Shiplake College is renowned for delivering outstanding pastoral care. This reputation has been built and maintained over a sustained period of time, largely due to the belief in a holistic approach to education shared by all staff and other members of the College community.
Pastoral care at Shiplake is primarily built upon the House system. All pupils in Year 9 and above join one of the five core Houses at the heart of College life. Orchard and Skipwith predominantly welcome day pupils while boarders are generally housed in Burr, Everett or Welsh.
These Houses are supplemented by separate Lower School and Sixth Form Houses. Boys joining in Year 7 become Olympians, Titans or Spartans and attend the majority of lessons as a House. Sixth Form girls are members of Gilson House, while Year 13 boys reside in College.
Each House is run by a Housemaster or Housemistress who is always on hand to offer their support to pupils in all academic, co-curricular, emotional and social domains. They are ably supported by other leadership staff, the House Matron and a dedicated team of tutors.
A significant strength of the College is that every staff member takes the time to get to know each pupil individually. This allows them to gain an understanding of individual preferences and concerns, and offer help where necessary. The pastoral care committee meets regularly to ensure that no pupil slips through the net.
The provision of support, advice and guidance spans across all areas of College life. Staff interact with pupils in the classroom and more informally in Houses and around the campus. Established structures are in place which monitor pupils’ academic and social progression. All aspects of development are discussed openly with parents, including a regular reporting cycle and year group parents’ conferences. Less formal channels of communication are also utilised, with Housemasters and teachers all easily accessible to parents.