At Wesley Methodist Primary School pastoral support is a high priority, and we aim to promote the mental health and wellbeing of each child. We believe that good pastoral support focuses on nurturing and supporting the individual needs of each child, ensuring that every child enjoys their education and is happy, healthy and safe at school. We value our children for their individuality, culture and heritage we aim to Shine like stars at peace and with gentleness. We are committed to achieving this by providing the right help at the right time in the right place for children and families.

 

                                                              

The Pastoral support is led superbly by our pastoral manager - Miss Kate Hunter.

What help can I, as a parent/carer, receive from Pastoral Support?

Often it may be that parents/carers want to talk about concerns they have about their child, but support can be offered in many ways to help you in your role as parents/carers.  Here are some ways we are able to help families:

• One to one support  
• Making phone calls on your behalf
• Writing letters of support to other agencies
• Help with filling in forms for housing/benefit applications
• Help with applying for secondary school places
• Giving a listening ear when parents just need to talk
• Attending meetings with parents
• Pointing you in the right direction for specialist help and support
• Helping to find furniture for families in an emergency
• Getting children to and from school in an emergency
• Parent Groups – offering training and support
• Parent Drop In Sessions
• Advice sessions for school transition
• Settling in sessions for children starting school

Our Pastoral lead, helps pupils make the most of school life by breaking down barriers to learning. For the child, they are someone supportive to talk to, share successes or disappointments with, or to provide help with practical difficulties or worries.  They can also be the link between school and home, or with outside agencies.  They can act as an advocate for children and young people and is non-judgmental.  Miss Hunter delivers a tailored and flexible approach to meet the needs of those being mentored.

Miss Wood will meet with children and young people, usually outside the classroom, either individually or in small groups in a planned and structured way. 

What help does the child receive from Pastoral Support? 

• Settling into a new school
• Friendship issues
• Problems on the playground
• Family breakdown
• Unstable or difficult family circumstances
• Changes in home life
• The loss of a loved one
• Coping with illness
• Any form of bullying (including cyber bullying)
• Controlling emotions
• Social skills
• Self-esteem or confidence issues
• Worries or concerns about transferring from primary to secondary school
• Anything else causing a child to worry

The Pastoral Lead is also a member of Wesley's Safeguarding Team, supporting the Head Teacher in matters relating to children’s welfare and child protection concerns.

Meet Oakley – our school therapy dog!

                                                                

We recently welcomed our new therapy dog to school – Oakley. She will spend every day in school with Miss Hunter, our Pastoral lead. You will see Oakley every morning and evening outside the school doors, and you are all more than welcome to come and say hello! We know that having Oakley with us will help teach the children how to regulate their emotions, understand empathy and learn appropriate interpersonal skills. She will also help in the development of social skills for some of our children.