Pastoral Year Lead

The Grange School has a strong tradition in delivering excellent pastoral care, ensuring that every child is recognised for their strengths and supported to fulfil their potential. The wellbeing of our young people is of utmost importance to us and as such, is intrinsically linked to our school values and our holistic approach to education. The work of pastoral leads and form tutors is supported by our Pupil Support and Counselling Service. This includes specialist assessors and trained staff who are available to help identify specific difficulties and ascertain the best ways of supporting students.

To further enhance this provision, we are looking to appoint three Pastoral Year Leads who will be an integral part of our pastoral team, with responsibility for the pupil wellbeing and progress of a specific year group – either in Year 8, Year 9 or Year 10.

Each Pastoral Year Lead will work as part of a team led by the relevant Head of Section:

The Head of Lower School will work with the Pastoral Year Lead for Year 7 and Year 8 to ensure high quality pastoral care as students join The Grange Senior School and explore the many opportunities on offer here.

The Head of Middle School will work with the Pastoral Year Lead for Year 9, Pastoral Year Lead for Year 10 alongside the work of the already appointed teacher as Head of Year 11. This team will ensure high quality pastoral care as students choose and embark on their GCSE choices, balancing this alongside their enrichment.

Pastoral Year Leads will work in partnership with colleagues, students and parents/carers, enhancing the excellent quality of education provided. As part of this, Pastoral Year Leads will have responsibility for set high standards and high expectations in student behaviour and progress, celebrating success and achievements. They are a crucial point of contact between home and school.

Responsibilities

The list of professional duties below is set out in addition to the expectations that The Grange School has of any member of the staff.

 General Duties

• To be aware of and comply with school policies and procedures, including health & safety, and report all concerns to an appropriate person.
• To fulfil safeguarding responsibilities in accordance with The Grange School Safeguarding Policy.
• To attend staff briefings when required and to refer regularly to staff notices.
• To contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school.
• To establish purposeful relationships and to support achievement and progress for pupils.
• To participate in training and other learning activities.
• To help supervise and support pupils on visits, trips and out-of-school activities as required.
• To undertake any other tasks as required by the Head which are compatible with these.
• In addition, all staff will be expected to carry out any other duties that the Head may, from time to time, reasonably request. Furthermore, Pastoral Year Leads may have particular tasks relating to the year group that they manage; it is the responsibility of the Head and/or Deputy Head (Pastoral) to clarify these.

Pastoral Care

• Proactively identify issues for their year group and work with the Head of Section to ensure students and parents have the information they need to make well-informed choices.
• Ensure that all pupils within their designated year group live our school values.
• Ensure that students in the year are offered appropriate pastoral and academic guidance, counselling and mentoring, so that they may maximise their potential.
• Support and, where relevant, lead programmes aimed to enhance pupil wellbeing within their designated year group and section.
• Support wider pastoral and student support initiatives (within their year group)
• To manage any arising pastoral issues for students in their year group, including relevant behaviour issues
• Liaise with parents over a range of issues, including pupil wellbeing, welfare and pupil progress.
• To be part of the support team recording and reporting on attendance. Where there is an issue within their year group to liaise with parents and support the relevant student. Update pastoral logs for students in their year groups (including CPOMS)
• Where needed, work with multi-agency teams to ensure high quality pastoral support for individual students in their year group.
• Coordinate their year group for year group activities and whole school events. Supporting form tutors and teaching staff in ensuring the delivery of the Skills for Life programme.
• Regularly review rewards and consequence data and implement relevant support plans to support effective pupil progress.
• Organise the collection, review of and act upon pupil wellbeing data (alongside Heads of Section).
• Design and implement plans for providing pastoral support, as required.
• Work as part of the Pupil Support team to triage pastoral issues, as part of a scheduled rota.
• Work with their tutor teams to deliver high quality pastoral care to all students in their year group.
• Supporting tutors to use tutor time effectively, including the use of form prefects.
• Chair half-termly meetings to collate pupil voice from their year groups, and action outcomes.
• Supporting the delivery of assemblies, alongside the Head of Section and Senior Leadership Team.
• Liaise with Head of Section and Deputy Head (Pastoral) about overarching pastoral and safeguarding matters concerning their year group.
• Academic Progress
• Support and where relevant, lead the development of learning behaviours and transferrable skills within their year group.
• Review academic data (with Heads of Section) to implement effective support plans. Work with pupils and liaise with parents to ensure excellent pupil progress.
• Liaise closely with the Learning Support Department to ensure SEND students are supported to make excellent progress.
• Review end of year reports, with Heads of Section, to address any arising academic issues. Organise Parents’ Evenings, in liaison with the Head of Section.
• Liaise with the Deputy Head (Academic) and Heads of Section about overarching curriculum and academic matters concerning their year group.

 Co-curriculum

• Support the planning and delivery of year group activities and trips, including joining year group trips and planned Activity Days.
• Promote effective participation in enrichment.
• Celebrate the success of students, recognising the range of their achievements. Plan, communicate and run year group social events.
• Be part of a rota to support enrichment events and support the participation of their year group.

 Communication

• Be one of the key contacts for parents (alongside form tutors) for students in their year group. Ensure timely and accurate communication of pastoral matters.
• Ensure a timely flow of communication to parents to keep them informed of important year - group based activities and events in their child(ren)’s education.
• Lead transition and Induction process for new students in their year groups, including Taster Days, Pupil/Parent Induction.
• Attend pastoral meetings (with both parents and colleagues)
• As agreed in advance, attend relevant pastoral parent information sessions for their year group.

 Additional Responsibilities for the Years 8 to 10 Pastoral Leads

• Deliver the options evenings relevant to their year group, including communication of information and collation of choices.
• Support successful transitions to a GCSE programme.