Expectations and Wellbeing
The British School Kathmandu has made a commitment to upholding the wellbeing and welfare of our students. Our school embraces the unique and individual strengths of each child so that they may find their own personal excellence, as well as their personal place within our school and the wider community.
In their approach to learning, we expect that each of students embraces a ‘growth mindset’ to ensure they are striving to achieve personal excellence and contribute to a kind school environment. You will find more information on how we assess students’ approach to learning in our reporting guidelines and below is an outline of what we believe a growth mindset approach entails.
An excellent learner will consistently:
- Seek to understand strengths and areas for development and challenge themselves to improve;
- Make changes to their approach after responding to feedback and support;
- Go above and beyond the work set, for example attend extra rehearsals/ practices or carry out additional research on a topic;
- Have the confidence to take risks;
- Be inquisitive and creative, exploring new ideas and innovations;
- Contribute fully to groups and teams, demonstrating kindness and compassion to other community members.
In order to be an excellent learner, attendance and punctuality are vitally important. Regular attendance at school is crucial to help students achieve and get the best possible start in life. Students who frequently miss school often fall behind. There is a strong link between good school attendance and achieving good results. For example, according to UK statistics, only 12% of pupils with below 80% school attendance achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and Maths, compared to 68% for pupils with attendance greater than 95%.
Additionally, good attendance at school shows potential employers that a young person is reliable, and we are required to report attendance on university applications or applications to other schools.
Parent support is critical in ensuring students attend and achieve well in schools, just as it is with punctuality, which is also important for long term student success.
Arriving on time for school and class means:
- Students don’t miss out on important learning activities that happen early in the day when they are most alert;
- Students learn about routines and commitment;
- Students have time to organise themselves for the morning lessons before classes start, meaning they are more likely to have a productive day;
- Students have time to greet their friends before class, reducing the possibility of disruptions in the classroom later on;
- Disruptions to learning when students arrive late that can make them feel uncomfortable and can upset other students, are minimised;
- Students have a positive start to the day, rather than feeling rushed, or embarrassed to walk in late to a class that has already started.
If we notice a pattern of low attendance or punctuality emerging, we will immediately contact parents to let them know of our concerns and offer our support where necessary.
Our pastoral care system focuses on the wellbeing of the whole student including their long term academic, personal and social development. In the secondary school, the mentor is the primary pastoral care giver, supported by specialist teachers, support staff and the Pastoral Leadership Team. Our PSHE curriculum also provides our students with the opportunity to develop the values and morals we believe will help them thrive in an ever-changing world.
The following documents outline the policies and practices we have in place to safeguard the wellbeing of our students: