“As a lead inspector of schools in the UK and internationally, I am used to the unique climate in outstanding schools which give me that special feeling that “there is something about this school”.
It is confirmed by the way pupils, parents, teachers and the community describe that feeling about their school to me. I have spent the last 10 years researching this feeling and modelling it with colleagues so it can be developed in schools that wish to be outstanding or maintain their outstanding status. I have had the unique privilege of working with a fantastic team of professionals most of them trained inspectors of schools and school improvement advisers as well as teachers.
The result is a pastoral care curriculum—the first of its kind, complete with a structured curriculum, assessment guidelines and high quality teacher resources.
– Justina Ilochi
Why can’t the pastoral model be more like the academic?
The academic model is a systematic structured process.
The pastoral model is not!
Let’s describe it with a few keywords: ad hoc, crisis management, government initiatives, institution led, chaotic, temporary, transient, treating the symptoms…
It can!
Gender and Child Advancement (GCA) International have created a Pastoral Care Curriculum complete with assessment guidelines and resources.
This is a ground-breaking innovation that seeks to close the gap between the pastoral and academic areas of the work in schools by raising the status and quality of pastoral care.
The programme uses a structured approach to helping children to develop in five key skill areas; communication, problem solving, creative, social and entrepreneurial skills. This gives your teachers a unique opportunity to teach children vital life changing competencies within a well assessed systematic process, driving school improvement toward outstanding.
This is the first of its kind and is based on in-depth research on how children make sustained progress.
Read article written by Justina Ilochi on the academic – pastoral gap in schools here >>
In June 2015 GCA launched its pastoral care curriculum at its 2nd International Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. (Read the testimonials and what we did here: International Conference Nairobi Kenya).