Pastoral Support

The House Structure

The main school is divided into five Houses, with a teacher in charge of each House known as ‘Head of House’. Each Head of House is also supported by an Assistant Head of House.

The four Houses in the main school that serve students in Years 7-11 are: Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert, Dunstan & Elfleda. In Sixth Form, we have Hilda House, where students from both Year 12 and 13 are placed.

Heads of House are responsible for the children in their House with regard to general behaviour and appearance in school. Students will register each day in tutor groups and follow a planned pastoral programme; tutor groups are mixed ability groups.

The tutors within a House group are expected to liaise with the Head of House to ensure that effective pastoral care can take place. In turn the Heads of House liaise with the Assistant Headteacher in charge of Pastoral Care so that consistent attitudes can be adopted.

Children meet in these groups for tutorial work through their time at St. Joseph’s.

We have very clear guidelines on expected behaviour, punctuality, attendance and work ethic. Students are rewarded with credits which create House points. At the end of each year, the House points are totalled, and the winning House receives the House trophy.

Credits: are given for achievements or special effort.
Debits: are given for the following: failure to bring correct books or equipment to class, lack of respect or insolence towards a member of staff, persistent misbehaviour etc. When a debit is given the student must then complete a Code of Conduct.

Where a student persists in behaving badly, the Head of House may decide to contact the parents, give detentions, or place the child in the Behaviour Support. Lunchtime groundings are also held.

Where behaviour is persistently poor or following serious one-off events the Head of House may decide that the student needs to be put on report, in which case the child will be required to carry a ‘Pastoral Report’ to each lesson so that the teacher can comment on behaviour, attitude to work and conduct.

Pastoral Reports are kept as part of the student record. If a child misbehaves whilst on Pastoral Report they automatically receive a detention that evening. Reports operate on a staged traffic light system: green, yellow and red. Red is the most serious report and could result in more severe consequences. The Head of House checks the report at the start and end of the day. Parents should also sign the report on a daily basis.

Keeping in Touch

At the end of each cycle, parents and guardians will receive an information sheet, showing their child’s current attainment level in each subject and parents will also have the opportunity to attend a Parents’ Evening each year. We welcome all contact and information from parents and carers at any time of the year and this should be done by contacting the reception at: [email protected]

Behaviour Support Room

This established location in the school is designed to support students who are experiencing difficulties in mainstream class or who have had their school career interrupted for whatever reason.

The room supports:

• Students who need support and advice on how to cope in mainstream school
• Students experiencing emotional difficulties

The Behaviour Support Room offers:

• Respite from difficult situations in school
• The chance to discuss difficulties and develop strategies to cope in mainstream school
• Restorative support