Student Support

Student Support is a high priority within HRCS, encompassing a dedicated team of non-teaching and teaching colleagues to ensure all students have the best possible support to enable them to be successful and achieve.

In Year 7 we provide a fixed Head of Year and Tutor team (always based on the ground floor, away from older year groups), who will liaise with our local feeder schools (35+) to ensure the transition process goes smoothly.

All other year groups have a dedicated non-teaching Head of Year and Tutor Team - who will always be on hand to help and guide students - who are supported by very experienced Heads of Key Stage and a Pastoral Deputy Headteacher. 

We believe strongly in developing a community ethos and students have the opportunity of being part of the Peer Mentoring Programme and can train to be Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.  Consequently, our students always have someone they can turn to, should they experience any problems; Buzz, the school dog, is also on hand for some TLC should it be needed.

In addition, all Student Support staff have been, or are in the process of being, Designated Safeguarding Lead Trained.

Form Tutors

Form Tutors will support a form group of approximately 25-26 students. They will have the most regular daily contact with students at school and will generally deal with most of the day to day issues that may arise.

They will monitor attendance, rewards and behaviour and will support students in maintaining high standards of work and conduct, including; uniform, equipment, homework, attitudes to learning and general progress. They will also deliver a variety of PSHE and Citizenship topics through tutorials as well as supporting reading across Key Stage 3.

Heads of Year

Each cohort will have a dedicated non-teaching Head of Year, meaning they are available throughout the day to support and manage any student issues as they arise.

Their core responsibility will be to monitor and support students in maintaining our high expectations, this will include; academic progress, attitudes to learning, attendance, uniform, engagement in extracurricular, coordinating rewards and sanctions as well as supporting the mental wellbeing of the students in their care. Importantly, they will also take responsibility for the safeguarding of their year group as a trained Designated Safeguard Lead (DSL).

Heads of Key Stage

The Head of Key Stage 3 and Head of Key Stage 4 are senior positions within the Student Support team and within the school as a whole.

These roles are responsible for establishing and maintaining the high standards across each key stage and the school as a whole; through ensuring school policies and expectations are consistently applied - delivering a high quality education for all students at HRCS.

Heads of Key Stage will lead a manage Heads of Year and Tutor Teams; monitoring and coordinating support for student progress, attainment, attitudes to learning, attendance, behaviour, rewards and mental wellbeing.

Heads of Key Stage will also take responsibility for the safeguarding of their key stage as DSL’s.

Senior Leaders

Behaviour and Attitudes

A senior leader will be responsible for the management and leadership of Student Support.

Within this role, the senior leader will take overall responsibility for the following key aspects across the school:

• Pastoral support
• Behaviour & Conduct
• Attendance & Punctuality
• Environment:
  • o Routines/Expectations
  • o Health & Safety & Feeling Safe
  • o Respect
  • o Anti-Bullying
  • o Discrimination
• Attitudes education
• Use of exclusions
• Relationships student/staff
• Meeting statutory duties
• Safeguarding

They will also take direct responsibility for Admissions, transition and Primary liaison, Mental Health, Induction, GDPR, Health & Safety and Parents Evenings.

 Student Support Structure