5 DEC 2024

Seaford's Inaugural Young Pastoral Leaders' Event

Sharing knowledge and best practice for peer mentor programmes.

This term Seaford held its first Young Pastoral Leaders’ Networking Event aimed at schools sharing knowledge and best practice about their peer mentor programmes. 

Ten schools from across three counties attended the hugely inspiring conference. Jo Forman, Assistant Head (Safeguarding and Wellbeing) DSL at Seaford, welcomed the young mentors and praised the students for the hugely positive impact they have on the lives of pupils and the supportive culture of their schools. 

Seaford’s Peer Mentor team leaders opened the conference by describing to delegates how the College’s programme worked, the kinds of situations they might encounter in school and the support they received from staff. 

Students from other Prep schools and Senior Schools explained how their programmes worked and how they were selected. Delegates heard from students of all ages from Amesbury School, Churcher’s, Duke of Kent, Guildford High School, Lord Wandsworth, Hurstpierpoint, Roedean, St John’s Leatherhead, Westbourne House and Highfield & Brookham. 

Students talked about how the help they had been given had inspired them to become peer mentors, or ‘peer listeners’, or ‘wellbeing champions’, or ‘pastoral prefects’, or ‘pastoral friends’ as they are variously called at the different schools. 

The schools’ pastoral teams described the importance of what they do, from simply being a ‘friendly face’ and listening to students, to working with staff and outside organisations such as charities. They added that the experiences and training they had received while being mentors had helped them to grow as people, as well as with their duties. 

Students then had a chance to network with each other and explain to the whole conference some of the challenges they had faced, what their strengths were as mentors and possible changes they might make to their programmes. 

Finn MacDonald, Senior School Lead Peer Mentor at Seaford, said: “It was great to have so many schools at the event, and we can take ideas from each other and keep in touch in the future.” 

Jo Forman said: “This was the first of the leadership events and it was all about collaboration and making all of the programmes better so we can further support the students.” 

Thanks to all the schools for coming long to Seaford and making it such a success. And thanks to Colleen Hayes, Seaford’s Charity and Community Coordinator, who led the organisation of the event.