PASTORAL CARE AT GES: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
We believe that for pupils to be successful, they must first feel safe and valued and that is why we work hard to ensure our school environment is caring, optimistic which encourages our children to be adventurous and risk takers so that by the time our little ones reach the mature age for leaving they have developed into confident, happy and secure individuals. GES is a happy school which provides a supportive atmosphere for our students which enables their success, their development of character and well-being.
Pastoral care is such an important aspect at Gulf English School that it is part of our school policy and practice to fully integrate the pastoral curriculum throughout teaching and learning and through various programmes such as the PSHE and Student Council which ensure the school meets the personal, social wellbeing and academic needs of every student.
The PSHE programme looks at building confidence in all students, right from KS1 all the way to KS3; at KS5 students are advised predominantly on careers and on university applications, how to be a resilient and hard-working student and how to reach their potential. In addition to the PSHE programmes provided at KS1, 2 and 3, and the careers advice offered at KS5, pastoral care is also delivered via weekly and fortnightly assemblies where themes from the PSHE programme of study are shared with students such as themes of friendship, ability to develop social skills in order to get on with all sorts of people, bullying, including cyber bullying, how to improve as a person, how to study well, how to beat depression, how to develop resilience when the going gets tough and many other useful things that our students need to learn about and to develop for their mental, social and academic well being; where students also have the opportunity of contributing to such assemblies; via key stage productions and musicals, and via the student representative councils, both in Primary and in Secondary.
Moreover, in Primary there are Year Leaders and in Secondary, there are Heads of Year who have as part of their remit the goal of ensuring students in their respective year cohorts are looked after and listened to: that students know they can go to such people because they will listen to them. In addition, the Heads of both schools have an open door policy whereby the very youngest to the very elder ones know that they can visit to talk about their problems, or just to say hello. No-one at GES is too important that they can’t listen to any of our students: we take the well being of students that seriously that we insist that each child has a voice and will be heard, no matter how insignificant the issue may be, or no matter how important the concern may be: all students at GES have this right.
Pastoral care also deals with responsibilities and how we can encourage and develop our students to be responsible ones. Our caring, supportive environment ensures that, by the time our students leave school, they are ready to enter a fast-paced world as responsible, emotionally secure, intelligent and non-judgmental global citizens, slow to anger and eager to engage with a variety of different cultures, secure in the knowledge that they are able to skillfully adapt to changes and environments because we have shown them how to.
GES is the school where we promote well-being, understanding and consideration of others and where we help students to develop a core skill: resilience, a key ingredient if students are not to give up on the many challenges that they will inevitably face.
BEHAVIOR
The purpose of this guide is to outline how the school and parents/carers work together to create a positive and motivating environment which enables all children to learn and which is inclusive of adults and children’s race and culture, individual needs and vulnerabilities and which ensures for the safeguarding of children.
Our school has a British outlook and ethos, combined within an Arabic culture. British etiquette and manners are expected and encouraged from all pupils. Our school is also an international school, committed to respecting the cultures of the various nationalities attending GES.
The ethos of our school is a major factor in establishing and maintaining high standards of behaviour and discipline. This means there is a strong sense of community cohesion within our school and a high level of co-operation amongst teaching staff and between staff, pupils and parents.
In devising the code, consideration has been given to the particular needs and circumstances of this school. The aim is to ensure that the individuality of each child is accommodated while acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruptive free environment.
GES STUDENT COUNCIL OVERVIEW
A Student Council is a representative structure through which students within the primary school can become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with school management and staff and parents for the benefit of the school and its students.
Students have a valuable contribution to make to the effectiveness of their school and their involvement in the operation of the school is itself a valuable part of the education process for the students. GES Student Council provides an opportunity for students to engage in a structured partnership with teachers, parents and school managers in the operation of their school.
Student Council members from years 5 and 6 meet on a fortnightly basis to brainstorm and vote on ideas that help to make Gulf English School the great school that it is. Representatives are chosen or elected in their classes based on leadership qualities and strength of character. Officers are elected by the student body at the beginning of the year. All Student Council members represent their classmates at meetings and then take important information back to their classes in an effort to keep all students involved and informed.
GES Student Council gives students an opportunity to acquire the sort of communication, planning and organizational skills which will be of benefit to them in their future lives. It enables students to take responsibility for projects and to demonstrate that they can manage and bring such projects to successful conclusion. The main role of a Student Council is "to promote the interests of the school and the involvement of students in the affairs of the school, in co-operation with the SLT, parents and teachers".
SCHOOL CLINIC
The school clinic is well equipped in providing immediate medical assistance to student and staff. In case of emergency situations, the nurses will assist the student to the International Clinic which is close by or to another hospital; nurses will contact the parents to information regarding the same. Any health concerns brought to the attention of the nurses will be communicated to the parents. Parents are requested to update their children’s medical condition/allergies if any.
The school nurses conduct yearly basic health checks and do workshops for students on various health-related topics. The nurses liaise with the Ministry of Health in order to administer vaccination/checks as required by the Ministry.
Please dial extension 119 /120 to reach the school clinic.
BUS SERVICE
Bus Services are provided to students to most areas in Kuwait. The bus service will start two weeks after the start of academic calendar. To apply for the bus service parents are requested to collect the application form from the Reception or the Accounts department and meet with the bus supervisor at the school, once the application form is signed by the bus supervisor it must be submitted to the Accounts department at the school. The school reserves the right to refuse bus service to students if they do not have many students from the same area or if they are found to be misbehaving in the bus.
For more information regarding the bus please contact the Registration dept.
ASSEMBLIES
Assemblies are held once a week for combined year groups or separately, as necessary. If combined then the format is years 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6.
This is a time to celebrate good work and deeds. GES Star certificates, times-tables certificates and other achievements are awarded at this time. It is an opportunity to share success.
They are also a time to reflect on behavior and attitudes towards others. Some assemblies are organised around a theme e.g anti-bullying, book week, international week, being a friend.
Classes and teachers lead assemblies and they might involve drama or role play. The school counsellor also leads assemblies from time to time for particular issues.
It is a great opportunity for the year groups to come together as a common.
Year 4 students receiving GES star and Times Tables certificates.
Year 6 assembly