Pastoral Care

Azerbaijan British College

Pastoral Care

ABC has an established reputation for excellence in pastoral care. Our approach is holistic and encompasses the academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing of every student.

Pastoral care at ABC starts with our Form Tutors (Secondary) and Class Teachers (Primary & Preschool). They spend the first part of each day with the students and over the year build a strong relationship becoming the key link between school and home. Form tutors/class teachers are overseen by the Heads of Key Stages who organise the tutors and coordinate our pastoral programme through them. In turn, the Heads of Key Stages are managed by the Heads of School.

In addition to this strong pastoral system vertically across year groups, we have a number of specialists that provide additional support.

School Counsellor

Roza Mehraliyeva

School Counsellor

School Counsellors are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. Our counsellor applies her expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help ABC students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. Additionally, our School Counsellor partner with families, teachers, leaders to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community. The Counsellor coordinates the clinical therapy and interventions so that students and parents are supported in resolving issues, with specialists.

The main directions in which counselling services at ABC are provided:

Raising awareness of Mental Health
Psychological Diagnostics and Evaluation to identify needs and coordinate referrals to specialists.
Maintaining good mental health and preventing psychological difficulties (theme trainings or sessions/group meetings)

Advocacy, listening and counselling of students

Child Safeguarding

Nurlana Guliyeva

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) in Preschool

As mentioned in the school’s Safeguarding Policy, ABC wants to ensure that all students of the College experience an inclusive, enjoyable and safe environment, in which they feel respected and valued. In order to enhance a safe learning atmosphere in Preschool, I support the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). As a DDSL in Preschool, I am responsible to raise awareness of the Code of Conduct for the new staff members and respond appropriately and promptly to disclosures or concerns relating to the well-being of a child . I also contribute to the school safeguarding policy and procedures to ensure they remain current and fit for purpose and review process. In addition I ensure that relevant, detailed and accurate written records of referrals/concerns are kept and that these are shared with the DSL and are stored securely. By attending relevant trainings we reinforce our safeguarding knowledge and practice at the same time lead relevant workshops for Preschool staff.

Gunay Huseynova

DDSL in Primary School

As deputy designated safeguarding lead, I assist the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Head of School) in all matters of safeguarding and child protection across the school. I may take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings, and contribute to the assessment of children.

I support the DSL in the following areas:

# Recognize how to identify signs of abuse and when to make a referral

# Respond appropriately and promptly to disclosures or concerns relating to the well-being of a child.

# Support staff who make referrals.

Hijrana Aliyeva

DDSL in Secondary School

I am Hijrana Aliyeva and I am happy to be able to support the children as the DDSL in Secondary.

A child’s welfare is paramount. Each student has the right to be protected from harm and exploitation and to have their welfare safeguarded irrespective of race, religion, ability, gender or culture. Our main goal is to ensure that safeguarding is at the heart of school’s ethos. Our system is based on the principle of providing help for families when necessary and act in the best interests of the children at all times.

PSHCE

Children whose emotional, social and wellbeing needs are being met make for more successful learners.

We make it a main feature of our school to take time each morning or in specific tutorial time, to address their personal, social, health, community and emotional education. This is, for example, to help children resolve conflicts and carry out restorative practices when relationships have broken down. Within Primary School it is all coordinated through the PSHCE Coordinator, within Secondary is is coordinated by the Heads of Key Stages.

PSHCE Primary Curriculum

Student Voice

Tessa Brinkman

Primary Student Voice Coordinator

It is always a pleasure to be able to work with our Student Councils. Students having a voice is an important part of the functioning of any school. At ABC the students are able to express their views through their class representatives and onto the Student Council. The role of the Student Council includes: organizing events, feeding back to the school on new regulation, initiatives and projects as well as actively seeking to advise the school on how to make things better. Currently our School Council collects funds for charity, promotes the well-being of the general student population, promotes student ‘spirit’ and is working towards greater involvement in the function and leadership of the school. As well as the Student Council, in Secondary students also run a student newspaper. The paper is both a source of communication and a way for students to develop their communication and organizational skills.