CONFERENCE: Last Chance to Book. NAPCE Annual Conference 2024 – Tickets On Sale Now & Special Offer
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NAPCE Annual National Conference 2024 – Tickets On Sale Now – LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

Annual National Conference

‘Good Practice in Pastoral Care in Education’

October 11^th, 2024
In the Graeme Hick Pavilion
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcester

The Conference provides an excellent professional development opportunity for all professionals working in pastoral roles and for anybody who wants to make a difference in the learning experience of children and young people.

Keynote speakers include.

• Victoria Raynor, Director, Raynor Safeguarding -‘Opening Windows to Opportunities. The Purpose of Pastoral Care in Education’.
• Dr Caron Carter, Senior Lecturer in Childhood Education at Sheffield Hallam University – ‘Children’s Friendships Matter’.
• Liz Bates, Independent Advisor, Trainer, and Magistrate – ‘The Role of the Trusted Adult’.

Good practice presentations from previous winners and finalists in the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education organised by NAPCE include.

• Raymond Herron, Senior teacher, St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School, Belfast – ‘Restorative justice approach to behaviour management’
• Oribi Davies, Director of Inclusion Hub, Friern Barnet School, London -‘Alternative provision to enable young people to remain in mainstream provision’.
• Ellie Costello, Director Team Square Peg, – ‘Working with families to promote good attendance and to support young people in their education’.
• There will also be a presentation from Jill Robson, NAPCE National Secretary – ‘Interactive Pastoral Care’

The Conference will be Chaired by NAPCE National Chair, Phil Jones.

Follow the link for more information and tickets.https://2024-napce-annual-conference.eventbrite.co.uk

CONFERENCE SPECIAL OFFER

Join NAPCE as an individual member for 2024 for £44.00 (£21.00 retired, NQT, students rate ) and have free entry to the National Annual Conference along with back copies of the academic journal ‘Pastoral Care in Education’ and future hard copies delivered to your address.

Or

Join NAPCE as a group member for 2024 for £66.00 as a school college or university (£43.00 primary and special school rate) and have free entry to the National Annual Conference for 2 people along with 2 back copies of the academic journal ‘Pastoral Care in Education’ and two copies of future hard copies delivered to your address. The named person for a group has all the benefits of individual membership.

Go to www.napce.org.uk and click the link for membership and the online application form.

Once membership is confirmed go to https://2024-napce-annual-conference.eventbrite.co.uk to reserve tickets at the free member’s rate.

LEAD ARTICLE: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” Liz Slamer Explores the “Anxiety Crisis” in Children and Young People
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‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men’ – Liz Slamer Explores the “Anxiety Crisis” in Children and Young People

‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men’ – Frederick Douglass 1818 – 1895
Escaped slave, abolitionist, social reformer, statesman

‘Staggering’ and ‘shocking’ are the terms used by health professionals to describe the huge rise in referrals for anxiety for children and young people.

In 2023/24 there were 204,526 new referrals – more than 500 a day, one every three minutes (see The Guardian 27/8/24) https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/aug/27/nhs-referrals-for-anxiety-in-children-more-than-double-pre-covid-levels-england#:~:text=More%20than%20500%20children%20a%20day%20in%20England%20are%20being,was%20anxiety%2C%20official%20figures%20show

If we consider that there are likely to be many children who do not seek help or are not referred, for many reasons, then we can only begin to imagine what the real numbers of children struggling in this way might be.

Which leads us to the questions “how many children in my setting?” and “what more can I do to support these children?”

The title of this piece is a quote which I believe carries a powerful message and I use it regularly in presentations and trainings. Simply the earlier we start the better.

The current crisis in adult mental health services will continue to be fed by the children who today may not be receiving the help and support they need. And yet most staff in our settings are not mental health practitioners, so what is our role in building strong children?

I am not suggesting that I have the answer to this crisis but I do believe there is value to the strategies and approaches I am going to describe. Approaches that have been tried and tested; strategies that have been recognised and appreciated by professionals in educational settings through to those in clinical mental health roles; and more importantly credited by young people such as the 16-year-old service user who told me “I wish I had known this when I was younger.”  As I said, the sooner the better.

There are many reasons why a child may become anxious. If that anxiety is preventing them from doing the things they want or need to do then the adults around them have a role to help them manage and overcome these, often, paralysing feelings.

Can we pre-empt that feeling of overwhelm by teaching them about anxiety – where it comes from, why it happens and, most importantly, that it happens to everyone, it is okay and a lot of the time we can manage it?

My answer is ‘yes’. Giving children the understanding and the strategies to manage anxiety and to self-regulate or self-calm is to give them a crucial skill set.

We don’t need to be experts in neurology or neuro-science to tell children some basic information, in a child friendly way, about the brain. In particular the bit of the brain that is part of the evolution of anxiety.

Anxiety occurs when our perceived capacity to cope is surpassed by our perceived understanding of what we have to cope with. It is a natural physiological response to threat, uncertainty, fear of failure, harm, humiliation, the unknown, the known.

We all experience anxiety at times, but we experience it differently and about different things.

Some of us hate rollercoasters, some of us love them.

The roots of this are found in the part of the brain called the amygdala. Designed to keep us alive by sending messages to power up our bodies, or shut our bodies down, to react in the face of threat.

We absolutely don’t want this to stop – it is a life-saving response, but there are times when the perceived threat may not be as potentially dangerous as our brains first think.

The better able we are to notice what is happening to our bodies the more able we are to do something to help manage those feelings – be they physiological or psychological.

Anxiety can feel like nausea, heart thumping, hot and sweaty, cold and shivering; feeling alone, the need to find safety, not knowing how I feel.

Anxiety can sound like I’m stupid, I can’t, I give up, I don’t understand.  Anxiety can look like anger, avoidance, everything, nothing. And so much more.

So introducing children to the amygdala is my suggested starting point. We all have one. It does pretty much the same job for everyone. Ergo, anxiety is a ‘normal’ experience. Though you wouldn’t believe the stuff that other people feel anxious about!

Try this activity.

One end of the room to be marked OK with this
Other end of the room marked Not OK with this
Respond to the following situation by standing somewhere on the continuum:
Going on a rollercoaster
Reading aloud in assembly
Taking an exam
Swimming in the deep end
Making a new friend
Stroking a dog
Answering a question in class
…..and anything else you want to add.

And then a remarkable thing happens – I have seen it many times as I use this activity when working with groups of staff – we see, right there in front of us, that we often feel differently about the same thing.

That something that is okay for me may not be okay for someone else; that something that is not okay for me may be okay for someone else. And that is the same for everyone.

I agree, not rocket science, but believe me when I say, we all need reminding of this.

So meet Myg the amygdala.  Myg who has always been there in my brain; Myg that looks out for me; Myg that helps to keep me safe; Myg that powers up my legs to run from a bear in the woods; Myg that sometimes works too hard and turns a school test into a monster; and me with the power to calm Myg down if I need to.

This can be done at any age.  My book ‘My Brilliant Brain: Myg and Me’ and the accompanying guidebook ‘Understanding Anxiety and Implementing Self-Calming’ is aimed at 7-12 year olds but has been used successfully with older and younger children.

Helping children to understand that anxiety is experienced by everyone, is the first step in giving them the skills and the strategies to self-calm.

They are not weird or unusual or weak or stupid to feel anxious.

Ask an astronaut, a Premier League goalie or penalty taker, a fire-fighter, a free climber and they will all have strategies to manage their anxieties, be it breathing, visualisation, self-talk or something else.

The explanations that the sick feeling is because your digestive system is shutting down to prepare for “running from the bear”,  or the thumping heart is your blood being pumped to get more oxygen to your limbs to “fight the bear”, or the shallow breathing is so that “the bear doesn’t notice you” and knowing that Myg is responsible for this is all part of normalising theses feelings and the first step to managing them.

The books contain this and much more with six detailed lesson plans which include a wide range of self-regulation and self-calming techniques and strategies.

My idea is to help children to manage their low level anxieties before they become overwhelmed; to understand what anxiety is and where it comes from; to recognise what is happening to them both in their bodies and in their heads; to give them strategies to use, that work for them, to manage those feelings as soon as possible; to know that they can have control over their feelings and their thoughts.

And for us as adults to know that this is not about protecting them from a real threat but from the feelings, thoughts, physiology and behaviours that come with anxiety. It isn’t about telling a child “there’s nothing to worry about” or “it will be okay”, and please never “calm down”, because you are then denying the child’s experience and, to be blunt, it doesn’t work. Validating, stepping into the child’s shoes, mentalising, imagining what it might be like for them will be far more beneficial.

There will of course be children who do experience a level of anxiety that overwhelms them. For these children other professional help and services will need to be sought. But hopefully what I have presented here, and the greater detail and depth contained in the books will be a starting point for all of the children you work with; will be enough for some of the children you work with and will do no harm for those who may need more help or no help at all.

ARTICLE: “From Striving to Thriving:How Functional Fluency can help reduce the stresses and pressures of pastoral care in schools” by Behaviour, Well-Being & Leadership Consultant Steve Russell

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From Striving to Thriving : How Functional Fluency can help reduce the stresses and pressures of pastoral care in schools by Steve Russell of beyondbehaviour.co.uk

The demands associated with providing pastoral care for pupils have increased significantly over the years.

The sheer volume of this work, combined with the seriousness and complexity of the matters staff are expected to attend to can lead to a sense of overwhelm.

I wonder how often you feel like you are ‘spinning plates’, ‘juggling too many balls’ and ‘fire-fighting’? If you are anything like the colleagues I support, I imagine not too infrequently!
 
The Functional Fluency model (1) offers a powerful, reflective framework to step back and consider how effectively we use our energy as humans generally.

When it comes to the specifics of pastoral care, I’ve found it to be invaluable in enabling and empowering colleagues to use their energy in increasingly effective ways by being less reactive and more responsive.

And whilst the term ‘functional fluency’ might not be too familiar, even a cursory glance at the diagram below may well spark thoughts as you reflect upon your pastoral related work.

To make sense of the diagram, notice in the first instance that it’s divided into thirds.

Let’s start with the top third. This is concerned with how we use our energy when fulfilling the role of being in charge of others, and involves two elements:

-Control – or ‘Guiding and Directing’. Communicating reasonable expectations clearly and firmly, and providing appropriate support.

-Care – or ‘Looking After People’. This is about ensuring people feel valued, understood and that their needs are appropriately taken care of.
 
If pastoral care isn’t about these two elements, what is? It’s what you do, day in, day out. 
 
Next, notice how each element is divided into modes of behaviour – namely Dominating and Structuring; and Marshmallowing and Nurturing.

These are also colour coded – Purple denoting ineffective energy and Gold effective energy.

When you are guiding and directing others effectively,you are said to be using the Structuring mode. This is characterised by such behaviours as being well organised, helpful and communicating a belief in the other(s) ‘You can do it’. 
 
Alternatively, you might find yourself mispitching your authority, perhaps getting into some fault-finding, blaming and/or being punitive in order to ‘get them’ to do what you want them to do. This is characteristic of the Dominating mode.
 
Let’s take a look now at the Care element on the right hand side. Nurturing mode behaviours include being available for others, seeking to understand them, showing empathy and compassion for them.

Take another look at the behaviours listed in this part of the diagram. Which of these do you draw upon? Dare you take a little credit for what you bring to your work?
 
The Marshmallowing mode offers some very helpful insights into why staff can all too often find themselves feeling overwhelmed. It is so-called because, in essence, if you are hungry and reach for a bag of marshmallows, it won’t be too long before you feel a bit sick. What’s more, they won’t satisfy your hunger because they lack nutrition.

In the same way, our care for others might be a bit sickly and/or lack substance. A pupil you know is having a particularly difficult time at home behaves in ways that fall short of expectations. However, rather than blend some Nurturing with holding them to account (Structuring mode), staff instead make excuses and become overtolerant of such behaviours. Voila – marshmallowing!
 
Alternatively, you might find you do too much caring for others. Keen to help colleagues, you end up sometimes doing what is actually their responsibility. As a result, your ‘to-do’ list becomes ever longer as you lose sight of what you need and where lines of responsibility begin and end. 
 
It’s important to stress that such Marshmallowing behaviours often come from a ‘good place’ – you want to be available and helpful and they are good qualities to have. It’s all about keeping an eye on not doing too much of the Nurturing behaviours.
 
What is more, whether it’s the Marshmallowing mode or any of the other Purple//ineffective modes, Temple is keen to stress that we all use these modes.

Why? Because we are only human. When tired, stressed, poorly etc, we tend to default to these modes, if only because they are ‘easier’. Rather than asking a colleague what options they face, it’s so much easier to listen and then provide solutions. Easier and quicker – at least in the short term. The question is – ‘And at what cost?’’
 
That said, given Functional Fluency is in part about increasing our ‘response-ability’, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of using the Purples.

Enter the Accounting mode, right in the middle of the diagram! This is when we are ‘with-it’ – taking account as to what is going on around us and within us. Again there are behaviours that characterise this mode, including being alert, aware, gathering information and evaluating it so as to then be intentional in our subsequent response(s).

The more effective our accounting, the more responsive and less reactive we will be. As we increase our ‘response-ability’, we will do less fire-fighting. 
 
Practically, the Accounting mode can be something as simple as responding to a colleague’s request for help with ‘Leave it with me and I will get back to you on that.’; ‘That’s a tricky issue, isn’t it? How about we each have a think about what options there are and we catch up on Friday?’ Notice how here you are blending the Nurturing mode (empathy) with the Structuring mode (by putting a boundary in).
 
Rounding things off, let’s take a look at the bottom third of the model. ‘Relating to Others’ is to do with how we express our Social Self. Whilst pastoral leadership requires significant amounts of Guiding and Directing and Looking After People, the plethora of relationships you are involved in (pupils, colleagues, other leaders, parents/carers, external agencies etc etc) means you are also having to regularly devote energy into this aspect of Functional Fluency.
 
Once again we have choices of modes – namely the Co-operative mode and the Compliant-Resistant mode. Imagine you are walking down the corridor and from behind you comes the headteacher’s voice – “Ah (insert your name) – can I have a quick word please?” She goes on to say “SLT have just had a meeting and we need someone to lead on Social, Emotional and Mental Health. You’re passionate about this area, aren’t you, and we wondered if you would be willing to take this up?’ 
 
There are three main categories of response/reaction you could draw upon here:

i) Feeling you have no choice (this is the headteacher, after all!), you automatically saying ‘Yes’ – and then spend hours wondering how you are going to balance this responsibility with everything else you do. In other words, you use the Compliant aspect of the Compliant-Resistant mode, being submissive and possibly seeking to please the head.

ii) Aware that you already have a full workload, and anxious as to how to manage this request, you mis-step and react with ‘Sorry – you want me to take on yet another responsibility? Haven’t we talked extensively about work-life balance? I’m happy to talk about this – and with my union rep present.’ This would be indicative of the Resistant aspect of the ‘Compliant-Resistant’ mode, whereby you are become defiant.

iii) The final option is to give a far more effective response, tapping into the Co-operative mode. This is characterised by being assertive, considerate and adaptable. “I appreciate being considered for that role. Like everyone else, I’m juggling the whole work-life balance thing. Could we have a chat about what would be involved and see what implications there are for my other responsibilities?” You are taking ownership of your right to not be overstretched, whilst adopting a friendly tone and looking to be adaptable. 
 
Last but not least in the model there is the energy you give over to expressing your Natural Self – your authentic self.

This is about doing your own thing, in your own way.

Those times when perhaps you’ve tapped into a creative way of addressing an issue, thinking outside the box. Or perhaps when you’ve shared something of your authentic self with a parent/carer (“I can relate to the challenges of bringing up a child with additional needs. It’s tough going isn’t it?”).

These are examples of the Spontaneous mode, in contrast to when we might do our own thing, in our own way, with little regard of the impact upon others (the Immature mode).
 
So, what does being a functionally fluent pastoral leader look like? Well, it’s all about the Golds!

Pastoral leadership requires knowledge, yes, but at its root is a need to draw on a wealth of interpersonal skills.

Functional Fluency shines a light on the modes you use, balance and blend, moment by moment, day by day.

Why not use the diagram to take better notice as to what you have done to support pupils, families and indeed colleagues?

And, given this is all about energy, remember – “Self-care is never a selfish act.” (2). It’s your way of replenishing yourself so that you can return to work to give more of the Golds. What’s more you owe it to yourself. You are worthy of such care.

Steve Russell
https://beyondbehaviour.co.uk/
 
References
(1)‘Functional Fluency’ 2002
(2)Parker J Palmer : ‘Let Your Life Speak’ : 1999 : Jossey Bass

ARTICLE: “Effective Pastoral Care in schools. The foundation for achieving success” – NAPCE Chair Phil Jones Draws on Learnings from Good Practice Schools

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“Effective Pastoral Care in schools. The foundation for achieving success” by NAPCE Chair Phil Jones

The new academic year has seen a focus on inclusion and there has been talk of an ‘inclusion revolution’.

The pastoral systems and structures in schools and colleges support inclusion and the socialisation and personal development of learners.

The brains of children and young people are developing while they are at school and effective pastoral care enables them to understand their lives and the world they live in and to make sense of their learning experience.

It provides the foundations for all learners to achieve their full potential from their education and prepares them for the opportunities and challenges in their future lives.

The National Association for Pastoral Care in Education (NAPCE), as an educational charity, has for 42 years been sharing research and ideas about the contribution effective pastoral care and support can make to the learning experience of children and young people.

It has highlighted how the pastoral work of a school or college provides guidance, supports wellbeing and helps to raise achievement in preparation for learners’ future roles in the workplace and in society.

NAPCE, through its academic journal, ‘Pastoral Care in Education’,  its engagement with educationalists, policy makers and practitioners in pastoral roles and in recent years through its organisation of the annual ‘National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education’, has raised awareness about good practice that makes a difference in the academic achievement and personal development of children and young people.

Lessons from Good Practice in Pastoral Care

It is amazing that at a time when there are increasing demands being made on pastoral systems and there is pressure from reduced funding, schools and colleges have found ways with limited resources to make a difference for the children and young people in their care.

Sharing good practice provides inspiration and ideas for how schools can use their pastoral structures and systems to enable learners to achieve success from their learning experience and to prepare them for their future lives.

NAPCE can highlight some of the strategies and actions being taken by schools and colleges to provide the support children and young people need from its contacts and visits to schools and from the nominations for the national awards.

1) Support the Wellbeing of Staff

Schools have implemented initiatives to support the wellbeing of staff in the belief that if you look after the adults, they will be in a better position to provide the support that children and young people need.

Sir John Fisher High School in Wigan provides staff with an opportunity to make anonymous nominations of colleagues to recognise the contribution they make with the opportunity to win a hamper form a prize draw.

Tor Bank Special School in Belfast have a peer-led approach to supporting the well-being of staff. A team of volunteers work together to provide support for their colleagues.

The team organises events and fund raising which helps to raise staff morale. This approach means that staff can approach their peers if they need any support, and the team can inform leadership if staff are feeling pressure or have any concerns. Staff feel valued and supported to face the daily challenges in meeting the needs of the learners.

2) Use Pastoral Initiatives and Strategies that are Appropriate for your School

St Mary’s Christian Brothers School in Belfast has won awards for its restorative approaches to behaviour management.

St Mary’s CBGS is an all-boys Voluntary Grammar School located on the Glen Road in West Belfast. The school found that challenges to authority increased after Covid-19.

The school felt that more was needed than a punitive approach to behaviour management. ‘Difficult conversations’ were introduced to make learners accountable for their actions.

This is not seen as an alternative to a sanction. Sanctions are applied, if necessary, but a difficult conversation can take place afterwards to make the young person responsible for their behaviour.

The focus of the restorative approach is to make young people accountable for their actions with four principles.

• Accountability

• Empathy

• Resolution

• Prevention

The use of restorative approaches has seen the school move from a ‘blame culture’ to an ‘awareness of harm culture’.

The process involves authority doing things with them rather than to them or for them. The school is now training students to be restorative peer mentors.

St Kevin’s College, Lisnaskea, has introduced a ‘Restorative Room’ which provides opportunities for students to reflect on their behaviour, where relationships are restored, empathy is cultivated, and a sense of justice is fostered.

3) Increase Capacity for Pastoral Care with Peer Support

Schools have found that training pupils to support the pastoral care and well-being of their peers provides additional capacity for the pastoral work of the school.

At Glenlola Collegiate School in Bangor Northern Ireland, pupils are trained to have responsibility in different roles that provide them with the opportunity to support their peers.

Peer support provides a safe opportunity for pupils to share concerns and explore their own solutions to a range of difficulties. It acknowledges that young people often feel easier talking to other young people about issues that affect them.

Pupils are trained as active listeners and provide additional support for the school’s pastoral systems. Peer Supporters are an integral part of school life and visit their form classes on a weekly basis to carry out activities to foster a sense of inclusion within these classes.

In June 2023 the school expanded its peer support through the ‘Pupil Wellness Team’ by appointing ‘Peer Leaders’ to oversee peer support initiatives across different year groups. These students are selected for their exemplary leadership skills and empathy.

4) Be Innovative in Developing Pastoral Interventions

Schools in response to growing demands for meeting the needs of vulnerable children and young people and learners with special needs are being innovative in implementing a range of interventions to meet diverse needs.

This challenge has been highlighted in the media with, for example, The Guardian reporting on 27th August 2024 that more than 500 children are being referred each day to mental health services for anxiety which is more than double the rate before the Global Pandemic began.

Schools are using their pastoral structures and systems to meet the diverse needs of learners and recognising that individual children and young people need different interventions and support to meet their needs. In some cases, schools are fundraising in response to a lack of resources to be able to provide a range of support and interventions that they can use to support individual learners.

Blessed Trinity College in Belfast has an extensive outreach programme to support families which includes hamper deliveries and group support.

The school has developed a garden area to support mental health and well-being.

High Field and Brookham School in Liphook, in September 2023, opened a designated space for pastoral support called the ‘Beehive’.

The Beehive provides a calm and welcoming environment for individual and group support. It serves as a refuge for students to confide in a trusted adult or peer mentor to destress and recharge.

During breaks students can visit the Beehive on their own initiative for support or guidance. Glenlola Collegiate School in Bangor developed a dedicated ‘Wellness Centre’ with facilities that included a relaxation room.

The Wellness Centre has enabled the school to offer a diverse range of well-being initiatives including Pilates sessions and therapeutic visits from trained therapy dogs all aimed at promoting relaxation, stress reduction and emotional wellbeing.

Thornhill Community College, Dewsbury, has introduced a weekly ‘Ladies Group’ in school, targeted at the mums, aunties and grandmas. They use the Ladies Group as a forum to discuss community challenges and address situations that are seen to be too taboo to talk about at home e.g. FGM, women’s rights, gang violence and domestic abuse. This makes the adults feel more informed and confident about providing support for their children and young people.

5) Focus Pastoral Structures and Systems on Developing a Positive Learning Environment

Schools have focused in their pastoral work on providing their learners with a positive learning environment.

Moneynick Primary School in Randalstown implemented an initiative focused on ‘outdoor thinking’.

This develops the ability to learn, communicate, problem solve, explore, observe and appreciate the outside world. This builds the physical, social, emotional creative and imaginative development of learners in their natural environment.

The school opened a green house for planting and created a sensory and fairy garden from derelict ground.

Meanwhile at St John’s Primary School in Swatragh, they involved the children in designing and decorating the ‘Calm Area’. This has become a place the children can go to feel that they are genuinely listened to about their concerns and worries about their daily experiences.

6) Promote Good Mental Health by Supporting the Socialisation of Learners

Schools are adopting a proactive approach to pastoral care based on the belief that all children and young people need guidance and support.

Using pastoral structures and systems in schools to support the socialisation of learners and build their resilience enables learners to be more confident about responding to challenges in the learning experience and lives.

Effective pastoral care supports all individuals with their personal development and enables them to achieve their full potential as learners and human beings.

Claire Kerr, at Royal School Dungannon, has developed several pupil-focused groups including ‘Safe Space’ and ‘The Safer School’.

Safe Space provides a lunch time drop-in where vulnerable pupils are given a space to meet, chat and avail of mentoring when required.

The Safer School team, work alongside Mrs Kerr to raise awareness of mental health and pastoral issues in school, as well as taking regular assemblies to provide effective strategies and coping mechanisms to help pupils manage challenging times.

North London Collegiate School in Jeju in South Korea teaches the key concepts of well-being to enable them to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

The Personal Social and Development programme is implemented to be relevant to the needs of the learners to teach them about the challenges they will face in their lives and how they can respond. They have taken a whole school approach to tracking student well-being and have introduced new software that enables them to give students short surveys every two weeks that enable them to make positive and effective interventions.

7) Develop Personalised Approaches to Pastoral Care and Support that Meet the Needs of Individual Learners

The reality of providing pastoral care and support is that all children and young people are different human beings and have different needs at different times.

Pastoral care is more effective if the pastoral structures and systems are developed to be flexible to respond to different needs with a personalised approach to providing care and support.

Lecturer Mike Spellman at Staffordshire Institute of p
Policing provides one to one support for the student’s training to be police officers, especially for students with neurodiversity.

Recognising the diverse needs of his students, he employs a variety of teaching strategies and accommodations to ensure that all learners can succeed.

The support and guidance provided is tailored to meet the individual needs of students. Understanding the importance of personalised support, he makes himself readily available to students, offering a listening ear, empathetic guidance, and practical advice.

Whether it’s addressing academic concerns, providing emotional support, or offering career guidance, Mick Spellman approaches each interaction with compassion, professionalism, and a genuine desire to help students thrive.

The team at St Teresa’s Nursery in Belfast has pioneered a holistic, trauma-informed approach that removes barriers and empowers even our most vulnerable students to cultivate their fullest potential.

In one of Northern Ireland’s most economically disadvantaged communities where over 60 cent of households rely on food banks and Government assistance, the nursery intentionally designed policies, a curriculum, and an environment around the Trauma-Informed Practice and Nurture Principles frameworks.

This enables the nursery to meet students’ academic and emotional needs in the face of challenges like poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and developmental differences.

8) Make Pastoral Care and Support for Learners Visible

Pastoral care is more effective if it promotes a positive culture where it is available to meet the different needs of individual learners and not as a response to problems.

Developing this culture will encourage learners to see support as being available to them to help them become better human beings and to achieve more from their learning experience.

At Bristnall Hall Academy in Oldbury there are five non-teaching ‘Achievement Co-ordinators’ who provide support and guidance for the 220 learners in each year group.

At the start of the day they are in their playgrounds greeting their year groups and making sure they are ready for the day and at break times they supervise social times and being the champion of their year group.

In lesson time they visit students in classes to support learners who may need some re-direction or additional support.

They contact external agencies and families to co-ordinate any support needed for individual learners. Their visibility and knowledge of individual learners is inspirational, and they are the glue that holds their year groups together.

The pastoral team at Fir Vale School in Sheffield, are the ‘boots on the ground’ every single day which includes community walks to ensure that learners arrive safely.

Their endless list of duties mean that they are always available to students if they need a friendly face or have an issue. The school serves a deprived area and the pastoral team nurture and emotionally support students and provide the academic motivation that students do not always get at home.

Sharing good practice informs decision making about how to develop effective pastoral care in a school or college and inspires ideas about how to support the learning and personal development of learners to enable them to achieve their full potential.

There are many other examples of good practice in pastoral care and support for learning that NAPCE has become aware of through its work with schools and colleges.

More good practice highlighted in the nominations for the National Awards will be shared in future editions of NAPCE News.

Phil Jones
National Chair
The National Association for Pastoral Care in Education (NAPCE)
September 2024

For more information about NAPCE visit https://napce.org.uk

For information and tickets for NAPCE events follow the link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/national-association-for-pastoral-care-in-education-18669723608