Student Care
While the main purpose of sending your child to school is so they can learn, it is also essential that other
aspects of their development are looked after. Every independent school you find will have some kind of student
care service, to make sure the non-educational needs of their students are being met.
This service will differ between schools, so it is definitely worth looking at each institution's website or
prospectus to see what is available. Some schools will focus on certain areas above others, while some will not
provide services that are available elsewhere. Here are some of the more common aspects of student care to look out
for.
Pastoral care
This particular service has enjoyed a resurgence in independent schools in recent years, and it is a vital aspect of
student wellbeing. Pastoral care is different depending on the school, but in general it focuses on the mental and
emotional health of students.
This comes in many forms. Some schools will employ counsellors or a similar confidential service, that students
can book appointments with to talk about any issues they might be having. Other schools allow older children to
become mentors, while religious schools might have a chaplain or similar to deal with spiritual issues.
The service enables children to talk about, and deal with, any problems they might be having in their school or home
life. If they are being bullied, or struggling with an unfortunate life event such as a divorce or the passing away
of a loved one, their school's pastoral care system will be one port of call.
Medical care
All schools will have at least one member of staff who is a qualified first-aider on hand in case of an accident,
but most go further. Independent schools might have a nurse, matron or an entire department on hand to deal with
everything from cuts and scrapes over breaktimes to any serious medical incidents that might occur.
It is unlikely that your child will be seriously injured at school. However, it is certainly worth looking at a
school's medical care provisions if your child has a condition such as asthma, diabetes or an allergy to be
reassured that the staff will know what to do should something go wrong.
Transport
Getting your children to and from school, whether it is every day or at the beginning and end of terms for boarding
schools, can be difficult for parents. As such, many schools have some kind of service in place to make sure their
students can travel safely.
Look out for bus or minibus services that some schools run on a daily basis, and research what the procedures are
for boarding schools. Some establishments will have people on hand to meet your child at the airport or train
station, for example.
The schools you look at will undoubtedly have more services than these select few. It is important, therefore, to
look at what is available to your child at the establishment to which you are looking to send them.
If your child has a certain requirement that your school does not seem to cover, it is usually a good idea to
contact them and see what they can do; they may be happy to meet your child's requirements, but may have never had
to deal with their particular needs before.