The development of an ethos of academic care is about creating the structures, both formal and informal, that cater for the developmental learning needs of students. Such an approach celebrates individual difference in the belief that academic care will not only underpin improved academic performance but will also build confidence in the ability to learn. For over 30 years the economic field has been all pervasive. Human endeavour seemed entrapped by the demands of efficiency and the profit motive. The language of nurture and care, language that forms such an essential part of educational discourse, was consumed by economism. It is now time to redefine educational practice to celebrate pedagogy and learning. The development of an ethos of academic care is one way in which educators can start to redraw the boundaries. This paper draws together a number of disparate themes based on my observations over many years. They are based on my various roles as a curriculum leader, syllabus writer and teacher, as well as my discussions with parents and students concerning digital learning technologies. The essential premise is that academic care matters and that therefore schools need to commit to its strategic implementation. It is a contention of this paper that there is a renewed role for the house group teacher as "learning hero" in a structure that is based on an ethos of academic care.