Pastoral Care

Fitzharrys School believes every student should receive special care in a positive environment of security and compassion, and Ofsted found that: “Pupils’ relationships with staff are built on mutual respect. They know that staff have their best interests at heart and as such they feel safe, happy and cared for.”

Each student has a range of champions at Fitzharrys. The first point of call is the form tutor who will ideally be with the same group of students throughout their first five years at Fitzharrys. We know that communication between school and home is vitally important, so we hold a ‘Meet the Tutor’ evening early in Year 7 to build those relationships.

The tutors are supported by Heads of Year, Deputy Heads of Year, and our Assistant Head, Behaviour & Attendance. In addition, students at Fitzharrys benefit from our unique team of Student Wellbeing Managers. Attached to particular year groups, this team has a wide variety of skills and experiences that make them ideally suited to resolving issues and ensuring that children always have a supportive adult that they can talk to. The team are greatly valued by students, staff and parents alike, and make a significant contribution to the happiness and success of all the students in their care.

In support of new students, we operate a buddy system at Fitzharrys. Buddies help their new classmates find their way to lessons and offer friendly advice.

A special feature of Fitzharrys pastoral care is our focus on positive mental health and wellbeing. Students benefit from visits by guest speakers, experts and performers raising awareness of these issues. We nurture resilience, develop growth mindsets, let children know that it is ok to make mistakes, and build up their confidence to express concerns and tackle issues.

Health & Wellbeing 

We know that adolescence can be a challenging time with lots of pressures from many directions. We want to help students develop the strength needed for challenges, the resilience to see things through, the confidence to know it is ok to make mistakes, and healthy attitudes towards themselves and others.

Students at Fitzharrys will always have a supportive team of staff to help whenever needed, including:

• A form tutor, as the first port of call for any worries
• The student wellbeing managers, who are on hand for emotional support or to help with any difficulties
• The school nurse, who offers additional services, further support and advice
• Close links with Abingdon Bridge who visit the school once a week
• Access to external agencies for further support

Please visit our Policies pages for more information.