Pastoral Care

The Lyceum’s holistic approach to mental health is not confined to that of the pupils. We seek to support and promote the wellbeing of all of those in our school community; this includes staff and our families too. We understand that children thrive in a calm, stress-free environment and we do all that we can to create one in the school. Visitors often comment on how happy everyone is and that the positive energy in the building is tangible.

Our children are taught, from the youngest years, the importance of good mental health. Through themed days and weeks, as well as through Assemblies and PSHE lessons, all pupils are encouraged to explore ways in which they can express their feelings and understand the emotional needs of others. The children also participate in a variety of activities that promote positivity and emotional well-being such as Yoga and Mindfulness. In Art lessons, they learn Story Massage techniques and, from their first days in school they learn to understand how important it is to acknowledge and share how they are feeling.

Our pupils know that they can share any concerns or worries they have with any adult in the school and that they will be listened to. This message is regularly reinforced, and the children are encouraged to speak to the person they feel most comfortable to approach, this may include their class or subject teachers, a member of the senior leadership team, the catering staff or caretaker, as well as those pupils holding roles of responsibility, such as House Captains, Prefects and Wellbeing Mentors. A Worry Box is placed strategically in the dining hall for children to place their written worries into if they do not want to talk to anyone. The box is checked by a member of the Senior Leadership Team each day.

We are proud of the fact that The Lyceum is a safe, secure and inclusive environment where every member of the school community is valued; a place where we strive to promote and maintain the good mental health and wellbeing of everyone.

Upon joining The Lyceum, pupils are placed into one of four Houses. These Houses are named after 4 prominent British authors: Shakespeare, Dickens, Eliot (George) and Austen. Each House is led by a Year 6 House Captain alongside Year 6 prefects who act as representatives. Through the House System, children work collaboratively with those of all ages, in addition to staff from other year groups. House Points are used to reward excellent work, kind behaviour, good manners or on any other occasion when a staff member feels a child deserves positive recognition.

House Points are regularly counted and, at the end of each term, the House who has achieved the highest number of points is rewarded with a small party which takes place during the school day, usually involving games and treats.

Strong emphasis is placed on teamwork and inter-House sport, dance and music competitions take place throughout the academic year. The annual Sports Day at Mile End Stadium sees all children participating in a variety of events to support their Houses and vying to bring home the coveted trophy! Parents are also invited to take part in the final 400m race and gain House Points for their child’s House.

Assemblies are held weekly and parents are welcome to attend. All assemblies begin with live music followed by breathing exercises that encourage mindfulness. Links to festivals and religions are explored, and children are invited to help ‘act out’ story retellings. Assemblies are an opportunity to come together as a school to reflect on a range of issues and to celebrate our core values. Class assemblies take place on Friday mornings; these are led by pupils who explain what they have been learning about. Each year group leads a class assembly once a term. Class assemblies also provide pupils with the opportunity to perform solos, duets and group pieces, demonstrating their progress in music that term. The atmosphere is always inclusive, and pupils enjoy the security and comradeship as a group whilst showcasing their individual talents.

All Year 6 pupils are given the role of School Prefect. Through a rota system, they spend morning break assisting class teachers from Nursery to Year 2 with class-based tasks. These may include reading to pupils, listening to pupils read, helping a small group or working with a pupil one-to-one. The children take their responsibilities extremely seriously and they enjoy rising to the challenge of being a School Prefect and setting a good example to others in their role as senior ambassadors for The Lyceum.

Each year, four members of Year 6 are democratically voted into the roles of House Captains and, supported by the staff Heads of House, act as ambassadors for the school at various events throughout the year. Head Boy and Head Girl are selected by the staff.

The School and Eco Councils are democratically voted groups of children from each year group from Years 1-6. These councils involve children in all aspects of decision making and are forums for the discussion of school issues, fundraising initiatives and sustainability improvements. The Headmaster attends School Council meetings and listens to the ideas the children have for school improvement.

At The Lyceum, we recognise that the personal development of children – spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) – plays a significant role in their ability to learn, achieve and be happy. Our aim is to provide an education that provides children with the opportunities to explore and develop:

• Their self-knowledge, self-respect and self-esteem.
• Their own values and beliefs.
• Their own spiritual awareness.
• Their own high standards of personal behaviour.
• Their critical thinking skills.
• A positive, caring and respectful attitude towards other people.
• An understanding of their own social and cultural traditions.
• An appreciation of the social and cultural traditions of others.

The school places high emphasis on giving the best pastoral care possible.  We recognise that different children have different pastoral needs.

We want our pupils to enjoy coming to school in the knowledge that this will lead to a love of learning that they will take with them to their next school and into adulthood.

At The Lyceum School, we are not only preparing your child for secondary school, we are preparing them for life.

Each week in Tea and Toast, the Year 6 pupils learn about table manners, the importance of serving others before themselves and the need to listen and take turns.  The children have the opportunity to talk with the Headmaster about their emotions and how they are feeling. This is especially important in the run up to the exams, where discussions include how to deal with stress and exam pressures and the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Senior School Heads and special guest speakers often join the weekly Tea and Toast sessions and Hosanna, our amazing chef, makes sure there is always something special to eat; her home-made cakes are now famous!

Once the exam stresses are over, we embark on our Life Skills Programme. This includes learning how to sew on a button, how to iron basic items, how to make tea and toast and how to stack the dishwasher and clear up. All Year 6 pupils receive Young First Aider Training which is delivered by our own fully qualified trainer. By the time they leave us, our children can cope with anything!