Pastoral care is at the heart of Epsom life. It goes beyond academic results and focuses on ensuring our students feel safe, supported, understood, and part of a caring community. By guiding them through challenges and celebrating their successes, pastoral care helps students grow into confident, well-rounded and balanced individuals who are ready to contribute positively to the world beyond Epsom.
Pastoral care begins with the House system, which gives each student a strong sense of belonging. In their Houses, pupils are supported by Housemasters and Housemistresses who know them well, providing guidance and encouragement in both their personal and academic lives. This structure allows every student to feel part of a smaller “family” within the school, where friendships flourish and responsibility is shared.
Another important part of our pastoral care is the tutoring system. Tutors meet regularly with their tutees to monitor progress, discuss wellbeing, and offer advice. They are also a first point of contact for parents, helping to build a strong partnership between home and school. Alongside this, our PSHE programme provides students with the tools they need to manage modern challenges, from resilience and time management, healthy lifestyles and digital safety.
Each week, Wellness Wednesday gives students time to pause, reflect, and focus on their wellbeing. We also run themed weeks, such as Mental Health Week and Kindness Week, which open up conversations, strengthen our community, and highlight the importance of looking after ourselves and each other. These opportunities add to the supportive environment that allows our students to grow in confidence and flourish both in and out of the classroom.
Students themselves play a big part. Peer mentors, wellbeing prefects, and House leaders support their peers at Epsom. Their leadership has helped to normalise conversations about mental health and strengthen the school community.
At Epsom, pastoral care is not separate from learning, it is the foundation of everything we do. By offering guidance, recognising achievements, and nurturing wellbeing, we create an environment where students thrive. Our aim is simple: to ensure that every young person leaves Epsom not only with strong academic results but also with the confidence, resilience, and compassion to succeed in life.
Mrs Katherine Fowler
Deputy Headteacher, Pastoral Care and Student Well-being