Pastoral

Pastoral care is central to life at MCS and underpins everything we do.

Our aim is to ensure that every pupil is happy, supported, and able to flourish. All staff contribute to this shared responsibility, creating a warm and purposeful environment in which pupils can thrive.

We foster a culture of openness and respect, where pupils feel safe to share concerns and confident these will be treated with care, discretion, and the appropriate course of action. This ethos shapes all of our interactions and underpins the strength of our pastoral care.

We believe a strong, three-way partnership between pupil, parent, and school is the best way to support pupils, and parents are encouraged to engage fully with our community through a range of events – including inductions or information talks on subjects such as choosing GCSEs and online safety.

Our pastoral structure offers multiple points of support to pupils in school:

Tutor Groups

Every pupil belongs to a tutor group of around 12–18 pupils in their year group, led by a tutor. The tutor is the primary point of contact for pupils and parents, although all staff members are happy to offer help and support when needed. The number of tutor groups per year varies by section: six in the Lower and Middle Schools, 12 in the Sixth Form.

Each year group is overseen by a Head of Year, who leads the tutor team and provides broader pastoral leadership. Heads of Year meet weekly with their Head of Section and are supported in their pastoral care by the Director of Safeguarding and the  Usher.

Houses

Every pupil belongs to one of six houses, allocated loosely by geography to support friendships to flourish outside of school, as well as ease of travel. The houses are named after former pupils who lost their lives in World War I and World War II, and are Callender, Chavasse, Leicester, Maltby, Walker-Dunn, and Wilkinson-Blagden.

Pupils remain in their house throughout their time at MCS and compete in a wide range of house events – from music, drama, and sport– which bring the community together and foster a strong sense of belonging. Each housemaster plays a central role in leading and supporting pupils throughout their time at MCS.

Lilium (PSHCE)

‘Lilium’ – taken from the school motto, ‘Sicut Lilium’, ‘Like the Lily’ – is our bespoke PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship, and Economic Education) programme.

All pupils from the Second to Fifth Forms have a weekly Lilium lesson, supported by talks from visiting speakers across all year groups, including the Sixth Form. Tutors follow up on these talks in group discussions, giving pupils space to reflect and ask for further support where needed. The programme helps embed key life skills and contributes significantly to the wider pastoral care of our pupils.

Lilium

Medical Centre

Open from 7.30am until 6pm on weekdays during term time, the Medical Centre is a key point of support for both physical and mental health. Our four registered nurses offer care and guidance and, where necessary, refer pupils to external support, including school doctors, the John Radcliffe Hospital, or the school counsellors.

Medical Centre

Chaplaincy

The Chaplain, Revd Dr Andrew Shamel, supports all members of the school community, of all faiths and none, and is always pleased to discuss a pupil’s particular spiritual needs. His presence complements the pastoral structure, offering wisdom, care, and spiritual support to pupils, staff, and parents. He leads Chapel, which also serves as a whole school assembly, four days a week throughout the year. It is a valued part of the weekly programme, bringing all pupils together and allowing time and space for reflection in a busy, purposeful environment.