The first way we achieve this is by adopting a very proactive approach; our systems and the communication we have between Houses, the Health Centre, the counselling service and all staff is excellent and we strive to provide a safety-net for all our pupils during their time at the College.

We also have a very open culture at Wellington. Pupils are actively and regularly encouraged to share their concerns as they tackle the often challenging and thorny issues of adolescence. We believe in addressing key issues head-on through talks, workshops, tutorials and informal discussion to provide our pupils with all the information they need to make well-informed decisions.

Our nationally recognised Wellbeing curriculum aims to equip our pupils with the tools necessary to cope with life in College as well as preparing them for a healthy, happy and successful life after school. We focus on embedding a growth mindset, building grit and resilience, developing opportunities to experience flow and instilling a mindful approach to build positive coping strategies in order for our pupils to thrive.

Parents are also encouraged to attend our weekly Parental Masterclasses which cover many areas associated with the pastoral life of the school and aims to close the loop between school and home. The series recently won the TES Boarding Initiative of the Year award.

Of course, the key place where pastoral care is overseen and delivered is in the Houses, where we hope to create a home away from home, whether for day or boarding pupils. Each House is overseen by a Housemaster/mistress with a team of tutors and domestic staff. A Wellingtonian’s House plays a crucial role during their time at the College and is the key factor in the pastoral support of each pupil.

Underpinning everything we do at Wellington are our five College values: kindness, courage, integrity, responsibility and respect. This enables everyone in the community to understand how we interact in a positive, meaningful, respectful and empathetic way.

There is nothing more important than providing outstanding pastoral support and all our staff are committed to ensuring the highest levels of care and support. The full Boarding Statement of Principles and Practice can be found here.