Pastoral Care
Introduction 
Pastoral care is central to students’ progress and learning at Isleworth & Syon. We believe that every student should be outstanding in every respect and the pastoral system seeks to provide a framework of care, guidance and support for our students to assist them in their academic development throughout school life whilst providing strong guidance as they develop into responsible and mature citizens who are positively prepared for life in modern Britain.
The pastoral system includes the following staff: Form Tutors; Pastoral Support Managers; House Leaders; Pastoral Leaders; Deputy Headteacher; SEND/Inclusion Co-Ordinators; Welfare Assistant; Attendance & Education Welfare Officer as well as a range of external agencies who offer individual and group support according to need.
Pastoral Structure
Pastoral Support Managers are at the centre of all pastoral care within the school and should be the first point of contact for students and parents. They will deal with initial concerns or queries and investigate any incidents before referring matters to the appropriate House or Pastoral Leader. They will also liaise with individual subject staff and Curriculum Leaders to resolve any issues or concerns. In a minority of high-level cases, they will also refer matters to the Deputy Head or other members of Senior Staff.
House Leaders are responsible for establishing and promoting the excellent day-to-day behaviour of students and for ensuring that each individual makes a positive contribution to all aspects of school life; House Leaders promote engagement, participation, contribution and achievement and are responsible for maintaining the school’s accepted standards at all times. There are four houses: Adam, Brunel, Shackleton and Turner.
Pastoral Leaders are responsible for supporting the progress and learning of all students and work, specifically, with the students who present any long-term educational or disciplinary concerns. In addition, the Pastoral Leaders monitor a wide range of performance and attainment indicators relating to students in their year group(s) including; progress, attendance, punctuality, positive conduct, negative conduct, detentions, rewards and sanctions. Pastoral Leaders lead the tutor teams and uphold all school expectations.
In addition, attendance, welfare, inclusion, and SEND support is provided when needed. Finally, we work with external agencies to provide specialist support for behaviour, mentoring, health and well-being when needed.
Behaviour
“Together We Learn, Achieve and Succeed.”
The school has a strong disciplinary code as well as a desire for all students to behave and act in a responsible and respectful manner within our community to enable everyone to be “outstanding in every respect.” We hope that students will learn to develop their own individuality whilst maintaining respect and sensitivity towards others. We encourage students to develop self-discipline; to take responsibility for their actions; to consider the impact of these actions upon the wider community both in and out of school; to understand how any behaviour contributes to success in school life, relationships, adult life and work. The pastoral system encourages all students to recognise the difference between right and wrong, to readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, accept and respect the civil and criminal law of England.
We encourage parents/carers to work in close partnership with us. In accepting a place at the school for your son/ward at Isleworth & Syon you are agreeing to support the aims, standards and expectations of the school. We ask that communication is maintained via the Pastoral Support Managers, in the first instance, who are always keen to address any issues which parents/carers may have. Should any student’s behaviour or progress become of concern, we will ensure that the issues are addressed in accordance with all current Department for Education guidelines.
The school places very high expectations of behaviour upon the students but values the importance of allowing students to learn from their mistakes as they grow into responsible young men. Therefore we include “a chance to change” (CTC) in our formal behaviour strategy. A framework of sanctions and rewards supports the school in achieving the highest standards of personal discipline and in ensuring that respect and courtesy are the norm. This, in turn, allows for teaching & learning to be the primary focus.
Breakdown by Year Group
Year 7
Special care is taken to ensure that Year 7 students make a positive transition from primary school so that they settle into our school and adapt quickly to the new routines. The induction programme begins in Year 6 and continues to the end of the Autumn Term, culminating in our Induction Assembly, where all students receive an Induction Medal to reflect their progress, behaviour and contribution in the first term.
The transition process is designed and run by Mr McAlinden with the support of his tutor team and all staff. This is designed to help the new students adjust to secondary school life whilst also increasing their independence and resilience at the start of secondary education.
Year 8
In Year 8, students continue to adapt to life in secondary school with Mr McAlinden’s guidance. Year 8 pupils are encouraged to take part in more activities which contribute to the life of the school, such as the school production.
During Year 8, students take part in a Mini-Options process to determine their Year 9 curriculum. Students pick two subjects from: art, drama, design & technology, and music. The two subjects chosen will have double the lesson time in Year 9, while the other two subjects will not appear on students’ timetables.
Year 9
As students progress into Year 9, they are reaching the end of Key Stage 3 and the focus switches to GCSE choices with the Options & Careers Programme starting in January of Year 9. There is a wide range of courses and qualifications that can be taken, with students given the maximum support possible to ensure they make a choice which will benefit their future education and career pathways. All students have an interview with a senior member of staff to discuss the appropriate pathways and to ensure that all options have been considered.
Year 10
In Year 10, Key Stage 4 begins, with students taking a variety of Level 2 qualifications, the most popular of which are GCSEs and BTEC Diplomas. At this stage in their academic career, students should have an intimate knowledge of the school’s ethos and expectations; they are guided by Mr Dargan at the start of this new key stage. GCSE requirements include formal examinations during Year 10 for some subjects, whilst others have controlled assessment tasks which require preparation and completion within very strict deadlines set by the examination boards. Students must make every effort to ensure that they meet these deadlines.
Where possible, Year 10 students may be offered the opportunity to complete a one-week work experience placement at the end of the Summer Term to broaden their understanding of the workplace and its requirements. This is subject to annual review.
Year 11
Students and staff are entirely focused on achieving the best possible outcomes at the end of the final year of compulsory schooling. Mr Dargan is the Pastoral Leader for this final phase of compulsory education. Mock examinations take place in December and Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs) in March, with final GCSE examinations usually beginning in May and continuing to the end of June. Students will also consider their plans for post-16 and will be given guidance and support towards making the most appropriate choices for their future education or work pathway; the Government requires that all students are engaged in Employment, Education or Training until the age of 18.
Sixth Form
There are two members of the Sixth Form support team: Mr West (Acting Head of Sixth Form) and Miss Ravindrakumar (Sixth Form Support Officer). These three members of staff are dedicated to ensuring that the Sixth Form receive the best possible care during their last two years in the school. This includes the organisation of trips to taster days, exhibitions and seminars, for those students that wish to pursue further education.
The Sixth Form is supported by a tutor team, which consists of seven members of staff who each have a form group. Form Tutors are assigned according to their students’ interests and aspirations wherever possible (for instance, students with an interest in further Science study could have a member of the science faculty as their tutor). They can provide one-to-one guidance to students where appropriate.
All attendance issues must go through the school. Parents/carers of Sixth Form students are asked to call the Sixth Form Attendance Line (020 8232 7972) and leave a message if their child is to be absent from school for sickness or any other reason. A call should be made for every day that a student is absent, and absences not reported will be noted as unauthorised, with further steps being taken if appropriate. Only parents/carers can authorise absences. Attendance in the Sixth Form is compulsory, and any students not adhering to the rules regarding attendance will be subject to sanctions.