Imagining a ‘next future’ for pastoral care in education: a ‘wishlist’ for developments over the next 40 years

ABSTRACT In this short reflection I propose a ‘wishlist’ of educator competences and strategies to develop good practice in pastoral care over the next forty years. The starting point for this examination is to consider the legacy of theory and practice from the twentieth century which I consider alongside recent global events to ascertain the trajectory of developments in the field. In establishing a foundation for my argument, I draw on Marland’s assertion that pastoral care should be so central to educational institutions that it is the lynchpin around which other functions are organized. Within this framework of a whole-school approach I identify three dimensions, calling for the development of more inclusive classrooms together the foregrounding of educator-student relationships as key conduits for pastoral care. Finally, in responding to the global challenges that humanity faces, I argue for development of students as ‘leaders of tomorrow’, to enable co-operation and dialogue across the world.