Pastoral care is about providing a warm, friendly and supportive environment where every student is known, respected and celebrated for who she is. 

Programmes dedicated to pastoral care

As well as being woven into the fabric of everything we do at St Helen’s, we also have a couple of specific initiatives dedicated to pastoral care for our girls. 

Our bespoke Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) programme is an important part of our students’ education and runs throughout the school, addressing age-appropriate topics and issues. 

I find the PSHCE lessons helpful as they teach me life skills and things I will need to know in the future. They also provide a very safe space where you can share feelings and nobody will judge. We are also taught about topics which I didn’t know very much about.

– Analya, Year 8

Prep School, we cover topics such as democracy and the safe use of technology, while Senior School topics include mental and emotional health, as well as drugs awareness. 

The GROW model

All class teachers and form tutors for our Sixth Form students are trained in using a coaching style, called GROW (Goals, Reality, Obstacles, Way Forward), which enables every girl to flourish. 

As our Sixth Form students become more able to self-reflect and identify their personal ambitions in all spheres of their lives, GROW coaching empowers them to actively pursue these ambitions. This approach boosts wellbeing and enables our students to take control of their progress. 

I think our focus is different to other schools in the area. Whilst we are absolutely concerned with our students getting top grades, I am more concerned about them being happy, mentally well and able to face the wider world with confidence when they leave school.

– Hayley Stein, Director of Sixth Form 

The PSHCE programme and the GROW model are concrete examples of a philosophy that is embedded in the culture of St Helen’s. It’s our firm belief that girls who are happy, confident and prepared for the challenges of the outside world have the greatest opportunity to succeed, no matter which path they choose to follow.  

Registration deadlines for our 2024-25 intake are just around the corner. You can discover more details here about the benefits of a St Helen’s education for your daughter and how you can apply for a place.