academic results, whilst supporting their emotional, physical and mental health needs. Both tutors and teachers help students to strive towards their ambitions and help them to plan what is needed to attain them.
Find out more information on our House Structure today.
