Pastoral

The wellbeing of your daughter is at the heart of every decision and interaction in the Prep School. It is a fundamental aspect that shapes not only academic success but the overall experience of learning and growing throughout your daughter's journey at St Catherine's. Our supportive and proactive approach provides the girls with opportunities for them to grow in confidence, develop their independence and sense of self-belief. This facilitates the development of their personal, social and emotional intelligence and our aim is to create a supportive and nurturing environment in which our girls feel secure and able to achieve.

The Pastoral team play a pivotal role in shaping the School's culture. Our pastoral staff are not just mentors; they are champions of mental health, promoting positive wellbeing amongst both our students and our staff.

At St Catherine's Prep School, we have introduced a number of initiatives to support the wellbeing of our girls.

Wellbeing

A “Place to Be”
Each day in the gym, girls can take some time out of their busy day to meditate, relax and enjoy some quiet time together.

A “Place to Talk”
There is always an opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy fun activities together. A wellbeing theme is picked each week and activities are shaped around this theme. Students have the opportunity to talk to our dedicated Wellbeing co-ordinator who is on-hand throughout the session.

A “Place to Play”
This session allows our girls to express their feelings through Music – song writing, composing, listening and responding to musical lyrics. The girls explore different genres and the meaning of lyrics and how music makes them feel. If the girls so wish, they then have the opportunity to perform their song to the Prep School during a weekly assembly.

Friendship

Shadow Support
All new students are assigned a shadow from their prospective form. The role of the shadow is to help new students settle into daily School life and provide support throughout their Prep School journey.

Buddy System
All girls are assigned a different ‘partner’ or ‘buddy’ each week within their class which encourages wider friendship groups and allows the students to become better acquainted with one another.

Playground Ambassadors
Playground and Wellbeing ambassadors play a vital role at playtime ensuring that all of our students feel included and supported. The importance of play is integral to a child’s cognitive, physical and emotional well-being and development. Our Ambassadors play a crucial role in creating an environment where every student can learn about the world, themselves and each other developing their social skills and building their self-confidence. Our bespoke ‘TAG’ (‘Talk’, ‘Ask for What They Need’ and ‘Get Help’) approach is taught throughout the School and is fundamental in addressing difficulties that may arise within friendship groups.

Buddy Bench
This bench is a space where our girls can sit and talk to a new friend. Our Playground Ambassadors and Playground Buddies are available to help all students enjoy a happy playtime.

The Pod

The Wellbeing Pod
This calming space is located in the woodlands of the Prep School and offers our students a place of sanctuary to reflect and relax from the busy demands of academic and extra-curricular daily life. The pod has been specifically designed to provide a tranquil and cosy environment for the students to reflect on their feelings and emotions, enjoy a chat with a friend or speak with a member of the pastoral team. Lessons in mindfulness are also taught in this space and are an opportunity for our girls to explore their feelings and learn relaxation and breathing techniques.

Houses

Girls are allocated a House (Curie, Pankhurst and Teresa) when they join the Prep School. Belonging to a School House not only provides our students with a support network but also allows friendships across the different year groups to evolve underpinned by regular House meetings, Tutor groups and House events assisted by our House Captains and Vice Captains.

House points are awarded for effort, initiative and acts of kindness. We have a number of House competitions throughout the year which range from netball and singing to sunflower growing From Form I (Year 3) upwards, Form Captain and Vice-Captains are elected each term by the students along with House Captains. All LIII (Year 6) students are given Prefect responsibilities including Music and Library roles and students are allocated specific monitor positions.

Life Skills

St Catherine’s Award
Upon joining Form I (Year 3), the students embark on a four year award programme designed to enable them to develop a range of life skills. This programme provides opportunities to develop the girls’ social and spiritual growth and to influence their own wellbeing and happiness as well as those of others and the wider community.

Growth Mindset and Thinking Skills
Developing a growth mindset and learning how to be mindful are an integral part of the curriculum. This reflects St Catherine’s Prep School’s commitment to equipping students with life skills that extend beyond the classroom, nurturing resilience and self-belief to prepare the students for life challenges beyond the School gates.

The girls will complete four tasks in each year group from Form I (Year 3) to LIII (Year 6). Each of the tasks are designed to be completed at home and also at school with support from their Form teachers who will regularly review progress with the girls. At the end of LIII (Year 6), any student who has achieved all sixteen tasks over the four-year period will receive a St Catherine’s Award.

Parent Support

Happy Cats
Every fortnight, ‘Happy Cats’ ideas are distributed via the School’s bi-weekly bulletin ‘Cat’s Eyes’ which provides an informative overview of ideas on a specific topic designed for the girls and their families to share and discuss mindfulness initiatives at home. Recent topics have included anti-bullying and humility.

Parent Webinars
Each term we run a series of free webinars on a variety of topics designed to support parents, grandparents and guardians on their child’s education and wellbeing journey. We regularly invite experts within their chosen field to speak alongside a selection of our own staff to present on a specific topic and there is the opportunity for questions to be asked. Recent topics have included “Navigating Friendships”, “Settling into School”, “Food and Nutrition for Young Children” and “Supporting a Dyslexic Learner”.

Chapel

St Catherine’s has very strong Christian ethos and girls attend Chapel once a week with our Chaplain Rev McNair Scott. The services are fun and interactive for the girls but also designed to provide an oasis of calm in a busy week and to allow the girls time for their own personal reflection.

The chapel's foundation stone was laid in 1893. From its earliest days the chapel was at the heart of St Catherine's. It remains a central part of the life of the whole community, and the girls are given an opportunity to enjoy this sacred space every week. At this service we reflect, pray, sing hymns and interact with Biblical stories. Here we are inspired by the timeless Christian message that we are loved by God, are of inestimable worth, and are to love those around us in this wonderous world.

Community Links

We are very fortunate to have strong community links with both Bramley Infant School and Gosden House. Pupils in our Pre-Prep department enjoy the Bramley Arts Week which is held periodically in each of the three Bramley schools. It is wonderful to see the pupils interacting and taking part in the activities organised by the combined staff. We seek opportunities for the girls to participate in local community activities and the girls have great fun singing and playing to the residents of Blunden Court. Pre-Prep also mark Remembrance Day at the Bramley Memorial together with the other Bramley schools.

Charity

The Prep School supports local, national and global charities each term and responds to ideas and initiatives from the girls. Our LIII Charity Monitors play an important role in selecting charitable causes and planning fundraising events. These have included making and selling Catz bands (hair accessories) and making and selling marmalade among other great ideas.

Within the academic year raise between £10,000-£12,000 in support of a number of charities, including:

Bramley Church
St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Godalming
Salvation Army
Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Fountain Centre
Eagle Radio Christmas appeal
Christian Aid

Eco

In the Prep School, the girls in each Key Stage have a representative on the Green Kittens Committee which overseas Eco initiatives throughout the Pre Prep and Prep School.

The Green Kittens are working closely with the Green Cat’s in the Senior School on a joint programme with our caterers, the Guardians of Grub initiative. This is a UK wide community programme organised the food service sector whose aim is to reduce food waste. A group of students are currently collating data aimed at measuring the School’s food waste to produce recommendations to reduce this. A further mixed age group team is monitoring air pollution levels around the site, again, reporting their finding to their fellow students, using their maths and IT skills to produce visual presentations and recommendations.

We feel passionately that it is never too early for students to understand the importance of protecting the environment around them and as such every girl from the age of 3 to 18 has the freedom and opportunity to explore and voice her ideas in this area. In the Prep School, the Green Kittens engage in nationwide programmes such as The Great British Spring Clean and the RSPB’s Birdwatch, and the whole Prep School takes part in a ‘Hort-ecocultural’ week. The Prep School is currently working in partnership with the Surrey Wildlife Trust who are helping to assess how we can further enhance our School gardens and woodlands to support nature.

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