Pastoral care
A school's support for pupils' wellbeing, behaviour, personal development and welfare, as opposed to purely academic teaching.
- Used in
- All four UK nations (details may differ)
- Topic
- School life
Being checked against official sources. This definition is written in our own words; always check the official guidance for your country.
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Related terms
- Head of year (HoY) All four UK nations (details may differ)
- A leader responsible for the pastoral care, behaviour and progress of all pupils in one year group.
- Form tutor All four UK nations (details may differ)
- The teacher responsible for a tutor group, who takes registration and looks after pupils' welfare and progress. Also called a tutor or form teacher.
- Pastoral lead All four UK nations (details may differ)
- A member of staff responsible for pupils' welfare and behaviour, sometimes non-teaching.
More terms: School life
Open evening · Packed lunch · Parents' evening · Period · Playtime · Prefect
More terms starting with P · Education glossary A–Z · Get a TIP for your class
Definitions are written by Classfern in our own words for teachers in the UK and the US. They are short explanations, not legal or official definitions: always check the official guidance for your country, nation or state. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government department, inspectorate or exam board named here.