Pastoral
Primary
Secondary
At Blanche Nevile Secondary, we pride ourselves on providing a warm, inclusive and supportive environment where every student feels known, valued and safe. We all closely with students and families to promote wellbeing, build positive relationships and ensure that barriers to learning are addressed quickly.
Across the school, students are supported by a range of positive Deaf and hearing role models and are encouraged to communicate openly with trusted adults whenever they need help. We create a culture where every member of staff plays a role in supporting students, ensuring that young people know who they can turn to for guidance and advice. Where additional support is needed, we regularly signpost and work alongside specialist services to ensure students receive the help they need to thrive both in and beyond school.
Alongside this pastoral support, we are committed to creating opportunities for personal growth and development. Through leadership roles, enrichment activities, student voice initiatives, careers education and wider school experiences, students are encouraged to develop confidence, independence and resilience. We create spaces where communication, teamwork, self-advocacy and problem-solving skills can flourish, helping our young people become well-rounded individuals who are prepared for the next stage of their education and future lives.
House Teams
Blanche Nevile House Teams
Our House Team system promotes belonging, leadership, participation and pride across the school. Houses are named after deaf role models and are reviewed every three years, helping our students celebrate Deaf identity, achievement and community.
All students belong to a vertically organised House, bringing together pupils from different year groups and creating opportunities for mentoring, teamwork and friendship.
House Teams are linked to our PROUD values – Potential, Respect, Opportunity, Unity and Deaf. Students earn House Points through Arbor for demonstrating these values, with points contributing to both individual and House success.
Through House Teams, students can take part in a wide range of activities including charity events, competitions, sports, student leadership opportunities and whole-school celebrations. Our annual programme of Inter-House events encourages friendly competition, teamwork and participation, ensuring there is something for everyone.
House Captains play an important role in leading their teams, encouraging involvement and helping to promote the values and ethos of Blanche Nevile. The House system gives students a voice and opportunities to develop confidence, responsibility and leadership skills.
At Blanche Nevile, our House Teams help create a warm, inclusive community where every student can belong, thrive and be proud.
There are four Houses at Blanche Nevile:
Pastoral Curriculum
At Secondary, we deliver a structured pastoral curriculum during tutor time each Tuesday. This follows an annual calendar that links key themes, awareness events and national campaigns with our wider curriculum, ensuring that learning is relevant, purposeful and responsive to the needs of our students.
Each Monday, students attend an assembly that introduces the focus theme for the week. Tuesday's pastoral sessions then provide an opportunity for dedicated time to explore these themes in greater depth through discussion, reflection and targeted learning activities. This enables important topics to be taught, revisited and reinforced, helping students to develop a deeper understanding of issues that affect their wellbeing, relationships, personal development and place within society.
Pastoral discussions are closely linked to Blanche Nevile's values and vision, promoting respect, opportunity, unity, deaf identity and the achievement of each student's full potential. Sessions provide a safe and supportive environment where students can share perspectives, develop confidence in expressing themselves, strengthen their self-advocacy skills and build positive relationships with their peers and staff.
Student Council
The Student Council provides students with a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard and contribute to school improvement. Representatives from each class meet regularly to share ideas, discuss issues raised by their peers and work with staff to help shape school life.
At Blanche Nevile, the Student Council promotes leadership, responsibility and self-advocacy. Through this forum, students learn that their views are valued and that they can make a positive difference within their school community.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Personal Development
We are proud to deliver our bespoke 'PSP Curriculum', which encompasses PSHE, Skills for Life, and Preparing for Work. This carefully designed programme is mapped progressively across the secondary curriculum, with students accessing dedicated lessons within each strand to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for successful adult life.
The PSP Curriculum has been specifically developed to meet the unique needs of deaf children and young people. It draws upon recognised specialist frameworks, including the Personal Understanding of Deafness (PUD) programme developed by experienced Teachers of the Deaf for British Association for Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) , the specialist Deaf Curriculum, and the Deaf Studies Framework. These elements ensure that students develop a strong understanding of themselves as deaf individuals, build confidence in their identity, and acquire the self-advocacy skills needed to navigate an increasingly diverse world.
The curriculum is aligned with the Equalex Framework, ensuring that our careers education and employability provision are fully mapped against the Gatsby Benchmarks. Through a carefully sequenced programme of learning, students develop independence, resilience, communication skills, financial awareness, employability skills and an understanding of the opportunities available to them beyond school.
Our PSP Curriculum reflects our commitment to providing the very best preparation for adulthood. By combining specialist deaf education with high-quality personal development, PSHE and careers education, we ensure that every student leaves Blanche Nevile as a confident, well-rounded and ambitious young person, equipped with the knowledge, skills and self-belief to thrive in further education, employment and the wider community.
