At St. Anthony’s School for Boys, the education of the ‘whole child’ is at the heart of our educational philosophy. At Early Years and in both the Junior and Senior School, the boys’ form tutors are responsible for the general wellbeing, as well as the academic oversight, of their tutees. We cultivate a nurturing environment which fosters happy relationships and a love of learning. Great value is attached to pastoral care which is led by the Deputy Head Pastoral who is also the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Weekly assemblies are often devoted to social themes, and children receive regular timetabled lessons in Personal, Social and Health and Economic Education (PSHEE). As its title suggests, this programme introduces boys to areas that do not feature on academic courses but which have a great role in their lives. These have included the role of family, relationships, leading a healthy lifestyle, and an introduction to idea of civic responsibility.
Within major organisations, problems can often develop where communication channels do not run effectively. We therefore stress the need for regular correspondence between school and home. Just as parents are free to contact us, we may well need to reach them – again, in the belief that informing parents of concerns before they escalate is central to the smooth running of the school and your son’s happiness and success with us.
We feel strongly that the pupils of St. Anthony’s should be valued and acknowledged for their achievements. So, for example, boys are awarded merit marks for excellent work or impressive contributions to school life. Furthermore, all our boys are eligible to receive Star of the Week in the Junior House and Commendations in the Senior House which are awarded and celebrated in the weekly assembly.
Considerable efforts are maintained in order to ensure that bullying is not a feature of life at St. Anthony’s School for Boys. Conscious as we are that this kind of abuse has taken different forms in recent years, we follow a very strict and clear policy on what is known as “cyberbullying.”
The pastoral welfare of your son is of paramount interest to all the teachers at St. Anthony’s School for Boys. A focus on open communication with parents and addressing problems before they escalate, as well as recognising the great things the boys bring to the school – all of this means that our boys should thrive in the positive environment that St. Anthony’s offers.
