Pastoral Care | Blundell’s School

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Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care at Blundell's

At Blundell’s we recognise the talents of each individual pupil, and believe that every pupil should have the opportunity to develop these talents in whatever field they enjoy.

Blundell’s operates a traditional House structure, at the heart of which is a strong pastoral framework designed to support every pupil throughout their time at the school.

Each pupil is assigned a Tutor, who is attached to their House and plays a key role in their day-to-day wellbeing. Tutors hold a weekly check-in with their tutor group on Monday mornings after assembly, where they share notices, offer guidance, and ensure pupils are well prepared for the week ahead. In addition to group time, there are regular opportunities for one-to-one conversations, and tutors remain accessible to their tutees via TEAMS messaging. Tutors are also an important first point of contact for messages from home.

Within each House, the House Parent oversees the overall wellbeing and development of all pupils. They work closely with tutors, receiving pastoral updates and offering continuity of care. Matron is available throughout the working day and is often the first port of call for any immediate concerns or health-related issues. More serious matters are referred to the House Parent as needed.

Evening support is provided by a duty tutor during prep and bedtime routines, followed by the resident team who remain on hand throughout the night to care for boarders. The House Parent or resident tutor is always available, ensuring support is never far away.

In addition to House-based care, Blundell’s is supported by a wider pastoral network, including the Medical Centre, School Counsellor, Learning Support team, and Educational Coaches – all working together to ensure that every pupil feels safe, supported, and able to thrive.

wELLBEING HUB
At Blundell’s, we are deeply committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our entire school community – including pupils, parents, and staff. As part of this commitment, we are proud to offer access to the Wellbeing Hub – a dedicated online platform designed to provide expert-led resources, guidance, and support. The Wellbeing Hub is created by mental health professionals and offers practical tools on a wide range of topics including: Managing stress and anxiety Building resilience and confidence Supporting emotional wellbeing at home and at school Navigating key stages of child and adolescent development Mental health support for parents and carers Whether you're looking for advice, downloadable toolkits, or simply a space to learn more about wellbeing, the Hub is an invaluable resource to help every member of our community thrive. Parents can sign up for free and explore the wide range of content available, anytime and anywhere.

wELLBEING HUB

At Blundell’s, we are deeply committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our entire school community – including pupils, parents, and staff. As part of this commitment, we are proud to offer access to the Wellbeing Hub – a dedicated online platform designed to provide expert-led resources, guidance, and support.

The Wellbeing Hub is created by mental health professionals and offers practical tools on a wide range of topics including:

Managing stress and anxiety
Building resilience and confidence
Supporting emotional wellbeing at home and at school
Navigating key stages of child and adolescent development
Mental health support for parents and carers

Whether you're looking for advice, downloadable toolkits, or simply a space to learn more about wellbeing, the Hub is an invaluable resource to help every member of our community thrive.

Parents can sign up for free and explore the wide range of content available, anytime and anywhere.

Pastoral tracking
At Blundell’s, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. Rigorous safeguarding practices underpin how we report, monitor and share critical information, and there is a strong culture of vigilance and care embedded across our whole staff team. Tutors play a central role in our pastoral system. They establish clear and open lines of communication with home and work hard to build positive, trusting relationships with their tutees – creating a space where pupils feel safe to talk and be themselves. However, we recognise that young people do not always feel ready or able to articulate their emotional experiences, and in some cases, they may not yet be aware of underlying challenges they are facing. To help overcome this barrier, Blundell’s uses a termly pastoral questionnaire – a proactive, research-informed tool that supports early intervention and identifies where additional care may be needed. Rather than asking direct or overly personal questions, the survey uses situational, non-specific prompts to help assess four key areas linked to self-regulation: Self-disclosure Trust in oneself Trust in others Willingness to seek change These insights allow us to spot potential concerns early and put in place timely, personalised support for any pupil who may benefit from additional care. This approach reflects our belief that effective pastoral care is not only reactive but also preventative, thoughtful, and responsive to individual needs.

Pastoral tracking

At Blundell’s, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. Rigorous safeguarding practices underpin how we report, monitor and share critical information, and there is a strong culture of vigilance and care embedded across our whole staff team.

Tutors play a central role in our pastoral system. They establish clear and open lines of communication with home and work hard to build positive, trusting relationships with their tutees – creating a space where pupils feel safe to talk and be themselves.

However, we recognise that young people do not always feel ready or able to articulate their emotional experiences, and in some cases, they may not yet be aware of underlying challenges they are facing.

To help overcome this barrier, Blundell’s uses a termly pastoral questionnaire – a proactive, research-informed tool that supports early intervention and identifies where additional care may be needed.

Rather than asking direct or overly personal questions, the survey uses situational, non-specific prompts to help assess four key areas linked to self-regulation:

Self-disclosure
Trust in oneself
Trust in others
Willingness to seek change

These insights allow us to spot potential concerns early and put in place timely, personalised support for any pupil who may benefit from additional care.

This approach reflects our belief that effective pastoral care is not only reactive but also preventative, thoughtful, and responsive to individual needs.

coaching
At Blundell’s, coaching is a key element of our pastoral provision, offering targeted, one-to-one support to help pupils navigate challenges, build confidence, and develop personal strategies for success. Pupils are typically referred for coaching by their House Parent or Tutor, who identify when an individual may benefit from dedicated time and space to talk, reflect, and explore solutions in a supportive environment. As a coaching school, we are committed to embedding coaching into the wider culture of care. Over 30 members of staff are currently trained in one-to-one coaching, and we continue to invest in regular training opportunities for colleagues across the teaching body. This whole-school approach enables us to respond to pupils’ needs with empathy, structure, and insight — ensuring every young person is equipped to flourish both personally and academically.

coaching

At Blundell’s, coaching is a key element of our pastoral provision, offering targeted, one-to-one support to help pupils navigate challenges, build confidence, and develop personal strategies for success.

Pupils are typically referred for coaching by their House Parent or Tutor, who identify when an individual may benefit from dedicated time and space to talk, reflect, and explore solutions in a supportive environment.

As a coaching school, we are committed to embedding coaching into the wider culture of care. Over 30 members of staff are currently trained in one-to-one coaching, and we continue to invest in regular training opportunities for colleagues across the teaching body.

This whole-school approach enables us to respond to pupils’ needs with empathy, structure, and insight — ensuring every young person is equipped to flourish both personally and academically.