Pastoral Care
At St Margaret's Hampstead, we believe that an exceptional education is built on a foundation of genuine care. Our approach to pastoral care is what gives our school a genuine family feel and, as described by The Good Schools Guide, provides a “cosy, nurturing, rounded and grounded education delivered in a happy family atmosphere”.
Our Head, Mrs Sharron Shackell, brings extensive experience in pastoral leadership to our school, sending a clear message that the wellbeing of every girl is our highest priority.
Our girls also benefit from a dedicated Pastoral Lead for each of area of the school (Infant, Junior and Senior) to ensure that every child receives the care, guidance and support they need throughout their educational journey. "We believe that if a girl is happy and feels valued now, her academic aims and future success will be fulfilled." - Rachel Walker, Infant Pastoral Lead
A warmth policy in practice
We place the child at the core of our ethos. Every decision, from our curriculum to our activities, stems from this guiding principle. We believe you cannot write a warmth policy – it must be a lived culture. Our intimate community, where every girl is known by name, creates an atmosphere of friendship, trust and mutual respect, empowering our pupils to “just have a go” without fear of making mistakes.
Our commitment to this culture has been independently validated. A recent ISI Inspection Report noted that our pupils are “highly self-disciplined, and their personal development is characterised by excellent standards of behaviour and respect, both towards each other and staff”.
The Family Tree: building a community for life
Our unique Family Tree system is a central pillar of our pastoral care. This non-competitive, student-led initiative forms girls into 12 small families, each with at least one girl from every year group, creating a network of support that spans from Reception through to Senior School.
The system provides a safe and supportive way for less confident girls to “branch out” and find a reliable group of people within the school community. The senior girls take on leadership roles, guiding their families through lively discussions, craft activities and mini-game performances.
The value of this initiative is recognised in our recent ISI Inspection Report, which observed that pupils have a "strong appreciation of the non-material aspects of school life as seen in Family Tree time, where pupils from across years meet to discuss issues that concern them”.
Nurturing confidence and character
Our nurturing environment, combined with the strategic advantage of our small class sizes, is a direct catalyst for building confidence. Our attentive staff care for our girls and, most of all, they listen. In a small community where every girl stands out, we have the time and opportunity to nurture self-discipline, self-esteem and cooperation.
Our approach gives our girls the confidence to take risks and try for high-achieving schools post-GCSE. This is the ultimate proof that our focus on wellbeing is the foundation for academic and personal success.
Girls on Board
We place the utmost importance on every girl’s happiness and wellbeing. Our exceptional pastoral care is dedicated to ensuring every pupil is known, supported and confident. Girls on Board is a key element of this pastoral care strategy, designed specifically to empower girls with the confidence and tools they need to navigate friendship challenges independently.
This award-winning approach, now embraced by schools nationwide, recognises that friendship conflicts are a normal and necessary part of growing up. However, research shows that immediate adult intervention in these peer conflicts can sometimes prove ineffective and may even exacerbate the situation.
Instead, Girls on Board encourages girls to take ownership of their relationships. The programme shifts the focus from asking, "what are the teachers going to do about this?" to "how can I manage this situation and learn from it?"
Key principles of Girls on Board
The initiative provides pupils with a shared vocabulary and understanding of how friendship dynamics work, building empathy, resilience and mutual understanding. This proactive approach empowers our girls to:
- Own their issues: understand their role in the friendship dynamic and take responsibility for their own feelings and actions
- Communicate effectively: use shared terminology to articulate problems calmly and clearly, helping them find a resolution themselves
- Develop empathy: see conflicts from multiple perspectives, helping them navigate complex social situations successfully.
By equipping our pupils with these tools, we actively build the self-discipline, self-esteem and cooperation that are the cornerstones of the St Margaret’s Hampstead community. This approach ensures our girls develop the robust social and emotional intelligence required to thrive both within the school and in their lives beyond.
Ready to experience our caring community firsthand?
We invite you to discover firsthand how St Margaret's Hampstead can inspire your daughter's journey. Join our vibrant community, where every girl is empowered to achieve her full potential.