At The Ridge School, we truly live by our motto: “Where boys are known and grown.” But what does this actually mean? At our school, boys are never lost in a sea of numbers and names. With small classes and dedicated staff, we make the effort to develop a meaningful relationship with each boy on his journey throughout prep school, as well as cater to his academic, social and emotional needs.
We can also achieve this with pastoral care, which creates a feeling of safety and belonging in our boys. With the ever-present pressures of society, The Ridge School prides itself on delivering an environment that not only develops 21st Century learners but boys who are adaptable, empathetic and self-aware.
Taking The Journey Together
Unlike most mainstream schools, we have a Pastoral Care team dedicated to seeing the holistic child and providing emotional support on each boy's unique journey. They are essentially the champion for each boy, providing reassurance for him when he feels he needs a shoulder to lean on within the school environment. However, we believe that in order to be known and grown, each child should be ‘seen’ by many eyes for his overall growth and wellbeing. This is why every staff member at The Ridge is part of this journey.
Our Pastoral Care team is passionate about guiding boys, parents and teachers to ensure that each young learner has a meaningful, uplifting time at the school. Research has shown the correlation between feelings of safety and academic success, which is why each member helps monitor our boys’ academic and emotional development so we can make his time happy and engaged in the learning environment.
For example, if your son is struggling to make friends, is dealing with a death in the family or is generally struggling to adjust to the adjustments of big school, our Pastoral Care team members can pick this up from regular contact with class teachers. By breaking down the roles of pastoral carers into specific areas, we can focus more on the individual needs of each boy who joins our family.
Personalised Interventions Delivered With Care
Once we have gained an in-depth knowledge of the individuals in our care, we can tailor interventions that will assist in helping each boy through the personal issues they are facing. Our goal is that each boy should leave The Ridge with many happy memories of friends and learning and knowing that he has grown as he has progressed through his prep school years. When you entrust your son to our care, we strive to make him feel like he was part of a family and that he eventually leaves knowing that he could not be a better version of himself.
Call The Ridge School in Westcliffe, Johannesburg at 011 481 5800 for more information on pastoral care or to enrol your son in our boy-centric prep school.