After a swift lunch, which I have to say is rather good, I am back behind my desk printing up the agenda and previous minutes from the last Pastoral Meeting. This is where the keen-eyed staff comment on the pupils we are charged to support. We spend time discussing eating disorders, mood swings, homesickness, changes in behaviour and how friendship groups are being formed or are falling apart. These are the serious aspects of the job, which when done properly mean the team can swing into action and implement support and care on an individual basis.
The flipside of these meetings is when we discuss the sanctions amassed over the week and how we can hold back the tide. We start with the case of the cracked window. Jackson was ‘just swinging his foot’ when it made contact with the glass and shattered it. This happened at the same time Potter alleged Jackson tried to kick him but wasn’t fast enough, missed and made contact that made a cracking sound. Potter cannot be sure it was glass or a younger boy eating a noisy bag of crisps. The decision is made to contact Jackson’s parents with a bill and a detention note and, if they request it, the footage of their little darling power sliding headfirst into the glass while his three mates filmed.
The next case we look at investigates a complaint about Bagshot’s tennis balls going missing and later reappearing cut in half…
