A great benefit of being a small school, compared to larger establishments, is that each pupil is known to all staff, from the ladies serving lunch to the Head of School and all in between. This means each child can be valued and ‘seen’ by the adults responsible for their care. Our most recent Inspection Report (November 2022) graded our pastoral care as ‘Excellent’.
Pastoral Care
OVS is like an extended family. Every adult working in the school sees each child as an extension of their own family, always putting their needs first.
School Listener
The children can look to any adult in school for support at any time. We also have a dedicated School Listener who is there to support any child who is feeling upset or anxious for any reason.
The Three Knock Rule
At OVS we say we are a “telling” school. This doesn’t mean we tell tales. Instead it means we will tell someone and speak up when we have a problem.
We also operate The Three Knock Rule. This gives every child access to the Head Teacher at any time they need support. At any time during the school day a child can visit the Head, knock three times on her study door and will be seen immediately, to solve any issues that are causing anxiety or unhappiness.
Pastoral House System
There is a vibrant house system at OVS, including children from Nursery right through the school to Year 6. We have four houses called Amber, Derwent, Dove and Wye. There are weekly and termly house competitions for children. These include the House Music Competition as well as sporting events.
At the Old Vicarage School pupils are placed into one of 4 pastoral Houses – Amber, Derwent, Dove and Wye. The Houses are named after our local rivers and are represented by the colours yellow, red, blue and green respectively.
All members of the same family i.e. brothers and sisters are placed in the same House, for their time at the Old Vicarage School. Each House is run by a Class Teacher and is assisted by a Year 6 pupil. This pupil is elected House Captain by fellow House members in an annual vote.
Meetings take place once per week and House groups work together for competitions throughout the academic year. Whole school events include House Music and Sports Day, amongst others. Behaviour over and above expectations earns ‘Coins’. Each House counts up the ‘Coins’ achieved by members during a week and the winning House points can be gained by awarding special house ‘coins’ for positive individual efforts both inside and outside the classroom. When awarding a coin it should be remembered that what may be a miniscule achievement for one child, is a big step forward for another, and the reward should be appropriate to the child’s individual effort.
Coins can be awarded for excellent academic achievement or improved effort, for acts of kindness or service to others or notable endeavour in any aspect of school life. Coin totals are collected and recorded weekly for each child and an overall total is recorded for each house. Children are informed of overall weekly totals and individual children’s highest totals each week at the Friday Awards Assembly. The House that collects the highest number of coins over a term is treated to a party and pizza lunch together.
Assemblies
There is a whole school assembly each Monday, usually relating to a moral issue or an upcoming event in the liturgical year. Alternatively, it might be an important festival from a world religion. Monday assemblies are also used to introduce charitable drives and initiatives.
On Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, there is a class assembly where topics ranging from study skills through to PSHEE matters are discussed.
The ‘Star of the Week’ award goes to a child (or children) of the school who has made an exceptional contribution in some way to the school. This can be awarded at any time during the week.
Friday’s Achievement Assembly is the highlight of the week. All children come along to celebrate achievements in reading, writing and extra curricular activities. Children are encouraged to bring out of school awards to share and they love to celebrate the achievements of their friends. Coins are counted as house points and we find out who the weekly winner is as houses battle it out to win the termly Pizza Party. Birthdays are celebrated and those brave enough take on their Times-Tables badge and Geography badge in front of the whole school!
