College Life: Pastoral Care

Denstone - one of the UK's leading boarding schools Safeguarding Children Policy

As a Christian school within the Woodard family of schools, we recognise that our students are more than minds that need nurturing or bodies that need training. As they grow up, we recognise their need to come to terms with their spirituality too – who they are before God. This is the basis of a genuinely holistic education. At Denstone College, we are pleased to offer spiritual care as part of our pastoral care and support to our students, their families and staff. Our full time Chaplain offers support to the whole community. This is provided both formally, through timetabled events, and informally on an optional or personally requested basis.

This page describes how the spiritual provision across the school community operates and how you can take advantage of it on your own terms.

Setting clear boundaries for personal conduct is also an important part of the overall pastoral care of our pupils. Some of the more important policies that provide this guidance can be found by clicking this link: Policies.

What we mean by Spiritual Care
Spiritual care can mean different things to different people. A common theme seems to be a search for meaning and purpose in life, trying find answers to the big questions of life - Why are we here? Is there a God and what is God like?

Such questions are often raised when there are times of change and significant events in our lives. Helping people through these times is part of what spiritual care is about.

We recognise that the provision of such care and support is important for everyone, with or without Christian commitment. You can be certain that whatever support and care you need, you will be listened to, respected and accepted.


Our approach to spiritual care
We hope to provide spiritual care for anyone connected with our school community, where it is possible to do so, irrespective of their beliefs. The point of call for spiritual care is the Chaplain.

The Chaplain will offer several levels of care. 

  • Simply someone to talk to
Sometimes this is all we need. This happens naturally on a day-to-day basis as part of the House and School system.  We just need to talk and this happens when it needs to. 

Sometimes we need a little more. We need to speak with someone in a safe place somewhere we can safely talk about things knowing that they will not go any further. Our Chaplain will honour confidentiality as an Anglican Priest and will listen in a non-judgmental and respectful way. The Chaplain offers this as part of the professional and caring team who are there to serve and support you in many different ways.

  • The Chapel and Prayer
The Chapel is always open and is available as a quiet, holy space for the students, their families and staff to use. Candles are available for lighting in prayer for people or situations you are concerned about.

If there is someone you would like to be prayed for by name, please let the Chaplain know and they will be remembered. There are prayer requests slips available for you to request this at the entrance to the chapel.

There may be times when you would value praying with someone either for yourself, your family or for someone you are concerned for, or a situation that needs to change. The Chaplain is here for times like this too.

For some, the regular and formal practice of confession can be very helpful. This is available to anyone who needs to feel the quieting of conscience and certainty of forgiveness. It maybe that the Denstone community has the advantage of being a step away from your home community and at times may feel a safer place. Speak to the Chaplain to arrange a time.

  •  Whole school worship
Whole school worship is open to all and is at the following times:

Tuesday, 1.50 pm Whole School Devotion
Friday, 17.00 pm Whole School Eucharist

You will find out the details of special events, such as Easter services, Christmas Carol concerts, Remembrance and leavers services, as part of routine school communication.

  •  Marking special occasions
It’s one of the best things about being human is the desire to celebrate and give thanks for the good things in our lives, to commemorate family occasions - births, anniversaries and to mark good news. Denstone chapel is a beautiful place for bringing such occasions before God and the Chaplain is always open to help explore how best to celebrate!!!

  • Spiritual care for non-Christian faiths
We are also aware that spiritual care within other faiths or traditions may be needed, especially for boarders. If this is the case, the Chaplain will gladly help to facilitate the appropriate professional ministry you require.

Educational Opportunities

It is very common for us to reach a point in our lives where we start to ask questions about our own faith – what do we really believe in? Where do we turn?

For students, there are several opportunities for them to explore their own faith in non-confrontational and open ways. These include:

  • Religious studies lessons. For forms one and two, there is a single timetabled lesson every week, taken mainly by the Chaplain. Forms three to five have two timetabled lessons provided by the RS Department staff, which lead to a GCSE in Religious Studies. Religious Studies AS and A level is an option for the senior school.

     
  • Confirmation preparation. During the Lent term there is the opportunity for students to be prepared to take responsibility for their own Christian commitment. This consists of a series of workshops exploring what it means to profess and live the Christian faith. There is a Confirmation service at the Chapel, where the Bishop confirms candidates.

     
  • Informal discussion groups. There is an informal discussion group that meets at Wednesday lunch time to explore whatever topics the group raises.

     
  • Opportunities for students to shape their world. These are offered as activities and includes the following possibilities:
i. Working for change – engagement with world and local issues, fair trade in school etc.
ii. Faith in action - offering community service to the local village and area
iii. Seeking to creatively express faith through music, art etc…
iv. Arranging exchanges and visits with schools in developing countries

It is not unheard of for families of students to want to explore for themselves their own faith. The Chaplain is very happy to facilitate opportunities to do this where there is a demand for it.

The Chaplain is here for the community. Please ask!

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace.