Life Ready Toolkit

Pastoral care, well-being and ‘Life Ready’

We are a friendly and down to earth school, where students are encouraged to explore their beliefs and values, so they find their voice and face challenges with resilience. Our key mission is to support students during their educational journey and help them become whoever they want to be.

Nothing is more important than students feeling happy and supported during their time at school. Student well-being is at the heart of everything we do and looking after yourself is an integral part of our school code of conduct. We ask students to respect themselves and their peers during their time at school.

Whilst we encourage students to be the very best version of themselves and achieve their dreams, we understand that everybody needs a support network that they trust to help them prepare for life after school. Adolescence can have

its ups and downs, learning to navigate the bumps along the way with resilience and determination, is a lifelong skill we want to foster.

At Oxford High School, we have created this toolkit as part of our commitment to ensuring students are Life Ready by the time they graduate from school. The toolkit incorporates our well-being initiatives alongside a support provision which prepares students for life. As a result, our ambitious students have a direct point of reference when it comes to accessing support when they need it.

Our recent ISI inspection highlighted the following excellent aspects of our pastoral care:

Pupils reflect critically on their understanding and management of their own emotions when they encounter difficulties and demonstrate the ability to reflect honestly on their experiences.”

Pupils demonstrate a deep commitment to their peers.”

Pupils’ words and actions show that they are maturing into perceptive moral citizens with an acute perception of the impact of behaviour on others.”

Pupils say they are part of a close-knit and supportive school where people look after each other.”

Excellent relationships between staff and pupils engender an atmosphere of mutual pleasure in working to achieve success.”

The school’s atmosphere is one of genuine mutual respect and inclusivity; they do not simply tolerate difference, they relish and value it.”

Parents agree that the school is highly successful in encouraging pupils to be resilient, unafraid of challenge and self-assured.”

What are the benefits of our Life Ready programme?

Our Life Ready Toolkit proactively encompasses all aspects of the pastoral provision at OHS. We encourage students to reach their potential whilst learning skills for life through a range of creative, cultural, spiritual and sporting opportunities. Our provision encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning whilst building a supportive network inside and outside school, so they can truly thrive. Students approach the unfamiliar with skill, self-assurance and develop resilience.

We are committed to ensuring that students feel ‘Life Ready’ by the time they graduate. As a result, they leave the school with the confidence to lead and the self-assurance to question. The highlights of our Life Ready Toolkit include:

• We are an inclusive and supportive community, where difference is respected and celebrated. We care for others and work effectively together, whilst valuing ourselves.

• Students love our warm, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the strong tutor relationships and the innovative tools we put in place to support their happiness in school.

• Through warm teaching relationships, we encourage students to reach their academic potential and make the most of their individual strengths. In the Senior School, Form groups consist of between 20-25 students, which reduces to 15-20 in the Sixth Form. Each student has two Form Tutors, one of which they see every day.

• Personal care runs through our pastoral provision; staff build strong supportive relationships so students feel known and understood, and in return, they readily access support when they need it. These positive relationships between teachers and students create strong support networks which are mutually respectful.

• Mutual respect is evident across the whole school; students are taught how to establish and develop positive relationships and are given the tools to communicate effectively.

• Our students are well-rounded and take part in a wide range of co-curricular activities, educational study visits and House events.

• Our rewards system is linked to character, focusing on praising positive behaviour rather than academic success. This encourages the development of initiative, personal integrity and independence.

• Whilst our PSHCE lessons are taught by specialist teachers, the curriculum is also balanced with guest speaker events, utilising the expertise of professionals in their field. The topics covered are proactive and age appropriate such as Diversity and Inclusion, Mental Health and Belonging, Organ Donation Choices, Staying Safe Online and Sexual Health.

• Our students are engaged in the learning process and committed to giving back to the community and the wider world. This is instilled through a tangible culture of engagement and on doing something which will have a positive impact.

• The Life Ready programme helps students develop respect, responsibility, resilience, courage, curiosity and commitment. Through this they gain greater self-awareness, so they understand the impact of their actions on others.

2:1

PASTORAL SUPPORT

AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS 1:1

TUTOR GROUPS FOR PEER TO PEER SUPPORT

STUDENT TO STAFF RATIO

SMALL CLASS SIZES / TUTOR GROUPS

COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

TIMETABLED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR EVERY STUDENT.

Student quote, Autumn 2023

Within school, pastoral care is at the heart of everything. We focus on the individual so students develop resilience, self-assurance and awareness of the impact of their actions on others and the wider world.

The ethos in our school community is inclusive, accepting and down to earth.”

Supporting you and your learning

Reach your potential through our Life Ready programme by honing individual strengths, developing academic knowledge and learning skills for life.

The Life Ready Toolkit encompasses all aspects of our pastoral provision. Our pastoral systems are designed to celebrate the successes and provide support in life’s challenges. This is achieved by focusing on the individual and promoting strong support networks. Our Form structure plays an integral part in this.

How students are supported in school

Building strong support networks

Form structure

Whilst Co Tutors work closely together to support each Form, each student has a lead Tutor who is their key contact in school for students and parents. The lead Tutor has regular mentoring sessions with their tutees which enables them to celebrate successes as well as identify any worries or concerns proactively.

Co Tutor Co Tutor

General pastoral support which includes mentoring sessions.

Form Groups

Senior School - 20-25 students

Sixth Form - 15-20 students

Additional pastoral support Head of Year

School Nurse

School Counsellor

Safeguarding risks that are escalated to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Safeguarding team

Deputy Head Pastoral

The staff have made me feel as though I am not alone which has allowed me to feel safe in school. I know that there is someone I can go to if I need help.”

Nurturing individuals

Developing the whole person

Identity (understanding your sense of self)

Developing selfawareness

Values

Evaluating values against social norms

Motivations and aspirations

Nurturing self-efficacy

Knowledge

Building knowledge of matters in both local and international contexts

Emotions

Developing emotional intelligence and mental resilience

Abilities (academic and co-curricular)

Enhancing talents and building new skills

Pastoral support within Form Time

During mentoring sessions Tutors focus on the whole child and have conversations about the pastoral and co-curricular side of school life, as well as academic studies. The balance between academic lessons and co-curricular activities is really important and so Tutors are on hand to help students get this right.

Dedicated 1-2-1 support

1-2-1 support is available to talk through any concerns or issues including workload planning, personal concerns or illness. Our specialist support staff include:

• Deputy Head of Pastoral (DSL)

• Head of Year Team

• Form Tutors

• School Nurse

• School Counsellors

• Pastoral Mentor

Academic support

Our Neurodiversity and Academic Support Hub (NASH) offer advice and support on all aspects of learning and studying including managing exam access arrangements as well as offering a programme of specialist support for any students with dyslexia or other diagnosed conditions.

We want students to be aware of what is happening around the world and place great importance on keeping up-todate with current affairs. Form groups often spend one Form Time a week discussing topical world events. We have numerous student-led assemblies each year which has raised awareness of the situation in other countries. Such as the war in Ukraine, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and Iranian protests following the murder of Mahsa Amini.

Personal development

Our Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship, and Economic Education (PSHCE) programme between Year 7 - Year 11 plays a crucial role in developing the whole person. Our mission is to both educate and equip students with vital skills for life.

We also teach students positive psychology and emotional literacy. This enables students to acquire the strategies to navigate mental health issues. Students learn to develop self-efficacy, self-regulation, resilience and self-esteem through awareness of their outlook. They also discover how to understand their worry filter and access their inner coach to foster a growth mindset.

My favourite part of scheduled Form Time is when the Tutors carry out mentoring every term. The tutors ask me about school life, and I can share with them whatever I want.”

I think that Form Time is a very supportive, safe and calm place where I can talk to my peers and Form Tutor about anything, ask questions about the school or suggest things that could be improved.”

Student quotes, Autumn 2023

Wider school opportunities promoting student well-being

Co-curricular clubs

Our pastoral provision doesn’t just focus on academic development, we are lucky to offer a wide range of co-curricular activities, many of which are student-led. With over 90 clubs at the Senior School, there really is something for everyone. We currently have a Year 8 student who is leading our Amnesty International Society - a clear example of someone who understands their personal values and acts positively to create change.

Awareness events

During the course of the academic year we honour a series of national and international awareness weeks to complement pastoral initiatives. These include:

• Anti-Bullying Week - Recent themes have included ‘Kindness’ and ‘Don’t be a bystander.’ As part of this event, we created a ‘Kindness Wall’ in the Ada Benson Building where students displayed their kindness pledges.

• Empathy Week - International week aimed at encouraging students to move from sympathy to empathy and understand the difference between the two.

• Wellness Week - Student-led initiative where our whole school community embark on a series of well-being activities. In 2022, each Form was given a plant to see which plant would thrive the most, as a result of the care and nurturing it received. Enjoying

Wellness Week activities in 2022

healthy food and fruit smoothies Talks on happiness Promoting a healthy lifestyle

Moving our body through dance to shake off any stresses

Having fun and taking some time to relax Talks on keeping calm in times of pressure

Developing new techniques to manage stress

work-life balance

Learning about the importance of diet on our mental and physical well-being

House system

In addition to their Form group, each student is placed in one of four school Houses - Ares, Athena, Zeus or Poseidon. This year we saw a renewed reinvigoration of the House System, with students embracing House pride through a series of events, such as Sports Day, House Choir, House Drama, House Lip Sync, House Hungry Hippos and House Bake Off.

The House System is entwined with our Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions policy which focuses on rewarding positive behaviour and celebrating character, as well as academic achievement. Students receive House Points for demonstrating our key attributes - respect, responsibility, resilience, courage, curiosity and commitment. Our code of conduct underpins all of this and focuses on three key rules - which includes respecting yourself, others and the school environment.

Social action

Social action is a central part of our ethos. We want students to understand the importance of giving back so they learn how good this is for their own well-being and that of others.

• Giving back through our charity initiatives - Each year, students vote for a charity they would like to support and initiate fundraising initiatives. Previous examples include staff football matches, raffles, vintage clothing sales and collections for refugees, to name just a few!

• Community engagement - Older students visit local primary schools to support younger children who are reluctant readers or wish to have additional support with Maths and Science. These initiatives are designed to ignite passion for key subjects.

Educational study visits

We believe that enriching experiences during school years can have a lasting impact on young people. This is one of the reasons why we are so keen to run educational visits to enhance understanding of a subject area. We have subject-specific study visits such as the English Department’s trip to Jane Austen’s House and the Drama Department’s theatre trips to both Oxford and London.

Kaleidoscope Day - Twice a year subject teams lead day trips to places such as Hampton Court and the Black Country Museum.

Local residentials and cultural visits overseas

As well as the educational study visits, we also offer wider school experiences. Our Year 7 and Year 8 students enjoy residentials to Kilve and Amsterdam each year, which builds friendships and takes students out of their comfort zone, fostering strength of character and resilience.

In addition, we offer a range of optional trips to places such as New York and Washington, Greece, Spain, Germany, China and Iceland.

Student quote, Autumn 2023

Oxford High School has given me an education that will prepare me for life outside of school.”

Wider school opportunities

Student Ambassadors for Teaching and Learning

Student Ambassadors for Teaching and Learning are appointed annually. This co-curricular initiative provides students with the opportunity to develop their research skills so they can plan and conduct small-scale educational research projects, focusing on improving the educational experience. Within each research cycle, students engage with literature, develop methodologies, collect and analyse data, and draw conclusions relating to a research project of their choice. Towards the end of a cycle students are given the opportunity to share their research with their peers, OHS staff, and the wider GDST network.

I was really excited when I found out I was a ‘Student Ambassador for Teaching and Learning’ because I wanted to get to know new people. Working with my teachers and peers sounded great. I was also fascinated with the research that we would be carrying out and the fact that it might be shown internationally.”

Julia A, Year 8

Preparing students for the future

Information literacy

Our school librarian runs information literacy workshops for students. Working closely with the academic departments, she tailors sessions specifically to the curriculum ensuring that students are ready for life beyond school. For example, before starting university or their chosen career path, students are shown how to research and reference materials correctly, to achieve academic integrity. This is covered across various subjects, where they practise identifying, finding, evaluating, applying and acknowledging sources of information.

Studying at Oxford High School has prepared me for the future by offering me the tools to succeed in whatever I wish to pursue - whether it be music, drama, sport or other academic subjects. I also feel that the school has given me a strong can-do attitude, which means that I am never afraid to grasp a challenge and give it my best.”

Student quote, Autumn 2023

Life Ready in the Senior School

Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

Our PSHCE programme in Years 7-11 encompasses a range of themes including:

• Mental Health and Well-being

• Physical Health and Body Development

• Relationships and Sex Education

• Life Beyond School (including financial education)

• Study Skills

• Active Citizenship

• Equality and Diversity

• Online and Offline choices (personal safety)

Each year group spends half a term focusing on 6 of these topics (with the exception of Year 11, who have a condensed programme due to exams and study leave).

Year Group Timetabled PSHCE

Key stage 3 Years 7 - 9 1 hour per week

Key stage 4 Years 10 - 11 30 minutes per week

Key stage 5 Years 12 - 13 1 hour per week

Each year the PSHCE curriculum is updated with new topics to reflect the latest government guidance and key trends, proactively tackling pastoral and academic matters. We also consult our student body through regular meetings with the PSHCE Reps in each Form and the Prefect Team, as well as annual surveys.

Mental health and well-being

Mental health and well-being is a strong focus within our PSHCE programme. All of our sessions emphasise how normal it is to have good times and not so good times and that the best thing to do if you are worried or have any concerns is to talk to a trusted adult, either at home or at school. Each year the year group topics are reviewed and updated to ensure we are covering the right material at the right time.

Spotlight sessions - focus on particular aspects of mental health in order to raise awareness and to encourage open conversations.

Wider topics across the PSHCE curriculum

Our Year 7 unit called ‘Friendship First Aid’ (which is part of their ‘Relationships and Sex Education’ component), looks at common friendship scenarios and discusses the communication skills needed to tackle the problems effectively. Similarly, the Year 9 ‘Active Citizen’ strand focuses on political campaigns in order to raise awareness of past and present political issues. It also covers Womens’ Rights, LGBTQ+ Rights, Climate Change and the Black Lives Matter movement. The latter includes an in-depth study of institutional racism in the UK and explores its history by focusing on colonialism, world wars, Windrush and case studies such as the Brixton riots.

In Year 10, our students take part in MUNGA (Model United Nations General Assembly) where they represent a country in a mock United Nations General Assembly. As a team, they discuss and present important matters on behalf of their representative country, which results in them engaging in current affairs as well as understanding the perspectives of other nations.

Social discourse

We teach students that it is important to be able to ‘respectfully disagree’ with other people. Our Head, Mrs Gardiner Legge, introduces this concept through our ‘Social Discourse’ strand in Year 7. We want young people to speak their minds on topics they feel passionate about, but also understand that others may see the world differently to them - this component helps students develop empathy and greater self-awareness.

Political awareness

We believe it is important for students to be politically aware before they reach the voting age, so we teach students about political processes in the UK from Year 8 upwards. This enables them to be fully informed the first time they vote in elections.

Our student council is a very active part of our school community and is a great way for students to share their voice during their time at school. We have elections at the start of each year to ensure that all Forms are represented at student council meetings.

Our Life Ready speaker programme

Whilst our PSHCE lessons are taught by specialist teachers, we believe that the best programmes also incorporate specialist advice from individuals who are experts in their field. Each year we adapt our speaker programme to ensure that the themes are topical and cater for changes in student needs, whilst also being relevant and age appropriate. Within the last year, our PSHCE programme has welcomed the following speakers and covered this broad range of topics:

Mental health and belonging

Violence against women & girls

Women’s selfdefence classes

A career in politics

Diversity and inclusion

Human rights & the law

& challenges Homelessness in the UK

Public sexual harassment

Period poverty

Career path

Finance & women

Romance and respect

Thames Vally Police strategy on protecting women and girls from sexual violence and sexual harassment

Knife crime

Pornography and distorted expectations

Choices regarding organ donation

Sex and the Law

Consent ,

Mental health and how to help a friend

Sexual health

Healthy Relationships

Palestine & Israel - A brief history

The probation service

Acceptance and respect Happiness

Student finance

The Middle East

Staying safe online

Climate change

Drugs awareness

Our PSCHE programme has welcomed a range of influential guest speakers including Baroness Janet Royall, Katy Barrow-Grint, Victoria Prentis MP and Payam Akhavan.

Being at Oxford High School has showed me many different points of view, and broadened my perspective.”

Student quote, Autumn 2023

Behaviour, rewards and sanctions

Our Life Ready programme extends to behaviour, rewards and sanctions at the school. Our rewards system is linked to encouraging key attributes, which we believe should be developed to thrive in life beyond school. These are respect, responsibility, resilience, courage, curiosity and commitment. Students are rewarded House Points if they demonstrate one or more of these attributes, and if the behaviour is consistently repeated, they receive a House Award. We also have a Head’s Award for excellence in any area across the school. These awards are celebrated in either Year Group, House or Whole School assemblies.

Keeping in touch

Young people make the wrong choices sometimes, so it is important that our Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions policy enables students to learn from their mistakes and to grow as individuals. On occasion, teenagers push boundaries and break rules, and so in these instances we believe that conversations between school and home are the best ways to foster reflection and change. Being able to learn from mistakes is a vital part of being Life Ready, although our focus on positive behaviour means that the number of behavioural incidents at the school are low.

We feel it is important to build strong relationships with parents, so we welcome you into school at the start of each academic year. We have a Tutor Evening in September where you are able to meet the person who knows your child best. As well as keeping in touch on a 1-2-1 basis, we also offer specialist talks for parents as part of our PSHCE programme.

University Ready in the Sixth Form

Our Sixth Form programme combines academic challenge and leadership opportunities, with a varied co-curricular offering. In Years 12 and 13, the focus is on helping prepare students for life after school, by giving them the skills and knowledge to navigate the next stage of their aspirational journey with self-assurance. It is vital that students feel happy and supported during their time at school. The University Ready programme helps students build support networks and develop greater awareness of themselves, others and the wider world - fostering attributes such as authenticity and advocacy.

Our Sixth Form programme gives students everything they need to manage their well-being and emotional, mental and physical health, to be confident with who they are, comfortable with challenges and be able to respond to feedback. This gives them the chance to be the best version of themselves and achieve their dreams. In addition, it gives students the skills to be successful in the workplace. It enables them to understand themselves and the wider

world, to be advocates for themselves and others, develop cultural and emotional intelligence and act inclusively. It also prepares students for independent life at university and beyond with sessions on managing money, cooking on a student budget, digital literacy, basic DIY and self-defence.

Community engagement - In the Sixth Form, our students visit local primary schools to support and mentor younger children in Maths, English and Science. This initiative builds their leadership skills and confidence.

Sport is an integral part of the Sixth Form programme, timetabled for every student, with a focus on individual student-led learning. We also have a dedicated Sixth Form gym open to all. We want students to maintain a positive lifestyle.

Promoting positive behaviour through Sixth Form role models

Our Prefect Team and wider Sixth Form body play a leading role in promoting positive behaviour and are excellent role models for younger students. They demonstrate leadership on a daily basis - whether by giving up their time to mentor younger students (both OHS students and students at the local primary schools in our outreach programme), leading assemblies, leading student council meetings, leading clubs, or setting up one of our amazing student-led conferences.

Careers Support

Student-led conferences and careers speakers

As a school, we nurture initiative and guide students so they lead projects with passion and confidence. We are very proud of our student-led conferences, which was a concept initiated by a group of Sixth Formers, and has grown in popularity over the years, with one event being attended by over 4000 students across England and Wales.

Our Sixth Formers co-ordinate the conference from start to finish by researching speakers, devising the programme, inviting schools, hosting the event and moderating the Q&A sessions.

Recent conference topics include:

• Politics in Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa

• Politics in the USA

• Current Economic Theory

• Sustainability

• Creating Inclusive Spaces in Oxford

• Careers in Engineering

• Careers in Fashion

• Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science

• The Psychology of the Brain

Annual Careers and Higher Education Fair

We have an annual careers event in the spring term where students have the opportunity to meet professionals from a range of different industries.

There are a range of careers talks and assemblies about subject choices, which have given us an idea on the things we might want to pursue in the future.”

Student quote, Autumn 2023

The impact of our Life Ready programme

OHS has taught me about the importance of well-being and various coping strategies. There have also been very helpful discussions on relationships and your mindset/attitude.

It has helped me learn how to be independent with my studying and revising.

OHS has encouraged me to be more independent and to seize opportunities.

what methods work best for me.

organised and helped me work out

It has taught me how to keep myself

It has helped me to be more creative and enjoy learning.

It has taught me to be a person that helps others when they need it.

The careers and jobs programme of PSHCE has helped to prepare me for the future.

my study techniques .

It has helped me discover my passion!

It has helped me develop

and become more resilient .

good communication skills

It has taught me not to be afraid of trying something new.

Studying at OHS has prepared me for the future because we are encouraged to go outside our comfort zone.

Studying at OHS has taught me a lot about preparing for the future.

for my future.

which are vital

I have learnt skills like money management ,

It has taught me how to plan my time efficiently and to work hard.

It has helped me develop

It has prepared me for my future by helping me decide what I want to do when I am older and giving me the education and tools to support me.

OHS provides us with the understanding of key values and life skills.

I have learned to apply the skills I learnt in lessons (e.g. analysis, problem-solving) to all aspects of my life.

as teamwork .

life skills, such

I have learnt

Finding the right support

Who students can contact if they need support

Please feel free to talk about any concerns with any member of staff. We are all here to help.

Day-to-day matters

Appointments

Co-curricular activities

Change in family circumstances

Form Tutor

Form Tutor

Head of Year

Subject Teacher

Form Tutor

Concerns about academic issues

Head of Department

Hear of Year

Sixth Form Peer Mentors

Concerns about medical matters

School Nurse

Form Tutor

Head of Year

Sixth Form Peer Mentors

Concerns about personal matters

Safeguarding Team

School Counsellor

You can also call Childline: 0800-1111

Form Tutor

Head of Year

Concerns about a friend

School Nurse

Safeguarding Team

School Counsellor

For those times when students may need some extra support, we have a dedicated Health Centre based in the Ada Benson Building. Students are able to use the Health Centre as a quiet space as well as somewhere to go if they have a pastoral or medical need.