Pastoral

"Pastoral care is gold standard and one of the key reasons parents select Prior."
- Good Schools Guide 2025Prior Park College prides itself on its pastoral care and we aim to provide a safe, stimulating and positive environment for all students. We are very much a community that looks out for each other and after each other. 

Understanding others, learning to express oneself, tolerance and developing friendships with a wide range of people are vital. We provide a range of information and support for pupils and we address relevant current issues that may be a cause of anxiety.

Health and Wellbeing Centre

• The Health and Wellbeing Centre (HWC) provides a dedicated space where qualified nurses offer physical and emotional care, including treatment rooms, counselling facilities, and beds for students who are unwell or injured.
• Open weekdays from 8:00 to 18:00, it also supports students through listening services, complementary therapies, and weekly relaxation sessions led by an external wellbeing coach.

Phone-Free School

• Prior Park College has been phone free since 2023, making us one of the first schools in the region to adopt this approach.
• At the start of the school day, students hand their phones to their tutor to be locked away until the end of the day.
• As a phone free school, Prior enables its students to take a break from social media and the pressures it can impose.
• We believe that this encourages more face-to-face communication, giving students room to connect, focus and explore their passions.

House System

• All pupils are members of a House and the House System is central to pastoral support.
• It generates a wonderful sense of community and instils positive values, and allows Housemasters, Housemistresses and tutors to offer encouragement and support to each student within their care.

Peer Mentors

• As part of our pastoral support for students, we have many members of the Upper Sixth trained as Peer Mentors.
• These students complete a seven week training course, including lessons on listening skills, body language, safeguarding and work with the Samaritans and Focus Counselling.
• Our students can receive support from Peer Mentors through their House, tutor groups, one to one sessions and a weekly support meeting.
• We base all our wellbeing education around an initiative devised by our Peer Mentors, Prior Park’s Six Pillars of Wellbeing: Activity, Sleep, Diet, Faith, Service, Kindness.