Pastoral Care

At Bolshaw Primary School pastoral care is not an added or optional extra; it’s integrated, essential, taken very seriously and at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on our nurturing, caring environment that we have become well known for within our Local Authority. 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 and empathic relationships with all our pupils and their families.

The systems we have developed to look after children’s wellbeing and staffs’ wellbeing are set firmly in place to ensure all our children and staff are well supported and valued throughout their time at our school.

A key characteristic is Bolshaw’s aim of ensuring that all our pupils learn to live in harmony with one another and can find sanctuary within the school to develop as a person in their own right, fully conscious of their responsibilities to themselves and to others.

Our Inclusion Team is made up of several dedicated professionals. This includes our Headteacher, full time Learning Mentor, SENCO and external team of specialist assistants and therapists. Together our team works with children and families so children can lead fulfilling and balanced lives at school and beyond. All our staff model to children how to look after themselves and others; encouraging them to seek help or support or advice when they need it. Pastoral care underpins personal development and we know from experience that with outstanding pastoral care, children feel they belong and their self-esteem is able to flourish because they feel valued and cared for.

Supporting the pastoral needs of children may involve working with external agencies. In these situations we ensure that a confidential, professional, non-judgemental and sensitive service is provided.

Bolshaw Primary’s Pastoral Support 2023-24

• Range of academic, behavioural, social and emotional interventions organised by the Headteacher, SENCO and Learning Mentor
• Full time Pastoral Support for children and families
• Team of Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Play therapists,
• Peer /Nurture group work
• Therapeutic activities
• Forest Schools

A voice for our Children and Parents / Carers 
Bolshaw Primary School understands the importance of enabling the voice of the child to be heard to promote safeguarding and well-being.

Below are the examples of what our school does:

• Lunchtime sessions with the SENCO.
• Self referral system for all children throughout the day and at lunch times with our Learning Mentor
• We are a ‘talking school’; we encourage our children to share their concerns at all times.
• Questionnaires for  children. Various surveys throughout the year where children respond to questions related to feeling safe at school, esafety, bullying and behaviour. The outcomes of these surveys are then used to inform interventions and practice within the school to promote the voice of the children.
• Worry boxes in classrooms throughout Ks1 and 2. These are monitored by teachers and the Learning Mentor.
• 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.
• Children who have been identified as vulnerable are given additional support at play times and lunch times. This ensures that the social and emotional needs of vulnerable children are being addressed and monitored
• An active Pastoral and Therapeutic Team to which children can be referred or self-refer
• Staff training on how to provide a nurturing environment, in which children are taught to speak to members of staff about any problems they have.
• Open door policies for all pupils with the Learning Mentor, staff and SLT
• Safeguarding awareness developed through PSHE
• Displays around the school promoting wellbeing and providing opportunities to talk
• Regular staff meetings to discuss welfare of specific pupils
• Restorative Approaches
• Mindfulness, Yoga and Meditation within assemblies
• Weekly class Circle Times sessions
• Secondary Transition groups
• Children feel safe to report concerns about other children.
• Weekly pastoral team meetings
• Weekly safety and safeguarding meetings
• Strong partnership with parents -
• Half termly Parents / Carers  drop in 
• Half Termly Parents / Carers Forum 
• School E-Safety Team- Digital leaders
• School Eco Council
• School Learning Council
• School Amassadors
• School Reading, Maths, Science and PE Ambassadors
• School Anti Bullying Ambassadors
• Pupil voice for Annual Reviews and EHCP conversions
• Nurture Groups run by the Learning Mentor
• Rigorous behaviour monitoring and looking for possible causes of the behaviour
• Robust Inclusion Team consisting of Headteacher,  SENCo, a full time Learning Mentor, independent Educational Pschologist and LA Inclusion Team 

Below are websites that parents may find useful:

Website link Parent’s Guide to Childhood Anxiety