Pastoral Care

Boarding at Earlscliffe is exciting, friendly and lively; there is always something to do, someone to chat to, or something to share. Our boarders are happy and relaxed, enjoying a home away from home in beautiful Folkestone. Surrounded by the sea, town, hills and countryside, it is just as likely you will find yourself walking carefree along a sunny beach as chatting and drinking a coffee, sat outside a busy shopping centre.

A happy student means a student who will achieve her or his full potential, and, set within our historic buildings in stunning Folkestone, this is exactly what we aim to do here in our small, bespoke, caring environment.

Find out more about boarding here.

When students first arrive at Earlscliffe, they may have travelled a long way and initially feel far from home. However, with a structured and supportive induction programme, Earlscliffe quickly becomes their home away from home, and our family ethos radiates through each member of staff they meet.

Our vertical House system means that older students become mentors for younger students, and teaching and pastoral staff alike are trained to spot any worries or problems before they become significant. Earlscliffe truly is a student-centred place, focused on the specific needs of each young person here, with a purpose-built system which fosters a uniquely supportive British culture.

We are focused on both the physical and mental health of our students and have a dedicated Wellbeing Room where the School Nurse is based. We also have access to external GP/doctor and dentistry services, which can be booked via the School Nurse. Students can be accompanied by a staff member to these appointments if needed.

At Earlscliffe, every student matters and we aim to ensure that every student succeeds.

Our goal is to develop independent-minded young men and women, eager to continue their studies and take their places as thoughtful citizens of the world. We believe that in the process of preparing and guiding young people towards intellectual growth and moral spiritual awareness, the beginning is everything. We seek to develop students’ abilities to work effectively, to communicate articulately, to approach life with a sense of competence, and to use to the fullest the gifts each of us has. We are a close-knit community, working together to cultivate young minds and hearts.

We understand that every student is different, and that some students will need a little extra support to help them to reach their full potential. We welcome students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, mental or physical health issues, and those for whom English is a second language. We also have experience in educating students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). We have well-developed monitoring systems to assess and track all students’ progress. This ensures that barriers to learning are quickly identified and minimised.

Earlscliffe has a SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator), who works closely with both teachers and students to plan appropriate levels of support. Please tell us about your needs when you make your application, so that we can discuss how the college can support you.

Our staff nurture and care for our students, while also encouraging their independence and looking to send them out into the world as confident young adults, ready to take on the myriad challenges that life in the 21st century brings.

Our system is simple: each student belongs to one of six beautiful houses, with their own dedicated House Manager, who live alongside the young people in their care.

When you arrive at Earlscliffe, you will be greeted by your House Manager and settled into your room. From that moment onwards they will become your point of contact for any questions, big or small, and will be there to support you during your educational journey here at Earlscliffe. Their details will also be confirmed to parents and guardians in the first few days. 

During all times outside of school hours; Monday to Friday before 08:30 and after 4:30pm, throughout the night and at weekends we have a team of boarding house staff who look after the wellbeing of our students. House Managers, or cover House Managers monitor every house and our students are expected to register at designated times to confirm they are present. Students away from school for any reason must be signed out in advance and any overnight stays away from school or any missed lessons must be confirmed by a parent or guardian using the required forms which are on the parent portal.

House Parents are supported by the School Nurse, whose role encompasses not only the physical health of our students, but also their mental health and emotional well-being, building the resilience, determination and grit needed to thrive in today’s competitive world. The Nurse is situated in our Wellbeing Centre, which offers students a place to talk, as well as a dedicated Medical Room for those students requiring supervision or daytime bedrest.

We believe there should be continuous communication between college, student and parent to ensure we are working towards shared objectives, and this approach is integral to our ethos of pushing for results while providing all the help and guidance needed along the way.

Our tutoring set-up provides a close, friendly and constructive means to monitor the progress of each student. Group Tutors hold regular meetings with students, discussing academic progress, general welfare, university applications and more.

The Group Tutors help set a positive tone for each student’s day. As well as making sure that the students are ready for the school day, group tutors introduce events and competitions, as well as monitoring the students’ independent academic work via supplementary online courses and our non-academic support program VESPA.

There are three Heads of Year at Earlscliffe who are responsible for looking after those students in their year group. They liaise with Group Tutors and are the next point of contact for a student who has an academic or pastoral issue. Heads of Year have a weekly meeting with the Head of Boarding and Pastoral Care and are in regular communication with parents, guardians and staff. The three Heads of Year are all experienced members of the team and have an excellent rapport with students, staff and parents alike.