At Barney, we want every pupil to be happy and to flourish. A flourishing pupil is one who feels safe, known and supported, and who is able to reach their potential both in the classroom and beyond.
Pastoral care at Barney puts pupil wellbeing first, with expert, personalised support that helps every young person feel safe, understood and ready to thrive.
We take a whole-person approach to pastoral care and work in close partnership with parents to provide the best possible support at school and at home.
Feeling happy, secure and confident is vital to a rewarding school experience, and effective pastoral care underpins everything we do. Our goal is to create an environment in which every pupil is valued as an individual, builds lasting friendships, develops resilience, and succeeds academically. This has been recognised by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, who judged our pastoral, welfare and health and safety provision for both day and boarding pupils as “excellent.”
We know our pupils well. Often, we are able to identify issues early on because we notice subtle changes in behaviour or well-being. This highly personalised care is supported by our sector-leading use of the AS STEER platform, which allows us to track pupil wellbeing and implement timely, targeted support. We also invest in staff training and digital systems like CPOMS to ensure safeguarding is proactive, consistent, and responsive.
We are honest about the fact that unkindness can happen in any school, but what matters is how a school responds. At Barney, we believe all behaviour is a form of communication. Our behaviour policy provides firm boundaries and clear expectations, while always encouraging pupils to reflect and grow. We talk to our young people, consider their perspective, and offer a chance to make better choices. The first time is a mistake, the second time is a choice – and we are here to help pupils learn, reflect and be kind to themselves and others.
A whole-team approach
Every pupil at Barney has a dedicated network of pastoral support. This begins with their Housemaster or Housemistress (HSM) and their tutor, and extends to our Director of Pastoral Care, Deputy Head Pastoral, and a wider team of staff, including nurses, counsellors, and safeguarding leads.
The Deputy Head Pastoral is a senior leader and the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, responsible for the overall pastoral strategy and day-to-day delivery of care. They lead on safeguarding policy, student wellbeing, behaviour, and attendance, and ensure that every member of the pastoral team is trained, equipped and supported to deliver outstanding care.
Supporting them is the Director of Pastoral Care, who works closely with HSMs and tutors to embed key pastoral initiatives across the school. They lead the HeadSpace wellbeing programme, coordinate our AS STEER tracking system, and ensure a data-informed approach to pupil support. They also oversee staff training, run parent workshops, and lead on diversity and inclusion through our Diversity Focus Group.
Together, this team ensures that Barney pupils are supported not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and morally too. Whether through mentoring, assemblies, PSHE, safeguarding, or wellbeing initiatives, our pastoral system is designed to help every young person feel safe, understood and ready to thrive.
