Tutor Time

Tutors are a crucial person in the lives of students in Key Stage 3 as they are a daily point of contact. As well as getting to know their students well, tutors deliver instructions and give clear guidelines in tutor time on how to prepare for the school day, how to do homework to the set time, and they answer the questions that tutees have for them on a daily basis. Prefects are invited into tutor time to deliver helpful information and often do surveys with students as a way of involving them in the school community.
Many tutors, at all Key Stages, meet with students in smaller groups. We encourage a tutor 1:8 scheme in Key Stage 3 in which the tutor meets with eight or so students whilst their tutor group do other activities with older prefects. Teachers spend time developing a picture of our students’ social skills within a small group, enabling students to share information about life outside of school, and it gives the tutor a chance to discuss work/life balance more informally. Students in each form work towards a lower school assembly once a year which is to a decided theme for that particular year group.
Charity Fairs are organised in tutor times as well as the famous banner for Sports Day.

PSHE lessons

PSHE lessons tackle certain issues appropriate to each age group. Further information can be found about this on the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum part of the website menu. Click here to view the PSHE and Citizenship page. 

Charity Events

All students through their tutor groups are encouraged to partake in at least one charity event a year. The school chooses a number of charities every year and in the summer term, representatives from the charities receive a cheque for the amount raised by the school. Students are immensely keen and proud to be involved in these events and staff are often involved as they draw in the crowds!

These charity events encourage students to be more empathetic and outward looking as they develop into global citizens.

Mentors

Many of the older students in Year 11 want to help others who are concerned about school life or friendships – these are the peer support prefects. They have volunteered to drop into tutor groups to discuss anything.

We have senior link prefects in the 6th form who are keen to support students with any issues including bullying.

We also have academic mentors who have volunteered to help students in each subject offered at South Wilts or with general organisation. They have referral forms in the LRC which can be filled in by students and posted in a box in the LRC.

Each Year 7 class has four Year 7 6th form prefects who organise tutor activities, help with events such as the year 7/8 disco and generally look out for their tutor group.