At The Sanders Draper school every student is important. We take great pride in our reputation as a caring school and work hard at creating good relations between students, parents/carers and all adults in the school. Discipline is firm and fair, with emphasis on politeness, commonsense and regard for others.

Central to this is our well developed pastoral care, which has received praise from many external inspections.

The form tutor has a major role in the school's pastoral organisation and is supported by the Head of Year and a link member of Senior Staff. Each student is well known to a small group of staff who are able to monitor progress, to offer guidance and support as required and to liaise with parents/carers. In this way every student is encouraged and supported to realise their full potential and to develop their talents in various fields.

Whenever possible Heads of Year and the Form Tutor stay with the same students throughout their time at school. Consequently the school prides itself on being a friendly school with an excellent working atmosphere and high standards of behaviour. This is reflected by the positive comments we hear from visitors to the school.

Learning Mentors play a vital role in supporting targeted students as their needs are identified.

Encouraging students to take responsibility is one of the main ways in which we develop their personal and social skills; consequently the students themselves are encouraged to play a key role within the system of pastoral care. Senior prefects run the Listening Service which is available at certain times each day and provides student support to any student with concerns. Prefects are linked to lower school tutor groups so younger students have a mentor they can turn to for support and advice.

We have a developed Year and School Council system where each tutor group has a representative on the Year Council and each Year Council has two representatives on the School Council. Both groups meet regularly each half term to discuss ways of improving the school and other issues of concern to students. We also have student representatives on the Governing Body.

We are very much a partnership between students, parents and the school.