Pastoral Support at DGSB

ACADEMIC AND PASTORAL SUPPORT IN KS3 & KS4

The School aims to provide an environment in which students can achieve their full potential and feel happy and safe.

Students are placed into tutor groups and each group is led by a Form Tutor – a member of staff who is responsible for monitoring the academic progress of the students in the form, and for ensuring that they are well cared for. The Tutor Groups meet twice a day and attend assemblies together.  Tutor Time activities are wide-ranging and include regular academic and pastoral monitoring, one-to-one Tutor discussions, whole-class silent reading, and a variety of other activities to engage the students in thinking about local, national and global issues.

To provide additional support for students, the School has two Student Support Managers:

The Student Support Managers are highly experienced, non-teaching professionals whose role it is to support the young people within their key stage and be contactable by parents during the school day.  The Student Support Managers play a crucial role in liaising between school and home.  

In addition, there is a School Counsellor and a number of staff trained in first aid.

The Learning Centre provides support for students facing barriers to their learning, including those with Special Educational Needs. Teaching Assistants provide additional support for these students within lessons, and at other times.

The structure for the leadership of academic and pastoral support is:

There is a regular programme of Parents’ Evenings, interim assessments, and written subject reports to ensure that parents are kept well informed about their son’s academic progress.  

Bullying and other forms of negative behaviour are not tolerated at DGSB. Students are always encouraged to come forward with any concerns they have in the secure knowledge they will be listened to and cared for.

To provide support to students on a range of welfare issues, the school has two Student Welfare Officers:

The Student Welfare Officers have a great deal of experience working with students at KS3 and KS4. They are non-teaching professionals who are available during the school day to speak to parents and students to support them and discuss with them any concerns that they may have.  

The School’s Prefects play an important role in setting an example to younger students and supporting the day-to-day life of the School. They help students in lessons, run competitions, supervise and organise school events, and carry out general duties.

All students follow a Personal, Social and Health Education Programme which is designed to support the students’ development in school and beyond.  In Year 7 this programme focuses on many of the issues concerned with moving to a new school.

There are plenty of opportunities for students to develop personal and social skills such as leadership and teamwork through House Competitions. Such opportunities include the traditional Sports Day, spelling bees, public speaking, the School Swimming Gala and the annual School Charity Days.

In July 2014, the new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice was published by the government. This Code of Practice provides schools and local authorities with statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to The Children and Families Act 2014.

The code, which came into force on 1 September 2014, explains the duties of schools and colleges to provide reasonable adjustments, auxiliary aids, services and support for children and young people with SEN and disabilities; it provides the basis for our work with all children with SEND at Dover Grammar School for Boys.

The Local Offer

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires the Local Authority and schools to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25.

The Local Authority refer to this as the ‘Local Offer’. The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It will help parents and young people to understand the range of services and provision in the local area and contribute to a more equal partnership in planning for the needs of children with SEND. Follow the link below for more details

SEND Kent

SEND Information Report/SEND Policy

Schools utilize the Local Offer to determine how they will meet the needs of SEND pupils in accordance with the school policy and the provision available within that particular school. Information detailing the school’s approach to supporting children with SEND is detailed in the SEND information report/policy.

The policy was developed to comply with the revised Code of Practice and through consultation with parents/carers, staff and representatives from the governing body and is reviewed annually. The latest version can be found in our policies section or by clicking on the link below:

SEND Policy

For any enquiries relating to SEND please contact Mrs L Pendelton (SENDco).

Who are Young Carers?

Young carers are children and young people under 18 years old who provide unpaid care to a family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances.

The tasks and level of caring undertaken by young carers can vary according to the nature of the illness or disability, the level and frequency of need for care and the structure of the family as a whole.

A young carer may undertake some or all of the following:

• practical tasks such as cooking, housework, shopping
• physical care such as lifting, helping up the stairs and physiotherapy
• personal care such as dressing, washing and helping someone go to the toilet
• emotional support such as listening, calming someone and being present
• household management such as paying the bills, managing finances and collecting benefits
• looking after siblings such as putting to be and walking to school
• interpreting for parents with hearing or speech impediments or English as an additional language
• administering medication such as insulin needles and preparing daily tablets.

If you think you or someone you know is a Young Carer, please email us; youngcarers@dgsb.co.uk (this is checked by lunchtime on school days and not continuously monitored)

Please have a look at our Young Carers Policy to find out more information: Young Carers Policy

DGSB Whole School Commitment to Young Carers

DGSB is committed to meeting the needs of young carers so that they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other pupils/students and achieve their potential.

We have designated Young Carers’ School Leads for each Key Stage with responsibility for young carers and their families, as shown on noticeboards and website. Support can be accessed via youngcarers@dgsb.co.uk.

DGSB only shares information with professionals and agencies on a need to know basis in order to support pupils and their families.

The school actively seeks feedback and ideas from young carers and their families to shape and improve support; please email us via youngcarers@dgsb.co.uk.

What support does DGSB offer their Young Carers?

If you need to make a phone call home, you can go to your Key Stage Office and make it in private.

There is a dedicated email where you can message us if you need to; youngcarers@dgsb.co.uk (this is checked by lunchtime on school days and not continuously monitored).

We can help you get a FREE bus pass.

There are specific staff you can go to; 

• Mr J Platts
• KS3; Mr Leece
• KS4; Mrs Robinson 
• KS5; Mrs Lavender

The rest is up to you; we want to hear what our Young Carers would like support with and how you receive it. Would you prefer 1:1 or group session or both? Are there any skills that you would help you with your caring role, such as First Aid, Fire Safety or cooking? Would you like to do fun activities; art and craft, sport-based or something more relaxing?

Let us know; email youngcarers@dgsb.co.uk

Homework help

We understand that it can be difficult sometimes to juggle school work and home life. Did you know that the library is available every lunchtime for you to do your homework, revise and print out school work? If the library is shut, the Learning Centre is available. If you are struggling to complete your homework, please talk to your tutor or subject teacher and explain why; they will help!

Young Carers - Dover Smart Project

If you are a Young Carer or Young Adult Carer and you like art then you might like to join our support group in the gallery. Young Carers meet every Saturday morning from 10.30 am to midday. https://doversmartproject.co.uk/

Useful links

https://kooth.com/

https://doversmartproject.co.uk/young-carers/