This page brings together the key pastoral events that take place across the school year and links each one to the leadership behaviours that make it work in practice. The year is organised into five time periods so leaders can see how behaviour, attendance, wellbeing, safeguarding and culture work build over time. Each event has a short summary in the overview below, and further down the page you will find the full description with the linked behaviours and the toolkit guidance that shows how to implement them. This structure helps leaders plan ahead, anticipate pressure points, and align pastoral work with the Everyone Succeeds leadership framework.

The pastoral year is structured into five phases, and the summary below outlines the purpose of each event within its time period.

Pastoral events overview

End of summer term (July)

Year 6 transition visits and induction meetings

Introduction
This event helps new students and their families feel confident about joining the school. Early contact reduces anxiety, builds relationships, and ensures the pastoral team understand individual needs before September.

Why this event matters
Strong transition work supports attendance, behaviour, and wellbeing in the first term. It helps vulnerable students feel known and reassured, and gives staff the information required to provide timely, effective support.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Transition is more effective when tutors, pastoral staff, and SEND colleagues understand each other’s strengths, communication styles, and roles. This allows information about new students to be shared clearly and acted on quickly.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team toolkit
Use the prompts to map who needs which information and who is best placed to act on it. Clarify responsibilities for contacting feeder schools, meeting families, and collating pupil profiles. Apply the communication-mapping questions to ensure staff understand who to approach when issues arise.

C1. Hold high standards
Clear expectations during transition set the tone. Families need to see a school that is organised, consistent, and committed to excellence from the outset.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Use the alignment prompts to ensure uniform, attendance, and conduct expectations reflect school values. Prepare short stories of values in action to share with families during induction. Check all transition communication is framed through clarity, fairness, and pride.

S1. Explain the why
Families and students respond more positively when they understand the purpose behind routines, expectations, and the school’s approach to care and culture.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why toolkit
Use the Why, How, What structure to frame induction presentations. Prepare answers to expected questions using the toolkit’s “potential questions” section. Adapt explanations for students, parents, and staff using the audience prompts.

T2. Ask first
Asking questions before acting builds trust with new families and primary colleagues, and helps identify needs that may not appear in data alone.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First prompts
Use open questions from the toolkit to understand concerns, strengths, and required adjustments. Capture information systematically so it can be shared with tutors and key staff. Avoid assumptions by starting conversations with curiosity rather than advice.

New tutor group assignments and preparation

Introduction
This event ensures tutor groups are established thoughtfully and tutors are prepared with the information and routines required for a smooth September start.

Why this event matters
Tutor groups shape daily support and belonging. A strong start prevents later issues with attendance, punctuality, and behaviour drift.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Assigning tutors well requires understanding strengths, rapport, and the capacity of staff. Matching needs to the right adult ensures students feel supported from day one.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team toolkit
Use the profiling prompts to identify tutor strengths and preferences. Clarify expectations so tutors understand their pastoral role clearly. Use the communication-map questions to establish who tutors escalate concerns to.

C3. Establish routines
Tutor time routines, when clear and consistent, provide stability and predictability for students.
Toolkit guidance: Establish Routines approach
Use toolkit prompts to define the exact steps for tutor time: greetings, equipment checks, notices, reading routines. Practise routines with tutors so expectations are consistent across groups. Use the question “What will staff and students see?” to check clarity.

S7. Communicate often
Frequent early communication prevents misunderstandings and ensures tutors feel supported rather than overwhelmed.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often toolkit
Map core messages tutors must reinforce. Decide channels such as tutor briefings, check-in emails, and quick corridor conversations. Create feedback loops so tutors can share issues early.

Pastoral review of uniform and equipment readiness

Introduction
This event ensures that students arrive in September fully equipped and with the correct uniform, reducing barriers to learning and removing early conflict.

Why this event matters
Clear standards at the start prevent weeks of low-level challenge. A proactive review shows families that the school’s expectations are consistent and supportive.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C1. Hold high standards
Uniform and equipment expectations reflect the school’s culture, pride, and ambition. Maintaining high standards prevents drift.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Use values alignment to ensure guidance is fair and supportive. Capture examples of staff reinforcing standards calmly and share them in briefings. Use the communication section to prepare consistent messages for families.

S1. Explain the why
Families engage better when expectations are framed through purpose rather than enforcement.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why toolkit
Use the Why, How, What structure for letters and website updates. Anticipate common concerns (cost, fairness) and prepare responses. Adapt messages for parents and students using the audience prompts.

L1. Lead by example
Leaders modelling standards makes it easier for staff to uphold them.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example prompts
Stand at the gate during the first week to greet students and reinforce standards warmly. Use visible routines such as equipment checks with your own clipboard or folder. Model calm, positive reinforcement rather than correction-heavy interactions.

Early safeguarding checks for vulnerable students

Introduction
This event ensures that every vulnerable student has the right protections in place before the term starts.

Why this event matters
Early identification prevents crises and shows families that the school takes safety and welfare seriously.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Safeguarding relies on distributed responsibility. Staff need to know who leads, who supports, and who escalates.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team toolkit
Use the mapping prompts to define roles for DSLs, pastoral staff, tutors, and SEND colleagues. Clarify communication lines for escalating concerns. Share relevant information early but safely.

S3. Seek the brutal facts
Safeguarding requires honest appraisal of risks, even when uncomfortable.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts toolkit
Use the data-evidence prompts to gather accurate histories from agencies and primaries. Identify gaps between hoped-for readiness and current reality. Define actions, owners, and timelines using the toolkit structure.

Y3. Manage emotions
Safeguarding decisions are emotionally demanding. Leaders must remain calm, thoughtful, and clear-minded.
Toolkit guidance: Manage Emotions approach
Use grounding techniques before difficult meetings. Apply the toolkit’s reflection prompts to avoid reactive decision-making. Create space to debrief with DSL colleagues when needed.

School development planning for pastoral priorities

Introduction
This event turns pastoral intentions into a structured plan for the year.

Why this event matters
A clear development plan prevents reactive working and ensures pastoral improvement aligns with the wider school strategy.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S5. Establish collective goals
Clear, shared priorities enable the pastoral team to focus on what matters and avoid initiative overload.
Toolkit guidance: Establish Collective Goals toolkit
Define one or two pastoral WIGs. Map how every role contributes to these goals. Create a communication plan so goals remain visible through the year.

S8. Find the lead measures
Lead measures translate pastoral intentions into actions that can be influenced and tracked.
Toolkit guidance: Lead Measures toolkit
Identify lag measures such as attendance or behaviour indicators. Define weekly lead measures such as daily calls or tutor check-ins. Review lead measures in pastoral meetings using the toolkit template.

S6. Focus on the main thing
Pastoral work is broad. Leaders must identify the central priority to avoid dilution.
Toolkit guidance: Focus on the Main Thing toolkit
Distinguish between ongoing objectives and this year’s main pastoral goal. Set three priority objectives with clear key results. Use key results to filter new requests.

SEF writing for pastoral elements

Introduction
This event evaluates pastoral performance honestly and aligns next steps with real evidence.

Why this event matters
An accurate SEF ensures that pastoral improvement plans are grounded in truth rather than assumption.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S3. Seek the brutal facts
A strong SEF requires leaders to examine what is really happening, not what they hope is happening.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts toolkit
Use data-evidence prompts to review attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, and wellbeing. Identify gaps between desired standards and current performance. Define actions, owners, and timelines directly in the toolkit.

S4. Uphold values
Pastoral decisions should reflect the school’s values, especially fairness, respect, and safety.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Use the alignment check to test decisions against values. Capture examples that show values lived out in pastoral practice. Communicate findings using the toolkit’s “how to communicate” prompts.

Y5. Organise for clarity
A SEF must be clear, concise, and structured so staff and inspectors can understand it easily.
Toolkit guidance: Organise for Clarity toolkit
Use the toolkit prompts to structure the SEF logically. Remove duplication and sharpen evaluative language. Ensure conclusions reflect the most significant issues.

September to October half term

Whole school behaviour reset

Introduction
This event re-establishes expectations for conduct, routines, and readiness so the school begins the year with clarity and calm purpose.

Why this event matters
The first weeks of September determine the tone for the whole year. Staff unity and visible consistency prevent behaviour drift and create a safe, predictable environment for all students.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C1. Hold high standards
A reset only works when expectations are ambitious and staff show they believe students can meet them. Strong standards build fairness, safety, and credibility.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Use the alignment prompts to check every expectation reflects school values. Capture early examples of staff modelling high standards and share these stories. Plan how to communicate standards using the toolkit’s communication prompts.

C3. Establish routines
Well-taught routines bring calm and predictability. Students thrive when they know what to expect and how to behave from the first minute.
Toolkit guidance: Establish Routines
Define exact steps for lining up, lesson starts, transitions, and tutor time. Practise routines with staff before students return. Ensure clarity using the prompt, “What will staff and students see?”

C4. Maintain consistency
Consistency prevents mixed messages. Students rely on adults acting the same way every time.
Toolkit guidance: Maintain Consistency
Apply the repeat, model, revisit cycle. Use “go back and check” walkthroughs in the first fortnight. Celebrate examples of consistent staff practice.

S1. Explain the why
When staff and students understand the purpose behind expectations, commitment replaces compliance.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why
Craft launch messages using Why, How, What. Prepare responses to predictable questions. Adapt explanations for students, parents, and staff.

L1. Lead by example
Leaders model the tone. Visibility, calmness, and consistency from leaders set expectations for staff.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example
Be present at gates, corridors, and lesson starts. Demonstrate positive reinforcement and relational interactions. Narrate your thinking to make expectations explicit.

School culture establishment and expectations launch

Introduction
This event formally launches the school’s expectations, values, and culture at the start of the year.

Why this event matters
Culture must be seen and felt early. Clear communication unites staff, students, and families around shared beliefs and behaviours.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S2. Tell the story
Storytelling builds belief. It connects expectations to purpose and helps staff feel part of something meaningful.
Toolkit guidance: Tell the Story
Draft the story using Self, Us, Now. Use authentic examples to build emotional connection. Clarify the single key takeaway you want staff and students to remember.

C1. Hold high standards
Launching expectations requires clarity and confidence. High standards show the school believes in its students.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Check expectations match values of integrity, pride, and respect. Gather examples to show these values in action. Plan how to communicate expectations in assemblies and tutor sessions.

S7. Communicate often
Culture fails if messages are delivered once then forgotten. Frequency builds memory and alignment.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Identify core messages for the first half term. Plan channels such as assemblies, briefings, newsletters, and corridor conversations. Create feedback loops to check understanding.

L1. Lead by example
Staff look to leaders to see whether expectations are lived or just spoken.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example
Model routines and expectations in every interaction. Use visible leadership at key times. Show consistency even when busy or under pressure.

Attendance launch for the new year

Introduction
This event begins the school’s attendance strategy for the year, setting expectations and routines that encourage strong daily attendance.

Why this event matters
Good attendance is a predictor of achievement and wellbeing. Early action stops poor patterns forming.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S8. Find the lead measures
Attendance improves when leaders track what actually drives attendance, such as daily calls and tutor check-ins.
Toolkit guidance: Lead Measures toolkit
Identify lead measures like daily contact for specific students. Assign owners and establish review routines. Link each measure to the lag measure of overall attendance.

C1. Hold high standards
High attendance expectations communicate belief in students and prevent low aspirations.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Frame attendance as fairness, readiness, and responsibility. Use the communication prompts to share expectations with families clearly. Show examples of attendance-linked success.

S7. Communicate often
Families need regular, consistent messages to understand attendance expectations and reasons.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Map core messages for first two weeks. Plan parent channels such as texts, letters, and website updates. Collect feedback from tutors and families.

T2. Ask first
Asking questions builds trust and reveals barriers to attendance.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open questions to understand causes of absence. Create space for honest family conversations. Document barriers carefully to plan next steps.

Settling in checks for Year 7 and new joiners

Introduction
This event ensures new students feel safe, supported, and connected in their first weeks.

Why this event matters
Early reassurance strengthens belonging, improves attendance, and reduces anxiety-driven behaviour.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Year 7 settling depends on coordinated pastoral support, which requires everyone knowing their role.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Map responsibilities for calls, check-ins, and monitoring. Clarify escalation pathways for concerns. Share information sheets with tutors.

T2. Ask first
Listening first helps identify worries that students may not voice unless prompted.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use toolkit prompts to conduct structured pastoral check-ins. Ask “What do you need from us?” Record patterns to share with pastoral leads.

C5. Celebrate successes
Early celebration boosts confidence and reinforces positive behaviours.
Toolkit guidance: Celebrate Successes
Plan early wins to recognise punctuality, kindness, and effort. Use public and private praise to strengthen belonging. Share positive stories with families.

Tutor group routines establishment

Introduction
This event embeds predictable, consistent tutor routines that anchor the school day.

Why this event matters
Strong tutor routines support attendance, organisation, wellbeing, and communication.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C3. Establish routines
Predictable routines reduce anxiety and ensure tutors deliver consistent quality.
Toolkit guidance: Establish Routines
Define exact steps for greetings, equipment checks, reading, notices. Practise these routines in tutor briefings. Use the checklist-style prompt “What will everyone do first?”

C4. Maintain consistency
Tutor time slips quickly if not reinforced. Consistency builds trust.
Toolkit guidance: Maintain Consistency
Revisit routines weekly. Use “go back and check” to support tutors. Share examples of excellent practice.

S7. Communicate often
Regular updates keep tutors aligned and confident.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Establish weekly tutor briefings. Provide short written updates. Ask for feedback about clarity.

First parental engagement cycle

Introduction
The first engagement cycle builds trust and partnership with families early in the year.

Why this event matters
Strong relationships with parents prevent issues, support attendance, and improve behaviour and wellbeing.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S1. Explain the why
Parents buy into expectations when they understand the purpose behind them.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why
Use the Why, How, What structure in letters and meetings. Prepare answers for predictable concerns. Adapt messages for families of different year groups.

C7. Engage parents
Early communication shows parents that the school is proactive, available, and supportive.
Toolkit guidance: Engage Parents prompts
Use simple, consistent communication channels. Provide clear next steps for queries. Plan opportunities for parents to share feedback.

T2. Ask first
Listening to parents builds trust and reveals barriers that may not appear in data.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open questions in early phone calls. Avoid assumptions. Record concerns for follow up.

October half term to Christmas

Attendance and punctuality spotlight

Introduction
This event strengthens attendance and punctuality as routines settle after the first half term. It helps prevent drift and reinforces the importance of arriving ready to learn every day.

Why this event matters
Patterns formed early can become entrenched. A spotlight immediately after half term keeps expectations sharp and prevents habits slipping before Christmas.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S8. Find the lead measures
Attendance only improves when leaders track the behaviours that predict improvement. Lead measures such as daily calls and tutor follow ups change outcomes far more reliably than monitoring lag data.
Toolkit guidance: Lead Measures toolkit
Identify the lag measure you want to influence, such as overall attendance or punctuality. Select lead measures that predict change, such as daily first-day calls or late detentions. Assign owners and create a weekly review routine using the toolkit structure.

C1. Hold high standards
High expectations around punctuality communicate respect, readiness, and belief in students. Standards prevent excuses becoming normalised.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Check that messages about punctuality reflect fairness, respect, and pride. Use the alignment prompts to ensure follow up is consistent. Share stories that show students meeting expectations despite challenges.

S7. Communicate often
Clear, repeated messages prevent confusion and help families understand the importance of punctuality.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Identify core messages such as “Every minute matters”. Plan channels including tutor time, assemblies, newsletters, and texts. Use feedback loops to check whether messages are understood by families.

T2. Ask first
Understanding reasons for lateness or absence helps leaders remove barriers rather than simply applying sanctions.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open questions during conversations with students and families. Capture patterns and share with pastoral teams. Use curiosity rather than judgement to build rapport and honesty.

Behaviour hotspot audit and follow up

Introduction
This event identifies patterns in behaviour incidents across the school and responds with targeted actions.

Why this event matters
Spotting and addressing hotspots early prevents escalation. It also reassures staff that leaders respond quickly and consistently to behaviour pressures.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S3. Seek the brutal facts
A hotspot audit requires honesty and precision. Leaders must look at what is actually happening, not what they hope is happening.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts
Use the toolkit structure to identify the area, evidence sources, gaps, implications, and actions. Examine behaviour logs, staff voice, and observation notes. Plan specific responses with clear ownership and timelines.

C4. Maintain consistency
Inconsistent responses create hotspots. A united approach ensures issues are addressed fairly and predictably.
Toolkit guidance: Maintain Consistency
Revisit expectations with departments. Use follow up visits to check consistency in teaching routines, transitions, and consequences. Celebrate departments showing strong alignment.

S7. Communicate often
Staff must understand what leaders have seen, what actions will follow, and why. This builds trust and reduces frustration.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Share findings clearly and calmly. Outline the plan for addressing hotspots and invite staff feedback. Use multiple channels such as briefings and targeted emails to maintain alignment.

L4. Make it happen
A hotspot audit only makes a difference when leaders act swiftly and decisively. Execution is essential.
Toolkit guidance: Make It Happen prompts
Use the toolkit to break actions into steps. Assign responsibilities and deadlines. Track follow up and check progress through short loops.

Safeguarding mid-year checks

Introduction
This event ensures safeguarding records, referrals, and interventions are accurate, up to date, and ready for scrutiny.

Why this event matters
Safeguarding drift can place students at risk. A mid-year check strengthens systems and highlights where additional support is required.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S3. Seek the brutal facts
Safeguarding requires total honesty. Leaders must face the reality of caseloads, risk levels, and gaps.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts
Review case notes, agency information, and school files. Identify gaps between expected and actual practice. Use the action planning section to allocate tasks and timelines.

Y3. Manage emotions
Safeguarding work can be emotionally heavy. Leaders must stay calm, thoughtful, and grounded during analysis and decision making.
Toolkit guidance: Manage Emotions toolkit
Use grounding strategies before difficult discussions. Reflect using the prompts to avoid reacting from stress. Debrief regularly with DSL colleagues.

T1. Know your team
Safeguarding is a team effort. Mid-year checks help ensure everyone understands their role and capacity.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Map caseload responsibilities. Check clarity over escalation routes. Review how well information is flowing between DSLs, tutors, and pastoral staff.

SEND pastoral review meetings

Introduction
This event reviews pastoral provision for students with SEND and confirms whether adjustments, support, and communication need strengthening.

Why this event matters
SEND students are vulnerable to pastoral drift. Regular reviews ensure fairness, inclusion, and precision in support.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Strong SEND support requires clear roles, shared understanding, and coordinated work across SEND and pastoral teams.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Use the toolkit prompts to clarify roles for SENCOs, tutors, TAs, and pastoral leads. Map communication pathways. Identify strengths and gaps in collaboration.

T2. Ask first
Understanding barriers for SEND students requires listening to pupils, families, and teachers before acting.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use structured questions from the toolkit during SEND reviews. Encourage staff to share observations before offering solutions. Record concerns so they can be turned into precise actions.

C1. Hold high standards
High expectations ensure SEND students are not limited by assumptions. Fairness means ambition combined with appropriate support.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Check that decisions uphold fairness, inclusion, and respect. Share stories of SEND students achieving success. Plan communication with families that reflects values clearly.

Celebration and rewards events before Christmas

Introduction
This event recognises effort, attendance, behaviour, leadership, and contribution during the first term.

Why this event matters
Celebration strengthens belonging, reinforces positive behaviours, and motivates students before the Christmas break.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C5. Celebrate successes
Celebration turns values into visible behaviours. It shows students that effort is noticed and success is shared.
Toolkit guidance: Celebrate Successes
Identify which achievements best reflect your values. Plan both public and private recognition. Use a mix of certificates, assemblies, phone calls, and displays.

S7. Communicate often
Sharing celebrations widely strengthens culture and builds positivity across staff, students, and families.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Plan communication channels such as newsletters, assemblies, and social media. Tell stories that illustrate the values behind achievements. Use the audience map to tailor messages for different groups.

L1. Lead by example
Celebration feels more meaningful when leaders show genuine warmth, presence, and appreciation.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example
Be visible and enthusiastic during celebration events. Use personal comments that show you know students. Model gratitude and positivity.

January to Easter

New year pastoral reset

Introduction
This event refreshes expectations, routines, and relationships after the Christmas break. It helps students return to school calmly and reconnect with the structures that support learning.

Why this event matters
Behaviour often dips after long breaks. A reset prevents drift, re-establishes clarity, and helps students settle quickly so lessons can start strongly.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C1. Hold high standards
Consistency in expectations helps students understand that standards do not change over time. A firm start in January narrows gaps and prevents poor routines from embedding.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values toolkit
Use the alignment prompts to check messaging reflects fairness, pride, and respect. Share examples of high standards from the autumn term to reinforce belief. Plan communication that reinforces specific expectations, such as uniform, punctuality, and behaviour.

C3. Establish routines
Routines may have slipped during the break. Re-establishing them quickly gives students a sense of stability and purpose.
Toolkit guidance: Establish Routines toolkit
Revisit exact steps for lesson starts, corridor movement, and tutor time. Practise routines with staff during the first briefing of the term. Use a simple checklist so tutors reinforce the same routines each day.

S1. Explain the why
Students and staff engage more positively when they understand why routines are being reinforced, especially after a holiday.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why
Use Why, How, What when speaking to students in assemblies. Give staff the same core narrative so the message is unified. Prepare concise responses to predictable questions such as fairness or new rules.

L1. Lead by example
Visible leadership communicates calm, care, and confidence. Staff look to leaders for cues about tone and consistency at the start of a new term.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example
Be visible at gates and corridors. Model calm correction and positive reinforcement. Demonstrate the standards you expect to see.

Mid year attendance intervention cycle

Introduction
This event identifies students whose attendance has fallen and puts support, communication, and intervention in place for the rest of the year.

Why this event matters
Mid year data often reveals hidden patterns. Early intervention prevents further decline and helps families re-engage before problems become entrenched.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S8. Find the lead measures
Attendance improves when leaders focus on the actions that drive change, such as daily check-ins or targeted follow up.
Toolkit guidance: Lead Measures toolkit
Identify key lead measures, such as morning calls or mentor support. Assign ownership to pastoral staff. Use weekly reviews to monitor progress and adjust actions.

T2. Ask first
Understanding reasons behind absence helps leaders choose supportive, not punitive, actions.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open questions in meetings with families. Record barriers and patterns systematically. Use the insights to choose the correct lead measure.

C1. Hold high standards
A clear attendance expectation shows students that being present matters for success.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Frame attendance expectations through responsibility and fairness. Use the values alignment prompts to guide messages to families. Provide examples of students who improved attendance and achievement.

S7. Communicate often
Regular communication prevents misunderstandings and reinforces expectations.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Create a communication plan for phone calls, messages, and letters. Update families weekly with attendance summaries. Gather feedback to check clarity.

Behaviour consistency walk

Introduction
This event checks consistency in routines, behaviour expectations, and adult responses across the school.

Why this event matters
Consistency strengthens culture. When behaviour expectations are applied fairly, students feel safer and staff feel better supported.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C4. Maintain consistency
A consistency walk assesses alignment. Without alignment, pockets of variation create confusion for students.
Toolkit guidance: Maintain Consistency
Use the toolkit’s repeat, model, follow up structure. Share strengths with staff and reinforce these examples. Plan short, supportive follow up in areas needing improvement.

S3. Seek the brutal facts
The walk only helps if leaders are honest about what they see.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts
Observe without assumptions. Gather evidence from staff voice and behaviour logs. Use the toolkit structure to record findings and plan next steps.

L1. Lead by example
Staff mirror leaders. Calm presence communicates that behaviour is a shared, supportive priority.
Toolkit guidance: Lead by Example
Model quiet, supportive walkthroughs. Notice positive behaviour explicitly. Demonstrate a calm tone when addressing issues.

Student leadership recruitment and training

Introduction
This event identifies and trains students for roles such as prefects, mentors, or ambassadors.

Why this event matters
Student leadership strengthens culture, raises aspiration, and amplifies student voice.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Knowing which students are ready for leadership helps ensure diversity, fairness, and strong representation.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Use prompts to map strengths and areas for development. Check communication lines so leaders understand who supports them. Plan mentoring for students who need guidance.

C5. Celebrate successes
Recognition encourages students to see leadership as meaningful and valued.
Toolkit guidance: Celebrate Successes
Create routines for acknowledging leadership achievement. Use certificates, assemblies, or letters home. Share stories that showcase leadership in action.

S1. Explain the why
Students engage more deeply in leadership when they know the purpose of their role.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why
Describe why student leadership matters for culture and community. Use Why, How, What in training sessions. Prepare examples of past student leadership impact.

Parental engagement cycle before Easter

Introduction
This event strengthens communication with families in the middle of the year, supporting attendance, behaviour, and wellbeing.

Why this event matters
A mid year cycle helps families feel involved and ensures concerns are addressed early, long before summer pressures begin.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S7. Communicate often
Families feel respected and included when communication is regular and predictable.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Identify core messages for attendance, behaviour, and support. Plan consistent communication channels. Use feedback loops to refine clarity.

T2. Ask first
Listening to parents uncovers barriers that might not appear in reports or logs.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open questioning during meetings. Log patterns and share with pastoral teams. Ask parents what support they feel would help most.

C1. Hold high standards
Parents respond better to conversations framed through belief in their child rather than deficit thinking.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Ensure messages reflect fairness, kindness, and high expectations. Prepare clear next steps for students and families. Share positive examples of the child’s strengths.

After Easter

Pastoral exam readiness checks

Introduction
This event ensures that students are emotionally, practically, and organisationally ready for the exam season.

Why this event matters
Exams can create stress, avoidance, and anxiety. Early pastoral checks help identify students who need support, ensuring they enter exam rooms feeling prepared and confident.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T2. Ask first
Students often carry worries that they will not share unless asked. Asking first uncovers hidden barriers to exam readiness.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use open, supportive questions during check-ins, such as “Which part of the exam season feels most manageable for you?” and “What worries you most right now?” Share patterns with pastoral and academic leads so support is targeted and timely. Record student responses systematically to track progress.

Y3. Manage emotions
Students mirror the emotional tone of adults. Calm, grounded support reduces panic and helps students regulate their own emotions.
Toolkit guidance: Manage Emotions toolbox
Use grounding strategies in small group sessions. Train staff to recognise signs of anxiety and respond calmly. Encourage students to practise breathing or reframing techniques covering before, during, and after exams.

C1. Hold high standards
High pastoral standards ensure that students approach exams with organisation, punctuality, and focus, which reduces stress.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Frame revision and attendance expectations through ambition, pride, and responsibility. Share values-based stories of effort and resilience from previous students. Use alignment prompts to check all messages are fair and motivating.

Year group wellbeing and stress support

Introduction
This event provides structured wellbeing sessions, stress management guidance, and pastoral support for students during demanding points in the year.

Why this event matters
Wellbeing dips can affect attendance, behaviour, and learning. Proactive support reduces crisis referrals and helps students develop coping strategies.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

Y3. Manage emotions
Students need emotionally regulated adults when coping with stress. Leaders must model calm and show students how to manage their own responses.
Toolkit guidance: Manage Emotions
Teach grounding practices, perspective-taking, and reframing strategies. Use toolkit reflection prompts to help staff prepare emotionally difficult conversations. Encourage staff to use calm tone and body language that models stability.

T2. Ask first
Listening first reveals unmet needs and ensures students feel seen and supported.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Use structured wellbeing check-ins based on toolkit questions. Give space for students to share concerns without interruption. Record concerns and follow up with targeted pastoral actions.

C5. Celebrate successes
Celebrating progress during stressful periods boosts motivation, confidence, and morale.
Toolkit guidance: Celebrate Successes
Recognise students who show resilience, kindness, or consistent effort. Use a mix of public and private praise. Share examples with families to strengthen partnerships.

Post exam behaviour and attendance stabilisation

Introduction
This event ensures that, after exams, students maintain strong behaviour and attendance during an often unsettled period.

Why this event matters
The weeks after exams can see dips in routine, conduct, and motivation. Clear pastoral guidance keeps the school calm and focused.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

C4. Maintain consistency
Consistency prevents behaviour drift. Even when curriculum pressures shift, routines must remain stable.
Toolkit guidance: Maintain Consistency
Reinforce expectations in assemblies, tutor sessions, and briefings. Use “go back and check” walkthroughs to support staff. Highlight examples of strong post-exam routines.

S7. Communicate often
Regular reminders help students understand that the year is not finished and standards still matter.
Toolkit guidance: Communicate Often
Plan weekly messages for staff and students. Use simple, repeated language that reinforces expectations. Gather staff feedback to adjust communication as needed.

S1. Explain the why
Explaining the purpose behind continued expectations increases buy in and reduces frustration.
Toolkit guidance: Explain the Why
Use the Why, How, What structure to explain that strong routines protect learning time, safety, and fairness. Adapt messaging for year groups who may feel “finished”. Share stories of students who maintained high standards post-exams.

Tutor group changes planning for next year

Introduction
This event allocates students to new tutor groups or prepares necessary adjustments for the following academic year.

Why this event matters
Careful planning ensures fairness, balance, and appropriate support, reducing pastoral issues the following September.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

T1. Know your team
Assigning tutor groups requires understanding staff strengths, student needs, and group dynamics.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Use the profiling questions to match staff to groups. Clarify tutor roles and capacity. Share draft lists with key staff to identify possible issues.

T2. Ask first
Seeking insights from pastoral and SEND colleagues helps avoid mismatches.
Toolkit guidance: Ask First
Ask for feedback on proposed groupings. Encourage staff to raise concerns early. Document concerns to inform final decisions.

C1. Hold high standards
Clear and fair criteria protect the integrity of the process.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Use values alignment to check decisions are fair and inclusive. Communicate criteria to relevant staff clearly. Model transparency and professionalism.

Pastoral review and case transfer meetings

Introduction
This event prepares the pastoral team for the next academic year by reviewing key cases, transitions, and required support.

Why this event matters
Strong case transfer prevents students from falling through gaps during summer and into the new year.

Leadership behaviours that support this event

S3. Seek the brutal facts
Accurate case review requires honesty and a clear understanding of what worked and what still needs attention.
Toolkit guidance: Seek the Brutal Facts
Use the evidence prompts to examine attendance history, behaviour logs, and external agency reports. Identify gaps and implications. Create clear handover notes using the toolkit format.

T1. Know your team
Knowing which staff will manage which cases ensures continuity and confidence in September.
Toolkit guidance: Know Your Team
Clarify who leads each case next year. Map communication expectations. Highlight strengths and areas where new support is needed.

S4. Uphold values
Values guide difficult decisions, especially when cases are complex.
Toolkit guidance: Uphold Values
Use value-alignment prompts to ensure decisions reflect fairness and care. Share examples where values-based decisions protected students. Plan communication with families that reflects respect and honesty.