Did your senior school have pastoral care?

[Maggiesgirl]

Just reading a book that had a comment about a school had changed since the early 2000's and now had pastoral care.

Back in the 70's, my state school had a school Councillor then ( a brilliant brilliant man) and I wondered if that was usual and when your school had that sort of care.

Nothing. Unsympathetic form teacher whose only job was to run register as far as I could tell. HoY was a bit better but mainly involved only for discipline or if there was very serious bullying. This was 1990s

Senior school from 83-88. No pastoral care at all.

Answer to that was yes and no.
Did we have official "pastoral care"? No. We'd have looked blank if asked about that.
Did we have people to go to if there was a problem? Yes.
When you arrived you got a house tutor who stayed with you through years 7-11. They were meant to be the main person you would go to if there was a problem.
If you didn't want to use them, you had a form tutor who swapped every year.
For girls there was also one of the teachers who was termed "senior mistress". Younger girls tended to be scared of her, but actually when you got to know her then she could be very compassionate, and would fight your part if she thought you were in the right (and normally win). I don't think there was a boy's equivalent.
The head was also available that if you had a problem he would listen. he wouldn't generally listen to complaints about teachers, but issues at home he was known to be a good listening ear. That was fine as long as you could get past the dragon who was otherwise known as his secretary.

80s comp, no way.

In the mid-80s they cottoned on to the idea, and one of the teachers was supposed to supply pastoral care. He told us this, with the additional comment 'I'm here in theory though don't know why anyone would want to share anything personal'. So effectively made sure no-one ever did. He was a nice guy and didn't mean it badly, he just genuinely didn't see the point.

Apparently but no. I was self harming at 15 following being raped, and spent most of my senior school breaks and lunchtimes locked in the toilet but nobody seemed to notice or care

That was 1981-87

A what?

Meaning, no fucking way. It was survival of the fittest at the east lancs comp

Nothing at my secondary school as far as I'm aware. some of the teaching staff were also resident on site as house mistresses (it was a boarding school) but as I was a day girl unless they taught me I wouldn't have had any dealings with them. Form teachers were a bit "old school " (excuse the pun) and I couldn't imagine approaching them.

I left secondary school in 1983 and there was never any mention of pastoral care in my state comprehensive nor was there any in my middle school.

Late 70s, an Essex comprehensive and yes.

The kids school in the 00s didn't really until a terrible thing happened and then it did as the students really needed support, it was also useful when a close friend in DD's friendship circle was diagnosed with cancer.

Our school was great with the very worst situations eg child bereavement but no other pastoral support

80s comp

No, nothing at all.

In fact, I’ve remembered one girl whose mum has died years before. Another girl in my year had lost her mum in a car accident.

The school got the first girl to have a chat with the second girl! The first girl did her best but said afterwards she was at a loss. We would have been about 14.

That was it.

Late 90s mixed comprehensive. In theory we knew we could go to 'any of the teachers' if there was something worrying us, but my form tutor disliked me but liked the kids who were unkind (they were good at her subject). I had really low self esteem and it wouldn't have occurred to me to think any other teacher was interested in how miserable I was or could actually do anything to help.

Late seventies and early eighties at a bog standard comprehensive.

No. I don't think they would have known what pastoral care was if it had fallen out of the sky and socked them on the heads.

No, pastoral care had not been invented when I was a lass.

80s to 90s and absolutely none.

Certainly wasn't a thing at my 80s comp.

Head of year, I suppose had some coverage of this in early 90s. I remember being called in for a chat re home issues and truancy. Nothing ongoing though.
I think for some of the boys, in particular Bill, and Dennis the caretakers had a pastoral role. Teachers role was largely educational.

I left school in 2005. Very well known, league table topping, all girls private school.

They bragged about their pastoral care but it was atrocious. Truly, truly terrible. So many damaged girls with terrible problems with self harm, drug abuse and eating disorders.

No pastoral care at my school in the 70s. It was a state grammar and the closest they came was not announcing publicly who was on free school meals. For them, that was progress The education was excellent, you just needed a thick skin.

Nothing whatsoever, grammar school and primary in 80s and 90s.

Nope. I left school 1989. Nothing Don’t really remember safeguarding of any type at all
It was sink or swim back then