Pastoral Care
Meet Our Pastoral Team
Our pastoral team leads the physical and emotional welfare of children.
We aim to identify issues early and deal with them effectively.
We want each of our pupils to be safe, happy, engaged and performing to their full potential while integrating well with others.
We support staff in caring for children, and provide training in new initiatives.
Whole School Support
Respect and kindness are modelled by staff around school.
The Jigsaw programme of study is used to learn about PSHE. This brings together personal, social and health education with emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development.
Children have adults they can turn to if they are worried. Worry boxes are regularly checked and responded to when children feel they would rather raise an issue without speaking.
Times of day, breaks and lunches are planned to provide children with a positive experience and all children have access to regular snacks and drinks.
Breakfast is offered to any child who is hungry on arrival.
Toilets are kept clean throughout the day to encourage regular use.
Mental health and well-being events are arranged throughout the year and displays are evident around school.
Teaching Assistants offer a range of mindfulness and well-being activities.
Children and staff are encouraged to:
keep active;
take notice of the world around them;
connect with others;
keep learning new things;
give to others;
keep safe online;
to get support with health issues.
We encourage high attendance. We use first day response when a child is not in school. Our Education Welfare Officer supports families in ensuring regular daily attendance.
We refer to external agencies if we feel there is a risk of harm, or a need for additional support at home or school.
We use restorative justice to resolve incidents and build relationships. This might involve considering: what happened, what you were thinking and feeling at the time, who has been affected, what harm has been done, what do you need in order to move on and feel better, what needs to happen now to put things right? These questions are intended to help children to find a positive outcome for themselves from negative events. Central to this is developing our children's ability to form positive relationships.
Year Group Support
Year groups invite visitors into school to help support with pastoral needs. This includes support with friendships, resilience, antibullying, road safety, emergency services, first aid and resilience. Our partners in health provide support with puberty and secondary schools support with transition. Each class sets aside time to talk through issues that may have arisen and look for ways to solve problems together.
Peer Group Support
Some children have needs which are better met in small groups. Children who are young carers, have an upsetting childhood experience, who are or who have been looked after by the local authority or have special educational needs receive group support where they can share their thoughts and take part in a range of therapies, art, drama, play, lego, music, etc.
Individual Support
We provide individualised support from experienced practitioners in school, and also from relevant specialised agencies, including The Fillippi Trust, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and independent counselling services.
Family Support
We offer support with claiming benefits and have access to food bank vouchers for any family in need. We can signpost to a wide variety of organisations that can help with housing, school uniform, employment, further and higher education and training and health. We work closely with pre-school providers, Children’s Centres and Catholic charities such as the St Vincent de Paul Society. We are able to provide financial support with trips, specialist instrumental music lessons, sports, holiday, breakfast and after school clubs. Any child without access to a device to connect them to online learning is able to borrow one from school.
Click here for Safeguarding information.
Click here for Events in the Pastoral Year
Food Parcels
St Helens Together have weekly children's food parcels in lieu of school meals that can be delivered to the pupils home address.
Call 01744 676767, pressing option 1 for food enquiries, specifying that a child is eligible for free school meals.
Click here to find out more about food parcels.
Home learning
It can be difficult to teach a child at home. If you are finding some days difficult then have a look through these helpful booklets.
Click here for an Anxiety UK booklet on how to support a child with anxiety.
Click here for an NSPCC booklet on how to deal with stress and anger in the home.
Prevent Duty
Click the links below to find two leaflets detailing indicators and signs that a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be exposed to extremism or is being drawn into terrorism. They may be useful if you feel someone you know is being radicalised or give some guidance/advice when making a PREVENT Referral.
