Pastoral Support
Pastoral Aims
At BSCA, the Pastoral Team plays a vital role in creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where every student is encouraged to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Our aim is to ensure all students are equipped to thrive and succeed in every aspect of school life.
Each year group is supported by a Head of Year and an Assistant Head of Year, who are central to maintaining high standards of behaviour, attendance, achievement, and personal presentation. The pastoral team works closely with teaching staff, families, and external agencies to provide consistent care, guidance, and encouragement for all students.
The pastoral structure supports students in a range of key areas:
Safeguarding: A dedicated safeguarding team ensures students are safe, and that they feel supported and listened to. They promote wellbeing and mental health across the school, offering additional care for vulnerable students and working closely with external agencies when needed.
Attendance: Good attendance is essential to student success. The attendance team monitors attendance closely, identifies any patterns of concern, and works in partnership with families to remove barriers and promote full engagement with learning.
Behaviour and Culture: Year Teams play a key role in promoting a respectful and aspirational culture across the school. They monitor student progress using behaviour and achievement data, ensure attendance to corrections, and support students through mentoring, reports, and tailored interventions. By working closely with staff and parents, Year Teams help create a consistent and supportive environment where all students are encouraged to meet expectations and flourish both in and out of the classroom.
Restorative Practice: We use restorative approaches to promote reflection, rebuild relationships, and support personal growth. After serious incidents, return-to-learning meetings are used to set clear expectations and ensure students are ready to re-engage with school life.
Peer Support and Safety: The school follows clear protocols to address any concerns related to peer-on-peer issues. Year Teams work with students and families to ensure that everyone feels safe, respected, and supported within the school community.
Support for Families: When additional support is needed, the pastoral and safeguarding teams lead on Early Help processes and collaborate with external services to provide effective, well-rounded support for students and their families.
Celebrating Success: A strong culture of positivity and celebration runs through everything we do. The pastoral team works with staff to ensure that effort, improvement, and achievement are consistently recognised. Weekly assemblies, celebration events, and termly subject and pastoral award certificates help acknowledge student success. Year Leaders and form tutors actively promote the school’s rewards system, championing those who regularly make the right choices and contribute positively to our school community.
Work Readiness: Year Teams and form tutors help students start each day prepared and ready to learn. Daily checks ensure all students meet expectations for uniform and equipment, supporting a focused and purposeful learning environment. Where needed, spare uniform and equipment are loaned to remove barriers and promote a culture of high standards.
Pastoral Team & Structure
Secondary Pastoral Staff (ID 1251)
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Miss M HarrisAssociate Deputy Headteacher - Behaviour and Culture
Miss M Harris
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Mrs. S GibsonHead of Year 7 (into Year 8)
Mrs. S Gibson
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Mrs. M FaircloughHead of Year 7 and Transition
Mrs. M Fairclough
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Mrs. L Harrison-TaylorAssistant Head of Year 7
Mrs. L Harrison-Taylor
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Miss S ArmstrongHead of Year 8
Miss S Armstrong
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Mrs. N CrossAssistant Head of Year 8
Mrs. N Cross
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Miss A ShoveltonHead of Year 9
Miss A Shovelton
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Mrs. C WithersAssistant Head of Year 9
Mrs. C Withers
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Miss M DaviesHead of Year 10
Miss M Davies
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Miss K SmithAssistant Head of Year 10
Miss K Smith
Role of Form Tutors
At BSCA, we believe that every child deserves a champion—someone who will support them, believe in them, and help them become the very best version of themselves. This belief is at the heart of the form tutor's role and reflects our school values: Believe, Strive, Care, Achieve.
Form time is a vital part of the school day. Although it may only be a short period each morning, it offers daily contact with a consistent member of staff—someone who really gets to know your child and is there to guide them throughout their time at BSCA.
Form tutors help students grow not just academically, but socially and emotionally too. Through daily interactions, assemblies, and the weekly worship theme, they encourage students to reflect on values such as kindness, gratitude, resilience, and respect. Form time is also used to teach important life skills such as organisation, good manners, and goal-setting.
Morning Form Time:
Each morning, form tutors lead purposeful sessions designed to support students’ personal development and school success. These sessions include:
Monday – Character Education
Students explore key personal values such as resilience, kindness, and responsibility. These sessions help pupils develop the confidence and mindset to make positive choices in and out of school.
Tuesday – Collective Worship
Collective Worship is an invitation for pupils to explore and reflect on spirituality and faith, big questions in life and the relevance of God and of Jesus’ teachings in today’s world. It is a time for reflection, discussion, and spiritual growth. Students consider a weekly theme that links to British values, social issues, or moral questions, supporting them to think deeply and respectfully about the world around them.
Wednesday – Key Stage Assembly
Led by a member of the senior leadership team, this assembly reinforces whole-school expectations and celebrates student achievements. It's a chance to share updates, raise aspirations, and come together as a community.
Thursday – Attendance Focus
Tutors work with students to reflect on their attendance and discuss its impact on learning. Pupils set goals and are supported to improve consistency in school attendance.
Friday – Behaviour Curriculum
Students engage with BSCA’s behaviour curriculum, learning about self-discipline, reflection, personal responsibility, and how their actions affect others. This session reinforces expectations and helps students grow into thoughtful, respectful individuals.
Form tutors also monitor behaviour and achievement points, attendance, and general wellbeing—rewarding success and offering support where needed.
Afternoon Form Time:
In the afternoon, form time is dedicated to reading. Every pupil reads the same book as their year group, guided by their form tutor who reads aloud while pupils follow along. This helps model strong reading fluency and expression while developing pupils’ vocabulary, comprehension, and love of reading. It's a shared experience that builds confidence and creates opportunities for meaningful discussion.
At BSCA, form tutors are more than just daily contacts—they are mentors, motivators, and advocates. Through their care, guidance, and example, they help students feel supported, empowered, and ready to make the most of every opportunity.