Above all, we want pupils to be happy and enjoy coming to school. Our aim to provide exceptional pastoral care permeates every aspect of life within the school. Our core values of Kindness, Courage and Curiosity are at the heart of all that we do. Expectations are high, in terms of manners, discipline and general behaviour, and the children respond accordingly.
There is a strong rapport between staff and pupils, and a sense of mutual respect which comes through working together in a supportive and caring environment.
We treat each pupil as an individual, and provide the framework to support and promote growing confidence and self-assurance.
Assemblies & Outside Speakers
That framework includes regular school assemblies with many and varied moral messages, frequent talks by outside speakers, and workshops run by staff. Examples of recent subjects vary from Anti-Bullying Week, including a workshop on Cyber Bullying, to Mental Health Awareness Week and Dyspraxia and Dyslexia Awareness assemblies.
Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing for both staff and pupils is taken very seriously. We have a whole school policy and wellbeing strategy focused on mental health and wellbeing. All staff involved in specific pastoral care positions have received Mental Health First Aid training. An independent and professional counsellor visits Moulsford one day per week, with drop in sessions available to pupils, and the opportunity for parents to make appointments for their children if both school and parents agree it is in the child’s best interests. Moulsford recently introduced AS (Affective Social) Tracking to help identify pupils’ hidden emotional risks and aid appropriate additional pastoral support. Mindfulness, yoga and activities aimed at improving mental health are offered via the extra-curricular activities programme.
In 2022 we were thrilled to hear that we had achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools, which is developed in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau (NCB). This is an extremely prestigious award, and the school has been through a very thorough process over several months, led by School Matron Angela Gipson, to achieve accreditation. Angela has had to demonstrate Moulsford’s commitment to Wellbeing, through policies, practice and other documentary evidence.
We believe that children should make the most of their abilities whatever the activity – be it academic, drama, music, sport, art or technology – whether as part of the curriculum or through the extensive activities programme. Success breeds success: achievement in one area leads to greater self-belief and higher attainment in others.
We are entirely committed to helping each child gain this sense of achievement, and provide multiple opportunities to encourage them to find their niche.
Heads of Year
Heads of Year play a vital role in overseeing both pastoral and academic matters across their year group.
As Form Teachers themselves, they have regular contact with all the children in the year, taking a global view of their progress in all areas of school life. As each year passes and pupils progress through the school, the Heads of Year work closely together to ensure smooth transition and continuity of care and support.
The Heads of Year are as follows:
- Year 3 - Mrs Sally Noble
- Year 4 - Mrs Clare Symonds
- Year 5 - Mr Graham Sage
- Year 6 - Mr Luke Sparrow
- Year 7 - Mr Paul Dunsby
- Year 8 - Mr Richard Martin
House System
Belonging to a House provides another layer of support and across-year friendships.
There is a strong House system and allegiance at Moulsford. All children in the School are divided into four houses which are named after distinguished explorers – Amundsen (red), Bering (blue), Cabot (green), and Drake (yellow).
The Houses provide a framework for healthy internal competitions including academic, sporting, music and arts. There are elections for positions of responsibility within each House, and all children contribute to the House Point total, earned through general positive behaviour and Acts of Random Kindness (ARK).
School Council
Each term, a School Council is formed to represent the pupils’ views, comments and suggestions on wide-ranging subject matters from the school food and menus, to how the Parents Association should spend the funds they have raised, and what the children might like to see purchased.
A member from each class in Years 3 – 8 is elected by their peers to represent their form at School Council meetings. As well as the elected members, Council meetings are attended by the Deputy Head (Pastoral), with considerations then put by the Council to the Headmaster.
Many excellent suggestions have been proposed by the School Council which have come to fruition, for example the installation of the zip wire in the adventure playground, paid for by the Parents Association.
Medical Matters
Our team of trained First Aiders provide basic care for children that hurt themselves, or are feeling unwell, while at school. The School Matrons are responsible for the daily medical needs of the pupils. They run surgeries during the week, communicating to parents and staff any medical and welfare issues. There is also a separate Boarding Matron, who together with the boarding house parents, Jake and Chantal Albon, offers overnight care.
Further help
As ever, Moulsford endeavours to help the whole school community with Wellbeing issues. If children or parents have concerns, they can talk to Form Heads, Heads of Year, Deputy Head (Pastoral) or the School Matron. The school has a Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy, which can also be accessed on the school website.
Parents may be interested in a collection of self-help websites for young people as well as adults, as collated via the link below. Please do check the websites for young people yourself before passing them on, to check you are happy they are age appropriate.
