This week’s column comes from Mike Davies, head teacher at Chesham Preparatory School in Orchard Leigh, Chesham:

Pastoral care is a vital aspect of our ethos at Chesham Preparatory School as we see the educational value it provides to pupils throughout their early educational years.

Pastoral care concentrates on encouraging social responsibility alongside academic achievement. Pupils are prepared not only for their next stage of academic pursuit, but also the self-awareness and confidence needed to face the challenges ahead. In simple terms, we believe that happy children work harder, enjoy their varied experiences at school and go on to thrive as they grow up.

This year, we hope to expand our facilities on the school site to help contribute towards widening our educational offer for existing and future pupils at Chesham Preparatory School. These exciting proposals will improve our existing facilities as well as creating new classrooms and a new performance hall. In particular, the creation of a purpose-built swimming pool facility will offer new opportunities for pupils to access a whole new range of sports, building on the Olympic legacy which has inspired our pupils.

Excellent pastoral care is the key to unlocking a child’s potential, and is reflected in our motto ‘Each for all and all for each’ which embodies our approach to education. Since the school was established, it has sought to provide a rich educational experience to inspire our pupils to thrive and maximise their leaving opportunities.

As part of this, we focus on individual outcome-focused interventions, whereby teachers continually review pupil progression and identify opportunities to assist them in areas which require additional support. Whether in core subject such as English, Science and Maths or through the creative arts and sport, all pupils are mentored by staff to support their personal and academic development.

Whether they are playing in the school’s A teams or E teams, whether they are performing a musical piece for the first time or they are enjoying the excellence of the concert choir, pupils are nurtured and given the confidence to be the best they can be as individuals and as part of a caring school community.

We recognise that this ethos is only made possible through the hard work of our outstanding teaching staff, who recognise the needs and talent of each individual and provide the support to create a friendly, accessible environment for our pupils.

It is our aim that pupils leave Chesham Preparatory School with a love of learning and a confidence to make the most of their abilities. With pastoral care at the heart of our educational offer, we continue to see successive years of pupils reach their potential and take the first step on their educational adventure.