Pastoral Care and Wellbeing
At Woodbridge School our ethos is built around the core values of Character, Kindness, Community, and Excellence. These values shape every aspect of School life and underpin our commitment to nurturing not only academic success but also the personal growth and wellbeing of every student. We believe that a proactive, pre-emptive and consistent pastoral system is essential to ensuring that all our students feel supported, safe, resilient and empowered to thrive. The strength, care and professionalism of our tutors and teachers help our students have pride in themselves and the community of which they are a part.
The role of the Tutor or Form Teacher
At the heart of our pastoral care system is your child’s Tutor (at the Senior School) or Form Teacher (at the Prep School). Each student is assigned a dedicated tutor who is their first point of contact for support, guidance, and encouragement. Tutors play a vital role in daily school life—building strong relationships, monitoring progress, and helping students navigate both academic and personal challenges.
At the Senior School they are supported by experienced Heads’ of Year, who provide further oversight, coordinate support, and liaise closely with families.
At the Prep School Form Teachers also teach the core subjects and the form room is the children’s base, where they keep their belongings, moving only for specialist subjects such as engineering, art and music.
In Year 7 our team of tutors ensure students settle into this important transition year, helping them further develop their work ethic and organisational and study skills for the Senior School. From Year 8 onwards students are looked after by the same tutor together with the Head of Year for the next four years allowing meaningful relationships to form between staff, students and parents / carers, giving them the benefit of a support system that will be best placed to guide them through Year 11, their most demanding school year to date.
In Sixth Form students are divided amongst specialist Sixth Form tutors experienced in supporting students through their A levels, the UCAS process and thinking about their onward careers.
Curriculum-based learning
Fortnightly lessons of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) ensure on-going awareness and knowledge of appropriate key topics. External speakers are regularly used to supplement our programme. Additionally, tutors are pivotal in facilitating relevant discussion tasks with a different weekly focus. Themed days raise awareness of many aspects of society and are designed to foster empathy and understanding of past, present and future.
We practice Mindfulness as a whole School during Prep School assemblies and teachers refer to Mindfulness practice in the classroom and around the School. This, paired with a focus on children’s Wellbeing and weekly PSHE lessons, encourages children to explore and express thoughts, emotions and feelings – taking time to pause, connect, communicate and be aware of ourselves and those around us.
Pastoral spaces
We recognise that the environment plays a crucial role in student wellbeing. Our school offers dedicated pastoral spaces where students can relax, connect with peers, and seek support when needed:
- Pastoral Hub – Where our Deputy Head and Assistant Head Pastoral and Student Support are based.
- The Chapel – A quiet, reflective space at the heart of our community, where students can find peace and spiritual support.
- The Valley – A place in the shade to sit, space to run around and let off steam.
- Year 7 Common Room – A welcoming space designed to help new students transition smoothly into secondary school life.
- Year 8-11 Social Rooms – Various spaces, some designed for playing games and others for socialising and enjoying down time.
- Sixth Form Common Room – A more independent space for our older students to study, socialise, and prepare for life beyond school.
Key pastoral staff
Together, our pastoral staff work in close partnership with students, families, and teaching staff to create a nurturing environment where every student can flourish.
Our dedicated pastoral team, all Mental Health First Aid trained, includes:
- Deputy Head Pastoral (DHP) – Leads the overall strategy for wellbeing and safeguarding.
- Assistant Head Pastoral (Senior School) – Supports the DHP and works with Heads of Year to offer tailored support.
- Heads of Year / Deputy Head (with Pastoral overview) at the Prep School – Provide leadership and oversight for each year group.
- Tutors / Form Teachers – Day-to-day mentors and support figures for every student.
- Medical Staff – Ensure students’ physical health needs are met.
- Chaplain – Provides spiritual guidance and leads the life of the Chapel.
- Boarding Staff – Head of Boarding and boarding house team deliver evening and weekend support and guidance to our boarders.
- Student Support – Identifiable by the yellow badges they wear, each Support Student is assigned a time to be present in the Hub or around the grounds to ensure they are available to our student body. They also work as buddies with students from lower year groups.
Medical centre
The Medical Centre is staffed by qualified professionals and is available throughout the School day to support students’ physical health needs. Whether it’s managing ongoing health conditions, responding to minor injuries, or offering advice and care, our medical staff work closely with the pastoral team to ensure the wellbeing of every child.
Want to see for yourself?
In addition to our open days, we welcome visits from parents and children looking for the right foundation for life ahead. We’ll be happy to show you around and answer any questions you have about our School, staff and the support we offer our students.