Mentor Period
The central purpose of Mentor Period is to contribute to each student's personal development across their time at Highworth, in line with the school’s REACH ethos. As part of the vertical tutoring system this will include developing each student's identity as part of their Learning Community.
Mentor Period is conducted on a daily basis for 25 minutes. Each Mentor Group is led in an activity by their Mentor, which follows a planned termly overview, to ensure consistency of student experience across each Learning Community. Students are expected to participate in these sessions as they would in any lesson.
Aims of Mentor Period
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Core Aims of Mentor Period |
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Reflective, creative and innovative |
To explore issues in the wider world in order to become more informed of relevant community, national and global events |
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Eager for life-long learning |
To develop character traits that enable students to be resilient in the face of obstacles such as leadership, initiative, responsibility and problem solving |
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Aiming to achieve their full potential |
To establish and re-evaluate ambitious goals of both an academic and personal nature in order to encourage self-reflection and self-discipline |
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Considerate, confident, independent individuals |
To develop positive relationships with peers across different ages, growing the necessary skills to collaborate with and learn from others |
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Happy in a caring, respectful community |
To participate in Learning Community and whole-school activities, contributing positively to the wider life of the school, and encouraging others to do so |
Content of Each Session
Each term has a key theme, decided by the Directors of Learning. Students may also contribute to Mentor Period through their roles as Prefects, Community Coaches or as part of the Student Equality Team.
Themes will link to broader PSHE themes of Living in the Wider World, Relationships and Health and Wellbeing. As indicative examples, themes may be based on: Global Awareness Days e.g. European Day of Languages; school events e.g. Children's Mental Health Week; supporting mental and physical wellbeing; our school’s SIRIUS Careers programme; promoting cultural diversity e.g. Black History Month or school culture days.
Mentor Themes for 2025-26
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Term |
Dates |
REACH Theme |
Overall Themes |
Key Activities |
Personal Development Focus |
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Term 1 |
Sep-Oct 2025 |
R Reflective, creative and innovative |
Welcome Back, Good Habits, European Day of Languages, Black History Month, Community reflection & fundraising activities, safety online and around school. |
Mentor Group achievements box, LC Day, Board decoration, Community boards judging, Literacy task, creating poppies for Remembrance day |
Teamwork, Learning about Highworth community & charities, Leadership, Reflecting on last year, Goal setting, SMSC (social, cultural), Literacy skills |
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Term 2 |
Nov-Dec 2025 |
E Eager for life-long learning |
KYCC Elections, Remembrance, Lifelong Learning, Christmas Assembly |
Voting (KYCC), Learning conversations, Black History Month, Poppies outside, Winter windows, Community competitions (Christmas theme), Big Quiz |
Character development (voting, politics, leadership, conflict resolution, respect, British values, cultural awareness), Creative problem solving, Teaching others |
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Term 3 |
Jan-Feb 2026 |
A Aiming to achieve their full potential |
Aiming to Achieve Full Potential |
Children's Mental Health Week, Safety Online, Aspirations, Holocaust memorial day, |
New Year’s resolutions, yoga, Designing games (community competition), Revision timetables, Aspirations (TED talk, family discussion, career exploration) |
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Term 4 |
Feb-April 2026 |
C Considerate, confident, independent individuals |
World Book Day, International Women's Day, Healthy Living |
Healthy living project, Learning conversations (female role models), Community competition, World book day, Bunting SWAPS. Launch of Traitors |
Curiosity, Seeking improvement, Creative solutions, Health & relationships, SMSC (spiritual, social, cultural), Literacy skills |
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Term 5 |
Apr-May 2026 |
H Happy in a caring community |
Safety, Children’s Mental Health Week |
Community Garden, Community Traitors, Fake news. |
Responsibility for own happiness, Supporting British Values, SMSC (spiritual, cultural), Literacy skills |
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Term 6 |
Jun-Jul 2026 |
Celebration and success |
Pride, Summer Safety, Celebration & Success |
Student highlights of the year, Brain training, Thank a teacher day, Looking forward speech, Banners, Big quiz of the year, REACH awards, Sports & Rounders Day |
Reflecting on achievements, Future goal setting, Celebrating success, SMSC (cultural, social, moral), British Values, Literacy skills |
The Role of the Mentor
The role of the Mentor is to facilitate each student's personal development across their time at Highworth, in line with the school’s REACH ethos. Being a Mentor is a key part of our vertical tutoring Learning Community system whereby personal development is encouraged through learning from and collaboration with others.