NAPCE News – July 2022
NAPCE News – July 2022
Making a positive difference to young people through pastoral care
FEATURE ARTICLE: NAPCE Secretary Jill Robson Reflects on Introducing Personal and Social Education in the 1980s
Personal reflections on the introduction of PSE in the 1980’s – by NAPCE Secretary Jill Robson
As the National Association of Pastoral Care in Education celebrates its 40th anniversary it seemed a suitable time to reflect on one of the main developments in education that the association promoted.
Over the last 40 years the pastoral curriculum has evolved to encompass many aspects of student’s development, be it health, careers, citizenship, drug education or internet safety.
Today most schools have a programme which includes most of these guidance issues.
The recognition by OFSTED of the importance of Personal Development has undoubtedly helped the cause of PSE programmes within schools, but for those of us who were teaching in the 1980’s when NAPCE was formed, it was often harder to establish and justify a tutorial programme.
In the early 1980’s as a young teacher in a secondary school I took on the role as a tutor.
I was frustrated by the wasted time during the registration period each morning while year groups took it in turns to have assemblies in the main hall.
There was no official policy for activity at this time from senior staff and the head of year’s role was very much a behaviour management one.
I tried various activities with my group but these were done on an ad hoc basis and I felt that there must be a better and more productive way to use this time.
Shortly afterwards I embarked on a pastoral care course at Durham University which gave me access to the education library which proved a treasure trove of relevant resources and information.
It was here that I first came across NAPCE in the form of their journal “Pastoral Care in Education”.
I also discovered the “Active Tutorial Work” books by Baldwin and Wells which provided a year group programme from year 1 (year 7) to year 5 (year 11).
In addition, there were other materials such as Button (1974 and 1981), Hamblin (1978 and1981), Hopson and Scally (1981).
Reading through editions of the Journal I found that my experience was echoed by others who wished to provide a “pastoral programme” for their students and the early Journal provided numerous articles on the subject.
When I became a head of year I decided to introduce a planned pastoral programme for my tutors to deliver.
The early journals recounted situations where a school bought a set of Active Tutorial workbooks for their tutors and “let them get on with it”.
Unsurprisingly this did not prove to be an effective strategy, however the ATW books were a catalyst for the organised pastoral programmes that followed.
They were developed in Lancashire by a team of tutors working under the direction of curriculum development officers and were designed to meet the needs of teachers for guidance and materials to make more constructive use of tutorial periods and to help students’ personal development.
Much of the material in the books was based on work already done by both Leslie Button and Douglas Hamblin, both of Swansea University.
The interest in this project from teachers in other authorities was widespread and the team were persuaded to make the material more widely available.
Consequently the resource books were published in 1979 to cover the five years of secondary education.
Following publication, the concept of ATW spread through most parts of the country and its effectiveness was assessed and evaluated on many occasions.
Several of the articles appearing in Pastoral Care in Education – the journal of NAPCE, since it was first published in February 1983 have tackled this issue.
In an article in February 1984 Brenda Hotham recorded her approach to developing a constructive programme of guidance for use with her tutor group.
She used a variety of sources and produced a developmental approach to the work.
In the June edition Margaret Barber reported on how a secondment was spent developing tutorial work.
For her focus she chose the role of the tutor “realising that much of the strength of tutorial work is dependent on a good form tutor”.
She was also involved in training given for tutors using the ATW books and commented that “a course I attended led by Jill Baldwin on skills for ATW showed me the value of participating in these activities before using them with my tutor group.”
In February 1985 several reports published in the NAPCE Journal looked at the evaluation of ATW.
Graham Tall from the University of Birmingham evaluated the introduction of ATW in a city comprehensive by using staff interviews and questionnaires.
He found that overall the response was positive, particularly from staff who had attended training courses.
Bolam and Medlock (1985) evaluated the introduction and use of ATW by LEAs in England and Wales.
Their overriding conclusion was that in order for ATW to become established, the support of the head was essential and there should be a coordinator at senior level and a team of teachers who were committed and prepared to take risks and also that appropriate training was given.
There was a constant need to assess and evaluate tutorial work in an attempt to show that its existence made a difference.
McGuiness (1982) suggested that, “whatever reasons led us to play down evaluation in the past, there are powerful, contrary motivations to reject them now. Guidance must, like the rest of the curriculum, be analysed with scrupulous care. As with other topics in the school curriculum, guidance must justify itself by showing that its effects are positive.”
Clemett and Pearce (1986) offered a practical framework for the evaluation of the quality of PSE.
Their book aimed to focus the teacher’s attention on the provision of pastoral care in schools to enable them to evaluate this provision and use their findings to improve the quality of provision in their schools.
They make the point that the student, the recipient of pastoral provision, is rarely asked for their perception of its effectiveness and consequently “a potential source of rich data remains untapped. Using pupil responses to evaluate pastoral care seems to us important if the aim of pastoral care is to meet the needs of pupils and help them to develop into mature, well-balanced members of society- particularly if that society purports to be democratic!”
When introducing PSE in my own school I took this advice and started with questionnaires and interviews with students.
I visited one of our partner primary schools to talk to year 6 students to gauge any of their concerns about the transition to secondary school.
Unsurprisingly not one published programme seemed to fulfil all of the schools needs so I put together a programme using material from various sources.
I shared the programme with the tutors and in most cases they were happy to give it a go.
Later the head asked me to take on whole school responsibility for a pastoral programme.
This was a more daunting task as some of my head of year colleagues were a bit reluctant to get involved.
My ace card, and something I had picked up from Journal articles, was to get an excellent presenter to deliver good whole school professional development.
Les Walton was someone who I had come across in our regional NAPCE events.
As a headteacher in a “challenging school” he had the correct credentials and the personal charisma to win over any doubters.
The programme went ahead and was awarded a good by OFSTED, but more importantly the end of year feedback from the students was positive, which I felt completely justified its introduction.
Throughout my career I continued to use the advice of Clemett and Pearce that, “those who wish to evaluate pastoral care in their schools would find no better place to start than by asking the pupils in their own classroom what it is really like at the school.”
References
Baldwin, J. and Wells H. Active Tutorial Work, Blackwell 1979 Barber, M. Helping to develop tutorial work: some reflections on a secondment. Pastoral Care in Education. Vol. 2, No.2 June 1984 Bolam, R. and Medlock, P.Active tutorial work: training and Dissemination- An evaluation. Blackwell 1984
Button, L. Developmental Group Work with Adolescents, Hodder and Stroughton 1974
Button, L. Group Tutoring for the Form Tutor, Hodder and Stroughton 1981 Clemett, A.J. and Pearce,J. S. The Evaluation of Pastoral Care, Blackwell, 1986 Hamblin, D.H.The Teacher and Pastoral Care, Blackwell 1978 Hamblin, D. H. Teaching Study Skills, Blackwell 1981 Hopson and Scally Lifeskills Teaching, Mc Graw Hill 1981
Hothan, B. Going it Alone, Pastoral Care in Education, Vol 2, No.2 February 1984
McGuiness, J.B.Planned Pastoral Care: A Guide for Teachers, McGraw Hill 1982
Tall, G.An Evaluation of the Introduction of ATW into a Birmingham Comprehensive School, PC in Ed Vol.3, No 1 February 1986.
JOURNAL: Special Edition of NAPCE’s Pastoral Care In Education will be Published to Mark 40th Year
Journal 40th Anniversary Special Edition
As part of the celebration for the 40-year anniversary of the Association, NAPCE is producing a special edition of its globally renowned journal Pastoral Care in Education.
The special edition which will be sent to members and subscribers in the autumn is Volume 40 – Issue 3 and is edited by Guest Editors: Noel Purdy, Jill Robson, Eleanor Formby and Deborah Webster.
We are delighted to share here a short extract from the editorial for the special edition.
“Reflections on 40 years of Pastoral Care in Education.
“Welcome to this Special Issue of Pastoral Care in Education in which we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the journal’s membership association, the National Association for Pastoral Care in Education (NAPCE).
“NAPCE was founded in October 1982 to establish links between education professionals and allied agencies who have an interest in pastoral care, personal and social education and the welfare of students of all ages in schools.
“Over 300 teachers attended the inaugural conference in Dudley, England, at which the founding chair Michael Marland, spoke of the challenges faced by many thousands of teachers with responsibility for pastoral care despite very little training or support at local or national level and with limited focus during Initial Teacher Training.
“The first issue of NAPCE’s journal Pastoral Care in Education was subsequently published in February 1983 and in the editorial, Eric Lord warned that in these “hard times for education…we shall probably have to be vigilant and fight hard if pastoral provision is not to be reduced to a rump (Lord, 1983, p.1).
“The first issue comprised eight articles which focused on a range of themes including “Rethinking the Pastoral-Academic Split” (Ron Best and Peter Ribbins), “The Pastoral Head” (Keith Blackburn), “Preparing for Promotion in Pastoral Care” (Michael Marland) and “Teacher-Based Research and Pastoral Care” (Bob Burgess).”
The articles that can be found in the special edition are.
Colleen McLaughlin Intended Consequences, Significant Moments and New Directions: A Reflection on Pastoral Care since 1972
Max Biddulph Imagining a ‘next future’ for pastoral care in education: a ‘wish-list’ for developments over the next 40 years.
Caron Carter What is the biggest challenge facing pastoral care in education today and how can this challenge be effectively addressed? The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on children’s well-being.
Barbara Spears and Deborah Green
The Challenges Facing Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Naomi Lloyd Mental Health Problems and Eating Disorders: A student teacher’s perception of current challenges facing pastoral care in education.
Charlie Walker Wellbeing in Higher Education: A Student Perspective.
Helen Cowie What is the biggest challenge facing pastoral care in education today and how can this challenge be effectively met?
O’Higgins Norman, Berger, Yoneyama and Cross School Bullying: Moving Beyond a Single School Response to a Whole Education Approach.
Eleanor Long The future of pastoral care in schools: Exploring whole-school trauma-informed approaches.
Anne Emerson The case for trauma-informed behaviour policies
Phil Jones Challenges for Pastoral Care in Education
It is planned to have a launch for the special edition of ‘Pastoral Care in Education’ at the weekend of celebration events for NAPCE’s anniversary in Worcester on 7th and 8th October.
Authors and editors will be invited to discuss the articles published in the special edition.
NAPCE is also currently editing a book to be published by Cambridge Scholars, ‘Pastoral Care. A Time for Change’.
This will include ideas and opinions form delegates attending the two-day conference being organised by NAPCE on the 7th and 8th October as part of the anniversary celebrations.
Follow this link to find out how you can reserve tickets.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-direction-for-pastoral-care-in-education-tickets-348110968277
Let’s Continue the Discussion
An interesting and thought-provoking discussion took place at Pastoral Question Time at the online pastoral conference organised by NAPCE in June.
The summer break can be an opportunity to reflect on our thoughts and opinions about current issues in education.
Theses were the questions that were sent in for the invited guests on the panel to respond to during Question Time.
QUESTION TIME 2022 Questions Submitted
Is the pastoral work of schools valued more since the pandemic?
What does effective pastoral care and support look like in schools in the 21st century?
Is promoting well-being and good mental health the biggest challenge for schools?
What are the priorities for future research in pastoral care in education?
Is keeping children safe the only priority for pastoral work in schools?
What is the role of education in preparing learners for their future roles in society?
Is there a conflict between achieving good results and supporting personal development in schools?
Has the experience of the pandemic encouraged schools to focus more on meeting the needs of children and young people?
How has lockdown and its impact changed thinking about the importance of pastoral care in education?
Is there a need for a new approach to pastoral care to ensure it is relevant in the 21st century?
What care and support do learners need to achieve success form their education?
Join in the debate during the summer by following NAPCE on Twitter @NAPCE1.
We welcome any thoughts or comments being sent to admin@napce.org.uk and the best ideas and contributions will be included in future editions of the NAPCE Newsletter.
40th ANNIVERSARY: Secure Your Tickets NOW for Weekend Conference to Celebrate Forty Years of NAPCE Which Includes Speaker from Ofsted
Tickets are on sale now for a very special weekend conference to mark NAPCE’s 40th Anniversary in October.
Join many of the leading lights in pastoral care for a weekend of sharing expertise and celebration of the National Association for Pastoral Care in Education which was founded in 1982.
We are very pleased to announce that Catherine Crooks HMI from Ofsted is now a confirmed speaker for the NAPCE 40th Anniversary National Conference in October .
The title for her presentation will be “How Pastoral Care Features in the Work of Ofsted”.
She will share information about what pastoral areas are examined in an Ofsted inspection. It will provide delegates with a valuable insight into Ofsted’s interest during an inspection into the personal development of learners, safeguarding arrangements, how schools improve the lives of the children and young people in their care, curriculum including PSHE and RSE and attendance.
This is a professional development that anybody working in a pastoral role or who is a pastoral leader should not miss.
Catherine will share some of the findings from recent Ofsted research including areas such as research into sexual abuse and pandemic recovery.
The schedule is packed with talks from pastoral care experts and includes a spectacular networking dinner where you can make new friends and perhaps catch up some familiar faces.
All of this in the beautiful location of Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, with views of the stunning Worcester Cathedral.
Here’s a run down of what’s happening, where and when.
There is a brilliant line up of speakers at this Conference, to celebrate the 40 years that NAPCE has been bringing together researchers, policy makers ,writers and practitioners to share a passion for pastoral care .
The Conference will examine how pastoral care and support can ensure children and young people achieve their full potential from their education.
Friday will focus on the latest research and policy making and Saturday on current good practice.
Delegates will take away a clear understanding of the current issues and opportunities for developing effective pastoral care and the knowledge and ideas to make a real difference in the life chances of learners in their role.
Some of the areas and issues about pastoral care in education that will be explored at the Conference include;
Government policy making
OFSTED priorities
Focus for current research
SEND
Governance
Learners needs
Challenges in a multi cultural school
Independent school experience
Inclusion
Positive learning culture
Safeguarding
pastoral leadership
Pastoral roles in schools
Speakers* include;
The Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi, Secretary of State for Education.
Catherine Crooks HMI, OFSTED.
Dr Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College, Belfast.
Carole Gregory, Worcestershire Children First, Governor Services.
Maria O’Neil, Educationalist and author of ‘Proactive Pastoral Care’.
Professor Helen Cowie, University of Surrey.
Daniel Sobel, author, educationalist and CEO of Inclusion Expert.
Ron Skelton, Headteacher and CEO of Broadway Academy in Birmingham.
Mrs Heather Hansbury, President Elect, Girls School Association.
Dr Helen O Connor, Psychologist, St Swithuns School.
Dr Dee Gray, Grays Well Being, Director Young Carers Academy
Charlie Walker, student at the University of Exeter. NAPCE student committee member. Adviser on young people in the House of Commons.
Dr Matt Silver, CEO Pathways Education, NAPCE Vice Chair
Phil Jones, National Chair of NAPCE
*Some speakers still to be confirmed and the programme may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Other speakers to be announced.
The 40th Anniversary Conference and Events Weekend – October 2022 – Schedule
Venue
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
County Ground
New Road
Worcester
WR2 4QQ
Friday 7th October, 2022
National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2022 – Presentation Event
Conference Day One
‘Is There a Need for a New Direction for Pastoral Care in Education’? – Research and Policy making.
Speakers & Workshops
Saturday 8th October, 2022
Conference Day Two
‘Is There a Need for a New Direction for Pastoral Care in Education’? – Good Practice.
Speakers & Workshops
Tickets on sale here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-direction-for-pastoral-care-in-education-tickets-348110968277
Reduced price tickets will be available for NAPCE members and a reduced-price ticket will be available for both days of the Conference.
CELEBRATION DINNER: Join us to Celebrate NAPCE’s 40th Anniversary
You are invited to the Anniversary dinner to celebrate the 40 years since NAPCE was formed.
It will be an opportunity to meet with other people who have contributed to the history of NAPCE and to celebrate the difference it has made for raising awareness about pastoral care in education and the difference it makes to the learning experience for children and young people and supports their personal development to prepare them for their future lives in society.
This event will take place at the Worcestershire Cricket Ground, overlooking the Severn River and cathedral in Worcester.
It takes place on Saturday 8th October as part of a weekend of events to celebrate the anniversary which include a two-day conference and the presentation for the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2022.
The event is open to members and non-members.
Availability is limited and you are advised to reserve your ticket early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets can be reserved by visiting https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/napce-40th-anniversary-dinner-tickets-299335118397
The programme for the evening is,
7-00pm Guests Arrive – Prosecco Welcome Reception.
7-30pm Three Course Anniversary Dinner.
Dinner menu
Starter
Cream of Leek, Potato and Watercress Soup, Croutons (V) (GF)
Main course
Roasted Chicken Supreme, Gratin Potato, and Red Wine Gravy (GF
Dessert
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake (V)
Vegetarian/Vegan Gluten Free option
Starter
Leek, Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup (GF)
Main course
Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Peppers, Parsley and Dill Sauce with Tender Stem Broccoli (GF)
Dessert
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake (V)
Please advise in advance of the evening if you would prefer the vegetarian option or if you have any additional dietary requirements.
8-30pm After Dinner Speaker – Les Walton CBE
Les as he explains in his recently published book ’Education the Rock and Roll Years. A Northern Perspective on A lifetime of learning Teaching and Leading’, was one of the leading educationalists involved in the forming of NAPCE in 1982.
As the title of the book suggests, Les has a wide experience of education in recent history that he will share with guests at the dinner.
9-30 pm Pay bar available until 11-00 pm to meet old friends and make new friends. Please note this is a cashless venue.
The cost of the Anniversary Dinner is £35.00 for full members of NAPCE, £40.00 for Associate members and £45.00 for non- members.
Please dress to impress.
Please note that tickets will not be refunded unless the event is cancelled by the Association for reasons beyond its control when a full refund will be made.
There are direct train services from London to Worcester Foregate Station which is a ten-minute walk or short taxi ride from the venue.
Cross country trains call at the new Worcestershire Parkway, which has connections to Foregate Street. There is parking available at the venue and at public car parks nearby.
The venue has a Premier Inn Hotel on the site and there is a good choice of other options for accommodation in the city of Worcester.
Please book your tickets early to ensure that you do not miss this important event in NAPCE’s history to celebrate the contribution it has made to education in the last 40 years.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact NAPCE administration at admin@napce.co.uk
AWARDS: Meet the Judges of NAPCE Awards 2022
The National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2022 – Meet the Judges
We are really pleased that so many people took the time to make nominations for the 2022 national awards and it is great to see so much good practice taking place in pastoral care in education.
The nominations are now with the judges who have the difficult task of deciding who the finalists will be.
The finalists will be announced soon and details about the Awards presentation Event which takes place this year in Worcester as part of the two days of celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Association on the 7th and 8th October.
Follow @NAPCE1 on Twitter for the latest news.
The 2022 Judging Panel
Phil Jones National Chair, National Association for Pastoral Care in Education
Phil has experience of working in leadership roles in different secondary schools including as Headteacher. He is the current Chair of the National Executive Committee for NAPCE and a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal, ‘Pastoral Care in Education’. Phil has over 30 years’ experience as a School Governor including being a Chair of Governors in secondary, middle and primary schools. He is an experienced trainer and regular speaker at educational conferences. He is currently working as an educational consultant which includes a role as pastoral consultant for ASCL.
Anne Emerson Associate Professor, University of Nottingham
Anne started her career working as a speech and language therapist with children with a range of communication impairments. Over the past 30 years Anne has worked in special and mainstream schools in the UK and India, worked as a Family Services Coordinator for Mencap, and with adults with disabilities in a large residential service. Anne also has teaching experience in FE and HE. For 7 years Anne worked as a psychology lecturer specialising in the fields of communication, disability and inclusive education. Anne continues to work directly with children with special needs and provide training to teachers, teaching assistants, parents and carers. Anne is a member of the Editorial Board for the journal, ‘Pastoral Care in Education’.
Richard Pring Emeritus Professor Oxford University
Richard is the Current president of NAPCE. He retired after 14 years as Director of the Department of Educational Studies at Oxford University in May 2003. Since 2003, he was Lead Director of the Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training. This was a six – year project, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Since retiring Professor Pring has completed the following research projects in addition to the Nuffield Review: the evaluation of the Oxford Bursary Scheme with John Fox, and an evaluation of quality assurance in 11 Arab Universities. Since retiring his publications include.
2020 Challenges for Religious Education: is there a disconnect between faith and reason? Routledge, March 2020.
2013 The Life and Death of Secondary Education for All, London: Routledge
Noel Purdy
Director of Research and Scholarship, Stranmillis University, Belfast
Noel is the Independent Chair of Expert Panel on Educational Underachievement, appointed by Minister of Education, Peter Weir MLA, September 2020 – May 2021. He has been the Northern Chair, of the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) from 2016. He is the Deputy Editor, of Pastoral Care in Education – An International Journal of Personal, Social and Emotional Development. He is an External Examiner PGCE Primary, Durham University (2017-2021). He is the UCETNI representative on the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum from 2011 (Chair 2013-2016). He was the President of Northern Ireland branch of NASEN (National Association for Special Educational Needs) 2014-2016. He is a Parent representative on Board of Governors of Tor Bank Special School, Dundonald. He has published many articles on educational issues and his book Purdy, N. (ed.) Pastoral Care in Schools 11-16: A Critical Introduction, was published by Bloomsbury in 2013.
Julianne Brown
Julianne is a globally minded educator, leader and researcher with a unique blend of experience in health, wellbeing and international education. In the first part of her career, she trained as a Nurse and Midwife and worked in England, New Zealand and Germany. Her move to Switzerland 20 years ago gave her an opportunity to work within the multiculturally diverse communities of international schools as a teacher of PSHE and leader in pastoral care/wellbeing. Recently graduating with a Doctorate in Education, her research offers an interpretative framework for global citizenship that supports an ethical response to becoming global within a school context of privilege. Julianne has been a National Executive Officer for NAPCE for the last 6 years and is a peer reviewer and member of the editorial board for NAPCE’s Journal of Pastoral Care in Education.
The Awards Presentation in October will be a fantastic opportunity to share good practice in pastoral care in education.
The event will recognise the excellent contributions that are being made by so many people in pastoral care in education and the impact this has on supporting children and young people with their education and improving their life chances.
Further details will be shared in future newsletters and on the NAPCE Twitter account.
Thank you to everybody who made a nominations and congratulations to everybody who has been nominated.
We look forward to celebrating your achievements at the Presentation Event.
ARTICLE: “All Together Now: Inclusion Not Exclusion” – Does New Report Mark End of Exclusion Culture?
‘All Together Now: Inclusion not exclusion – supporting all young people to succeed in school’
This report was published by the Commission on Young Lives in April 2022.
Anne Longfield is the Chair of the Commission on Young Lives and was the Children’s Commissioner for England from March 2015 until February 2021.
In the report the Commission calls for what they call an end to ‘exclusions culture’ as part of a new era of inclusive education to tackle the scourge of teenage violence and exploitation and help all children to succeed at school.
Some of the recommendations in the report included:-
Banning primary school permanent exclusions by 2026. The permanent exclusion of secondary children should only be as a genuine last resort. All state schools should report annually on the number of children excluded or moved off roll.
Make good Ofsted ratings hinge on inclusion. No school should achieve good or outstanding if it is not inclusive.
Include well being in league tables. School league tables should include an agreed measure of pupil’s wellbeing alongside examination results
Rename Alternative provision providers as specialist provision.
Tackle ‘adultification’ of black children to address concerns that black children are viewed as being older and less innocent.
Provide a mental health service in every school. Every school should have an embedded mental health service.
Read the report in full here: https://thecommissiononyounglives.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/COYL-Education-report-FINAL-APR-29-2022.pdf
Do you have any opinions about these recommendations or any thoughts about how they could be implemented in schools?
Send any comments to NAPCE admin at admin@napce.org.uk
And the best contributions will be included in a future edition of the NAPCE Newsletter.