We take pastoral care of all our students very seriously at Oak Hill. Whilst we are not the church, which is Jesus' front-line for pastoral care, we are a community that bears his name. 

Students come to Oak Hill in many different modes, and this affects how College fits in their pattern of pastoral care. Many students move away from a sending church to come here, distancing them from that normal place of care. It takes time to be well known in a new church, and College needs to care for them in that transition. Others stay very much rooted in home church pastoral care structures, and College’s role will be lighter touch.

Our commitment to pastoral care is grounded in four key convictions:

  • First, we believe we have a duty of care before God for those entrusted to us as students.

  • Second, as a college preparing people for life and ministry in the church, we want our relationships to be authentically Christian, including appropriate pastoral concern.

  • Third, we see pastoral care as formative: experiencing it well is itself part of the training our students receive.

  • Fourth, as a Higher Education institution, we are committed to supporting each student’s mental health and general wellbeing, shaped by a distinctly Christ-centred understanding of care.

Together, these commitments shape how we seek to support students pastorally throughout their time at Oak Hill.

How pastoral care works at Oak Hill

Oak Hill’s pastoral care structures broadly reflect the pattern found in the local church, where care is exercised at several complementary levels. Together, these ensure that students are supported relationally, pastorally, and practically during their time at College.

  1. Much pastoral care takes place informally as students live and study alongside one another. As flatmates, classmates, and neighbours, students naturally come to know each other well, and the Spirit of God prompts genuine care as relationships deepen. This mutual concern is a vital and inseparable part of Christian life together and is strongly encouraged at Oak Hill. However, it is not intended to stand alone.

  2. For full-time students, Fellowship Group tutors play a key role in pastoral care. Tutors seek to remain aware of the pastoral realities of their students’ lives as they listen, pray, love, and encourage them. Full-time students should normally feel able to approach their tutor in the first instance with any pastoral need. Tutors may respond directly or help discern where additional support would be beneficial. Tutors are supported in their role by the Director of Pastoral Care. 

  3. Part-time students have a faculty member committed to their care, but their involvement is lighter, reflecting that only a proportion of the students’ time is spent at College.

  4. Any student, full or part-time, is always welcome to approach the Director of Pastoral Care at any time. The Pastoral Associate for Women Students is also available each week for full-time women students.

Andrew Nicholls

Director of Student Pastoral Care

Elidh Cook

Pastoral Associate for Women Students

Ellidh is the Minister for Students at All Souls, Langham Place

These colleagues may offer guidance on next steps, provide ongoing pastoral support themselves, or help students consider appropriate sources of support beyond the College including NHS or private secular counselling, biblical counsellors, and healthcare professionals. Students are always free to pursue such support independently, and many do so. 

Where new diagnoses or insights emerge during a student’s time here, these can be shared—if the student wishes—with the College, often in conversation with the Director of Pastoral Care and, where relevant to academic matters, the Academic Office. This enables the College to respond more wisely and to provide care that is both well-informed and distinctively Christian.

Mental Health

There are times when many of us experience anxiety, low mood, or emotional distress in ways that do not feel normal or healthy. Such experiences can raise important questions about our mental health and wellbeing. At Oak Hill, we want students to feel able to acknowledge these struggles and to seek support when needed.

Mental health concerns exist on a spectrum, and noticing changes in how you are thinking, feeling, or functioning can be a helpful first step. Further information, including a self-reflection tool to help students think about their mental health, is available on the college intranet. 

Pastoral Care Policy

All of the College's formal pastoral care should be conducted in accordance with our Pastoral Care Policy which is shared with all students and staff. 

Safeguarding

See also the College Safeguarding Policy and the Reporting Concerns page for explanations of how College structures work in related areas of College life. 

Find out more about fellowship groups

Fellowship Groups