Pastoral

At Merchant Taylors’, we are passionate about providing exceptional pastoral support for every pupil in our care throughout their Sixth Form journey. Our commitment to pupil well-being is rooted in our belief that young people thrive when they feel known, valued, and supported.

Each Sixth Former is placed in a small, coeducational tutor group of around ten pupils, ensuring they receive highly personalised guidance from a dedicated Form Tutor. These tutors, alongside our wider pastoral team, are embedded within each School setting and are always available to offer expert advice, emotional support, and practical solutions to any concerns that may arise.

We understand that Sixth Form is a time of significant personal and academic growth. That is why our pastoral care goes beyond day-to-day support, it is about nurturing independence, resilience, and responsibility. Pupils are encouraged to develop essential life skills such as dependability, punctuality, and self-reliance, preparing them for the demands of university and the world beyond.

Our support network for Sixth Form pupils includes:

• Form Tutors: act as the first point of contact for pupils and parents, offering continuity and advocacy throughout the Sixth Form experience.

• Regular communication: includes termly effort and grade assessments, with formal reports issued twice a year.

• PHSE Programme: a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic education curriculum equips pupils with strategies to manage stress, improve time management, and become confident, independent learners.

• Higher Education & Careers Guidance: A rigorous and personalised advice programme supports every pupil in navigating university applications, apprenticeships, and career pathways, with additional insight from our engaged alumni network.

• Life Skills & Enrichment: Visiting professionals and alumni deliver talks on topics such as financial literacy, health and wellbeing, safe driving, and university life.

• Peer Support: Sixth Formers can apply to become peer mentors, offering guidance to younger pupils and developing their own leadership and empathy. While our Sixth Formers enjoy greater freedoms and independence, they are also encouraged to embrace their role as leaders, role models, and ambassadors within the wider school community. This balance of autonomy and accountability is central to our ethos of structured independence.

• Alumni network: Sixth Formers can access up-to-date and invaluable advice and guidance from former pupils now working in a huge variety of professions and careers about entry to the workplace and how to succeed.

Counselling

At Merchant Taylors’, we recognise that emotional well-being is essential to personal and academic success. Our professional counselling service offers a safe, confidential space where pupils can talk openly about anything that may be affecting them from anxiety and stress to relationships or self-esteem.

Support is flexible and tailored to individual needs, whether through one-to-one sessions, short-term guidance, or referrals to external professionals. Our counsellors work closely with pastoral staff and the wider Well-being Team to ensure pupils feel heard, supported, and empowered.

We promote a culture of openness and resilience, helping pupils develop the emotional tools they need to thrive in school and beyond.

To find out more or to access support, please contact our Well-being Team