Our Pastoral Care model for all students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 fosters and promotes positive relationships between students and staff. It begins with deep understanding of the emotional and social needs of children and young adolescents in Junior and Middle Schools and develops into very special relationships built on mutual respect and trust from Years 10 - 12.
Classroom Care in Junior School
Small classes and individual attention provide the opportunities to nurture each student in our Junior School. Our belief is that fulfilled, purposeful students are more engaged in learning and become more self-aware. Classroom teachers are at the heart of Junior School pastoral care, and the smaller size of TAS Junior School means that every staff member knows every child, regardless of their age.
It’s a Middle School for a reason
TAS Middle School provides the comforting foundations needed for the intellectual, physical, social and emotional support 12 to 14 year olds need as they bridge the gap from being a primary school student to becoming a senior school student. It is that ‘developmental space’ of early adolescence that really requires special focus and care. Understanding these challenges is the expertise of our Middle School Advisors who meet in small year groups of about 10 students every day for 20 minutes. They are the backbone of the TAS Middle School philosophy.
Advisors for Years 10 - 12
In Years 10-12, students are given the unique opportunity to actually choose themselves the member of academic or administrative staff who will be their Advisor for the remainder of their time at TAS. This flexibility in arrangement recognises that a pastoral care system works best when students have a say in who their Advisor is rather than have it dictated to them. Typical group sizes are six-10, arranged in vertical year groups, and significant relationships of understanding and trust are formed through the three years the students spend with their Advisor. Advisors take on a unique place in a students’ final years of schooling, walking alongside them in their journey to adulthood.
Year 7 to 12 Year Level Coordinators
Another layer of the School’s pastoral care structure lies with the Year Level Coordinators in Years 7 to 12 who are appointed to assist a specific year group meet their academic goals, support their wellbeing and to guide them in the behavioural choices. The Year Level Coordinators act as a conduit between the School, the parents, Advisors and Heads of House as well as the Wellbeing Team as required. They have a deep understanding of the issues and needs within the year group and are a vital component of the pastoral care network for students at TAS.