At Queen Elizabeth’s, pastoral care is at the heart of what we do. We therefore prioritise pastoral support alongside areas such as academic monitoring, the nurturing of free-thinking scholarship, and our QE Futures and QE Flourish programmes.

Our overall approach to pastoral care can best be summed up in one word: bespoke. It is tailored to the individual. And why is that so important? Because there is no such thing as a typical QE boy. The Elizabethans of today are exceptionally individual. We focus on knowing every pupil as an individual, on meeting his needs and on helping him become the happiest and best version of himself, so that he can go on to realise his Boundless potential.

We assist pupils in making a smooth transition to adulthood, supporting and guiding them individually across all aspects of their lives, be that personal, social, or academic. Pastoral care at QE encompasses the areas of emotion and organisational ability, as well as support for boys with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We nurture the honesty, resilience, fairness, and sense of inclusivity that will enable our pupils to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The starting point is the guidance of tutors and Heads of Year. In tutor groups, boys listen to, and learn from, others; in debate and discussion, they can gain confidence. They spend more time per week (up to three hours) with their tutor than with any other teacher, while in addition every pupil is allocated a bespoke (one-to-one) tutorial once every term – both aspects demonstrating the significance we place on bespoke pastoral provision.

Our Personal Development Time (PDT) Curriculum is key to how we prepare pupils to become confident, able and responsible young men. Pupils follow it: in form group PDT lessons, in year-group assemblies, in discussion sessions, and in their bespoke tutorials.

Pupils take part in the Smoothwall Pulse app’s weekly 60-second well-being check, which pastoral staff can monitor. All boys – especially senior pupils – have access to support from our alumni through the QE Connect network.

We celebrate individual success in a multitude of ways, from merits and good notes, to certificates, and prizes at our awards assemblies and formal ceremonies. Alongside this comes the expectation of the highest standards of behaviour, conduct and attendance. We want our pupils to be kind to each other. Our pastoral team intervene when support or reprimand is required. When boys do experience difficulties, extensive support is available on an individual basis. That comes from staff, older boys (as peer mentors) and, if necessary, professional counselling, as well as other forms of specialised support. They are treated with great care and sensitivity.