Pastoral Care and Life Skills

Pastoral Care

Our January 2018 ISI Inspection report said:

"There is an excellent culture of respect and care that pervades the school.”

At Vinehall, the individual and their needs are at the forefront of everything we do. When a child enters Vinehall, they become a part of a caring community that values kindness and compassion. We foster an environment where wellbeing and happiness are the foundation of learning. The children encouraged to have a growth mindset that builds resilience and prepares them for the wider world.

The strength in our pastoral care lies within the relationships between our children and their Form Tutors. The Form Tutor plays a pivotal role in caring for the children throughout the school day. Time is spent together each morning which allows our Form Tutors to support both academic and pastoral needs.

We are a talking school and our children are encouraged to approach any member of staff with whom they feel comfortable if they need someone to talk to. In addition to their Form Tutor, children may approach a Year 8 Prefect, House Captain or Playtime Monitor. They are also supported by subject teachers, House staff, the Boarding staff, the Assistant Head Pastoral and the Deputy Head.

Life Skills

Life Skills focuses on embedding knowledge and skills that will enable children to flourish once they have moved on from Vinehall. The content of the Life Skills programme ranges from Personal, Social Health and Economic Education (PSHE), global citizenship, financial literacy to religious understanding, mental and physical health and wellbeing and relationships and sex education. Our children are also taught how to navigate the online world safely and how to be critical thinkers when looking at online content.  

Pupils at Vinehall practise Mindfulness in Life Skills lessons, which include a calm, meditative session to help the children focus their minds in preparation for learning. These sessions help them learn strategies that can be used at other times in their day and gives them tools for later life.

Great emphasis is given to Life Skills at Vinehall from Nursery through to Year 8; not just in the timetabled lessons, but in all aspects of school life. Helping the children to develop self-awareness and confidence is a vital part of the role of every adult at Vinehall School; everyone contributes in enabling each child to develop to meet the social, emotional and academic challenges of school life.