Helping Children Succeed

One of the strengths of Stoke by Nayland Free School will be its commitment to excellent pastoral care 

We believe that for children to succeed academically, they have to feel supported, secure and respected as individuals. Stoke by Nayland Free School pupils will receive excellent pastoral care in a relatively small secondary school setting that will enable staff to get to know their pupils as individuals.

The school will work in partnership with the families of all its pupils.

Parents will be informed at the start of every year of the names and contact details of the teachers who have direct responsibility for the pastoral care of their children when in school.

Tutor Groups

All pupils in the senior years of the school will be part of a Tutor Group.  Tutor Groups are different from subject classes - they’re more like "social groups", and provide support and encouragement for the child outside the classroom. The tutor who leads the group will be able to develop a unique understanding of the strengths and needs of the child.

Year 7

The first year at secondary school can be an anxious time for some pupils. To make it as comfortable as possible, our specialist Head of Year 7 will work with local primary schools and parents to plan smooth transitions.

Years 8 and 9

There will be Head of Year responsible for the pastoral care of Year 8 and Year 9 pupils. These two year groups are divided into eight tutor groups, each with a mix of pupils from Year 8 and Year 9.

Years 10 and 11

Pupils in years 10 and 11 will be in 8 mixed tutor groups. There will be specialist Year 10 and year 11 tutors, working under the guidance of the Head of Upper School.

The Head of the Upper School will ensure that Year 11 pupils are properly prepared for the next stage of their education.