Pastoral Care Team
Aim of the Pastoral Care Team
At Thrapston Primary School we want everyone involved with our school to feel well supported. We believe that good pastoral support focuses on nurturing the individual needs of each child. We aim to build trusting relationships with all our children and their families, with our school REACH values (Respect, Empathy, Ambition, Collaboration, Honesty) at the heart of everything we do.
All our staff model to pupils how to look after themselves and others; encouraging them to seek help, support or advice whenever they need it. We are a ‘talking school’; we encourage our children to share their concerns at all times. At Thrapston Primary, we understand the importance of enabling the voice of the child to be heard to promote safeguarding and well-being.
Our Governors, School Leaders and Staff understand that sometimes life can be really tough for children and things like falling out with friends, keeping up with excellent behaviour, getting to school on time or coping with difficult circumstances out of school can get in the way of their learning.
We wish all our pupils to be happy in the school environment as this can have a positive and empowering effect on their ability to learn. All members of staff have responsibilities for the general welfare of pupils. In addition to this, we have our Pastoral Care Team.
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We have already achieved the Northamptonshire Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TAMHS) Bronze and Silver awards and in January 2023, we were delighted to achieve the national Wellbeing Award with Optimus Education. Further information can be found on the menu to the right.
pastoral care team
- Mrs Sharon Webb is the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO) and Deputy Head. As part of this role, she monitors SEND teaching, learning and assessment. She can make referrals to other agencies to support children with particular needs. sharon.webb@thrapston.net
- Miss Kristina Graham is our full-time Designated Safeguarding Lead. kristina.graham@thrapston.net
- Miss Julie Gothard is the Senior Student Support Officer and is ELSA trained (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant.) Julie coordinates the Early Help Assessments (EHA) and she is always happy to discuss any issue that is affecting your child or your family. julie.gothard@thrapston.net
- Mrs Claire Golding is our Student Support Officer, delivering interventions and supporting children individually or in small groups with their emotional and social needs. Claire also supports the children who come to the Hub at lunchtimes. claire.golding@thrapston.net
examples of the pastoral care team's work
- Listening to children and discussing anything that is worrying them
- Helping to raise a child’s confidence and self esteem
- Developing emotional literacy and building resilience
- Encouraging children to do their best in school and setting targets
- Developing social skills and helping to manage friendship issues
- A range of academic and social group interventions
- Nicola Thomson, our school counsellor, comes into school weekly to support children.
- We also have a Play therapist, Kerry Mattock.
the hub (helpful understanding base)
To best support our pupils, families and staff we have also introduced our HUB (Helpful Understanding Base).
The HUB was established as the school felt it would benefit from:
- A room where children could go if they needed to calm down or talk to someone;
- A calm recovery room for children to go to if they need to come out of class, to benefit themselves and the other children in their group;
- Somewhere that children could work without distraction;
- A dedicated area where we can deliver small supportive group sessions;
- An additional place for children to access during break and lunchtimes when required.
- A dedicated space to offer pastoral support to staff to support wellbeing and mental health;
- A room to be able to meet with parents and carers for informal coffee mornings or appointments;
- A welcoming space to facilitate Parenting Support Programmes offered by external providers.
other support available for children
As a school, we also support children in the following ways:
- School Council - Pupils are elected by their peers. Children are fully aware of the role of the elected school councillors and are encouraged to regularly bring their views and ideas to their Class Representatives.
- Pupil Voice: Surveys are carried our regularly with children where they respond to questions related to feeling safe at school. The outcomes of these surveys are then used to inform interventions and practice within the school to promote the voice of the children.
- ‘Worry Monsters/Worry boxes’ in every class in KS1 and KS2, so children can feel safe to share any worries.
- Peer mentors are very visible in the playground at lunch breaks.
- Bully Busters
- Playground helpers
- Friendship benches.
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