lunch in the House

Whilst it is easy for a school to say that they provide good pastoral care, Malvern College places it at the heart of its busy daily life. At all levels whether it is in the classroom, in tutor groups, in the houses or in the social side of the school, the welfare of the individual is a priority.
The ten Houses are run along family lines. From early in the morning to late in the evening the pupils are provided with a level of care and support far exceeding many schools. Meals are taken within the Houses which reinforces the family atmosphere. As one experienced housemaster comments. “Housemasters and Housemistresses at Malvern have so much interaction with the pupils in their care, particularly at meal times, that they immediately notice if anything is wrong. In this way one is able to reduce or remove anxieties before they build up”.

The excellent tutor/mentor system is now well established at Malvern and it has been introduced into some other schools. Each pupil in the junior years, (years 9,10 and 11) are in a small tutor group made up of pupils in the same year group. It is typical for such tutor groups to be about ten in number. The group meets formally each week for the completion of academic tasks, a review of academic matters or to discuss and debate a range of issues such as global warming, international conflict, the misuse of drugs etc. Often the topics are more lighthearted and include the uses of IT, films and popular music. The group will also meet informally with their tutor for fun activities such as bowling, cinema trips or the popular pizza party.

In the Sixth Form our more mature students are able to chose a member of staff to be their personal tutor/mentor. This member of staff is someone who will guide the young man or lady through the academic rigour of A levels or the IB, and help them with their university choice and application. However, the tutor/ mentor is not just someone who assists with academic matters. As someone who has been chosen by the pupil he or she builds a strong friendship with their tutees and meet up regularly both within the school day and socially. These friendships, which will often involve parents, may last for many years after the pupil has completed his time at the school.


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