Pastoral Care
The quality of pastoral care at St Teresa’s is excellent and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ outstanding personal development.
Our core values knit the school together, resulting in an atmosphere of mutual support, vibrancy and kindness.
St Teresa’s Values
- Faith
- Character
- Community
- Compassion
- Intellect
As well as Form Teachers, the school has a dedicated pastoral team to ensure all pupils’ personal, social and emotional needs are met; this includes the school nurses, Chaplain and School Counsellor. Our chef regularly talks to the girls about eating a balanced diet and provides healthy, home cooked lunches and refreshments throughout the day.
The school operates an ‘Open Door’ policy and staff are always happy to discuss any issues that arise over the course of a year. Please do not hesitate to contact us, however small an issue may appear.
Chaplaincy
The Chaplain’s principle role is to support and promote the spiritual life of the whole school community – pupils, staff and parents.
The Chaplain has a particular responsibility for promoting the School’s values of Faith, Character, Community, Compassion and Intellect. Each year, the school particularly focuses on and promotes one of these values.
The Chaplain has responsibility to lead the liturgical and prayer life of the school. This includes leading assemblies and preparing Masses and other acts of collective worship and services. The pupils are encouraged to plan and participate actively in these important events that provide essential opportunities for prayer and reflection. These liturgies often involve music, images, video and drama. There is always a focus on the great liturgical seasons of the Church’s year, including Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. We also take time to reflect on other important events, festivals and celebrations of other faiths so that the pupils develop a comprehensive, well-informed religious literacy.
The School Chaplaincy is also a focal point for much of the school’s charitable work. Each year the pupils are encouraged to participate in a wide range of charitable projects. These include the Harvest Festival Food Collection, the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal, the Jeans for Genes Day and many more. Wherever possible, the ideas and impetus for these charitable projects are based on suggestions and ideas from the pupils. Through these projects we hope to support our young people in developing a genuine care for the world beyond the school and to channel that care into concrete action that really makes a difference.
Throughout the year the Chaplain, and all other staff, will have the opportunity to regularly visit and make use of the School Chapel. This beautiful building is the focal point for the spiritual life of the community at St Teresa’s. It provides a place of prayer, peace and quiet at the heart of the school, where all, regardless of their tradition, receive a warm welcome.
