Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

Seasons For Growth

Seasons for Growth is based on the belief that change and loss are part of life, and grief is a normal response to these losses.  Children, young people and adults need the opportunity to learn about how death, separation, divorce or other significant loss events may impact on their lives.

The Seasons for Growth program:

• Supports children and young people to understand and respond well to the issues they experience as a result of death, separation, divorce or other significant change and loss in their lives;

• Assists children and young people to understand that their feelings and other reactions are normal;

• Develops skills for coping, problem solving and decision making;

• Builds a peer support network;

• Helps restore self-confidence and self-esteem;

• Educates children and young people about the grief process.

When children are identified for Seasons for Growth, their parent/carer will be contacted to discuss the program in more detail and provide consent for them to be part of a group weekly session.

A Volcano in My Tummy

Helping Children to Handle Anger presents a clear and effective approach to helping children and adults alike understand and deal constructively with children's anger. Using easy to understand yet rarely taught skills for anger management, including how to teach communication of emotions, A Volcano in My Tummy offers engaging, well-organized activities which help to overcome the fear of children's anger which many adult care-givers experience. By carefully distinguishing between anger the feeling, and violence the behaviour, this accessible little book, primarily created for ages 6 to 13, helps to create an awareness of anger, enabling children to relate creatively and harmoniously at critical stages in their development.

Through activities, stories, articles, and games designed to allow a multi-subject, developmental approach to the topic at home and in school, A Volcano in My Tummy gives us the tools we need to put aside our problems with this all-too-often destructive emotion, and to have fun while we're at it.

Our Pastoral Lead runs a weekly small group for Volcano in my Tummy but where needed, can deliver this on a 1:1 basis.  This is also a useful resource for parents/carers at home who have children struggling with feelings of anger.

ELSA

There are always children and young people within schools who face life challenges which can make it difficult for them to engage in their learning.  Some children need greater support to increase their emotional literacy than others. 

ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists which recognises children are happier in school and better able to access learning, if their emotional needs are also addressed.  Miss Parkinson (our Pastoral Lead) uses strategies from ELSA within pastoral sessions for children that have been identified by class teacher, a member of the Senior Leadership Team and/or parents/carers.  Each half-term the SENDCo identifies and prioritises which children require a weekly programme for the next 6-8 weeks.  Sessions can be in groups but can also be run individually if this is best for the child.  Sessions are fun and interactive, using a range of activities such as: games, roleplay with puppets or therapeutic activities such as mindfulness or arts and crafts.