Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

Counselling

At Tokomairiro High School, we understand that wellbeing plays a key role in a child’s success. Due to this, we have a full-time counsellor available to work with students and their whānau around their mental and emotional wellbeing needs. This is an easily accessible and completely confidential service. Students can be referred to the counsellor by parents, teachers and the student themselves. The counsellor has a range of roles but their main focus is on supporting students with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Counselling at Tokomairiro High School offers:

  • Mental and emotional support

  • Financial assistance

  • Stress management

  • Student advocacy

  • External referrals

If you have any concerns about a young person at Tokomairiro High School, please get in touch with the counsellor directly. This can often be done without disclosing where the information has come from.

We also have a strong guidance and pastoral care network to support our students. Our aim is to make the school a safe place, where students and staff feel valued and are able to reach their full potential.

The foundation of our Pastoral Care Network is the House Group Teacher, reinforced by the Deans and Guidance Counsellor.


Peer Support Program 

Our Peer Support Programme is a cornerstone of our school community.  Based on the tuakana-teina relationship, our older or more experienced senior students (tuakana), take on the role of guiding and supporting their younger counterparts (teina).  Practically speaking, this means that our senior students, specially trained as peer support leaders, meet weekly during the first term to assist our Year 7 students with the transition to high school.

Through this model, our senior students offer invaluable assistance and mentorship to our Year 7 students as they navigate the transition to high school. Tokomairiro High School embraces the concept of ako, where teaching and learning go hand in hand, so the roles of tuakana and teina will often interchange.  This means that mutual respect and growth within our school community thrives.  

Through group discussions, activities, and one-on-one interactions, our senior students help junior students adjust to life at our school. This invaluable support not only aids in the transition process but also cultivates essential relationship skills, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.