2.0 STUDENT WELFARE

The school provides a safe and supportive environment for all young people.

2A STANDARD

The school provides a pastoral structure that meets the needs of all students and promotes their personal development

COMMENTARY

There is a clearly defined pastoral structure in the school. At present the class teacher provides primary pastoral care for the students in their class as part of a wider school team, with parent partnership being at its core.

The pastoral system throughout the school is structured in stages, according to the English national stages of EYFS, Primary and Secondary. Emphasis is placed on positive relationships, and this is reflected in the exemplary attitudes and behaviour that the students exhibit around the school. At present, there are two age ranges in each class, for example Year 5/6. As the school grows, this will develop into discreet year groups in the future. Given the small number of students, the current system works well. Clear progression of pastoral concerns is evident from the documentation held. The school is aware that it will have to review this as the pupil numbers increase.

Weekly letters are sent as a form of update each week, alongside instant messaging on Class Dojo and email or telephone contact. The school has an open-door policy and teachers are available at the end of school for parents to speak to them either briefly, or to arrange a formal meeting.

This communication encourages the involvement of the whole school community in ensuring that the pastoral needs of all students are being met. Parents commented that they are incredibly pleased with the current level of communication and feel welcomed to talk to the class teachers, or Headteacher at any time.

PSHE is not currently taught as a discrete lesson and does not have a designated programme of study. Assemblies and friendship circles are used to deal with matters such as personal health, safety and behaviour on a needs basis. There is scope to develop a programme which will complement the current school curriculum and could further strengthen the pastoral system.

At present there have been no formalised agenda items in staff meetings to discuss the enhancement of pastoral developments in the school. The majority of staff training has been academic, and curriculum based. Pastoral training and periodic safeguarding updates would similarly benefit the school’s development.

Students of all ages commented that they felt safe and valued in school, that they have positive relationships with peers and teachers and feel well cared for. They describe the school as being a happy school, where students are polite. There is no school counsellor, and students commented that they currently speak to their class teacher, although they feel that they can talk to any member of staff if they have an issue. Staff and parents confirmed that they too believe that the school meets the needs of all students. In future, a role of co-ordinator for Mental Health and Well-being could be created to align and enhance current school provision.

One parent commented that they were particularly pleased with the personal development of their child in the school, as they had previously attended a different school. Their child had not been happy to go to school before, and now smiles as they enter and is still smiling at the end of the school day. Compared to their prior experiences, they could see a positive change in their child since they had moved to the British School St. Petersburg.

NEXT STEPS

Develop the school’s continual professional development schedule to include training in pastoral areas in addition to academic and curriculum fields.

Add pastoral agenda items to each staff meeting and add to the minutes.

Consider appointing a Mental Health and Well-being Co-ordinator in the near future.

Devise and implement a whole school PSHE programme.

2B STANDARD

The school has provision for the physical and mental health, and safe supervision, of all students to allow them to flourish in the school environment

COMMENTARY

The students are well supervised throughout the school day with a duty rota of staff for supervision provided in advance. The school drop-off and pick-up, and break and lunchtimes observed were safe and compliant with health and safety regulations.

The school has a full-time nurse who is responsible for the upkeep of medical information and is on hand to deal with any medical issues as they arise. All details are stored on Salesforce. Due to the COVID pandemic, each morning the nurse records the temperature of individual students and keeps records. There is a clear procedure for any child whose temperature is too high. The nurse is also responsible for the upkeep of first aid kits, which are in each classroom for staff and students. Specific kits are prepared for PE and STEAM lessons. She is also responsible for managing first aid kits for school trips. The nurse has organised training for all staff in first aid, through connections with the Red Cross.

Well-being runs through the policies and procedures of the school. Staff, children, and parents who were interviewed reported that bullying was not an issue in the school and that they feel safe and secure. A number of well-being events have been offered to both staff and children to attend, such as yoga. The school nurse has offered to run training and a series of courses on wellbeing and stress management and how to deal with stressful situations for staff, students, and parents. These sessions could be added to the school calendar. The school also has a robust e-safety policy that contributes to the safe supervision of students. Staff commented that they had addressed issues of well-being in school, such as anti-bullying through their assemblies throughout the year. They also spoke of friendship circles in tutorial time being used as a tool to handle specific and global issues of well-being in their class.

Parents report that they are happy with the level of supervision and security; there is a community feel to the school which is embedded in a culture of safety.

NEXT STEPS

Schedule training for well-being for children and staff to be delivered by the nurse.

Consider requiring the Board of Trustees to establish a Health and Safety Committee involving staff from various areas of the school.

2C STANDARD

The school ensures that through positive behaviour management students are supported in their learning and safety

COMMENTARY

The school has a Positive Behaviour Policy, focused on positive reinforcement, which is indicative of the culture of exemplary behaviour within the school. The school promotes positive behaviour, based upon an empowering approach, which nurtures a culture of self-discipline among children.

The school reward systems are based on encouragement for students to attain their own personal best. An approach has been adopted that advocates encouragement in conjunction with praise. In each class there is a house points jar and house point coins can be given to students as a reward for positive behaviour at the discretion of any adult in school. There are specific certificates awarded for milestone points of 75 - Bronze, 125 – Silver, 250 - Gold and 350 - Platinum. Children also gain points towards the house weekly total, with a star awarded and counted towards the termly House Trophy. Certificates are given out in Celebration Assemblies.

Each class has its own behaviour chart level which is reinforced through pastoral and academic areas. The language used has been modified to be age appropriate, with a version suitable for younger students and those in the senior school. Each class uses different terminology and approaches to the steps on their chart, there is not a school-wide consistent approach. There could be consistency introduced in the behaviour charts, such as language and methods appropriate to each key stage, as opposed the charts and rules being different in every classroom. Students commented that once they had reached an unacceptable level of behaviour, the ultimate sanction is to be sent to the Headteacher. In general, this was for low level disruption.

All students, parents and teachers spoke positively about behaviour within the school. During the visit, the students displayed exemplary behaviour in the corridors, shared areas and in class. They appreciate the rewards system in place through the collection of house points and genuinely care about their own achievements and those of their peers.

COMMENDATION

The school is to be commended for their approach to empowering students to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

NEXT STEPS

Formalise terminology and approach in behaviour charts.

2D STANDARD

The school ensures that off-site activities are appropriate and safe

COMMENTARY

As a relatively new school, and with the restrictions of the global pandemic, the school has been able to complete a number of day trips and a residential trip to Sochi.

The school does not have sporting facilities on-site, so Physical Education activities occur off-site. They have also maintained their regular sport and swimming activities each week. Risk assessments are in evidence for off-site sporting activities and for activities using external staff.

The school has a thorough Trips Policy, detailing procedures and risk assessments for both off-site visits or lessons and residential trips. The policy covers all aspects of health and safety that would be expected, plus the financial security of the students and staff on the trips. It does not include procedures for air travel. Permission for visits off-site must be sought from the Headteacher and must have clearly defined educational aims that support or add to the curriculum and contribute to the overall aims of the school.

There is a robust risk assessment carried out and authorised by the Headteacher prior to a trip letter going out to parents. Risk assessments are rigorous and were provided as evidence to demonstrate that they are

completed for each event or off-site curriculum lesson. Contracts with external providers for sporting activities and bus transport are similarly robust. Once completed, a thorough review of trips and activities is carried out formally.

The staffing ratio is generous, with a ratio of 1:4 in EYFS, 1:5 in Key Stage One and 1:10 in the upper years. Attention is paid to a good balance of gender in staffing and for each trip there must be at least one English and one Russian speaking member of staff attending, regardless of the age of the students. The nurse is responsible for packing the first aid kit and a first aid trained member of staff should be a member of the team.

The school phone is used for communication, and for trips longer than a day a WhatsApp group will be set up for the trip leader. Where the trip is residential, there must be a meeting for parents to discuss issues, run through the itinerary and explain what will need to occur prior to the trip taking place. Parents are always requested to provide written consent for their child and are given detailed information about all aspects of the trip.

COMMENDATION

The school is commended for their persistence in providing regular off-site visits to enhance learning opportunities during the period of the pandemic restrictions.

NEXT STEPS

Introduce a protocol for accompanying students through airports when air travel is included in a school trip.

Continue to monitor and update the policies and provision to ensure that advice is provided for all possible risks.