At North Mead we are aware that some children require emotional and pastoral support at some point in their educational journeys. Pastoral care is the provision we make to ensure the physical and emotional welfare of our children.

With education and health being so closely linked, it’s been proven that children with good physical and mental health perform better at school and will achieve more academically.

Our PSHCE lessons in school contribute a lot towards our children’s wellbeing. They teach important life skills that children can implement in their own lives. Our pastoral care helps to build character in our children which will help them in their adult life.

Safeguarding is a big part of what makes up our pastoral care. Safeguarding is about protecting children, preventing abuse and ensuring safety.

We offer our pastoral support through a graduated response which consists of three layers: our universal offer; our targeted offer and our specialist offer.

Our Graduated Response

The Graduated Response helps us to recognise when our children and families require targeted or specialist support to meet their physical, emotional and health needs and to remove any barriers to them succeeding.

Universal support refers to the support accessible to all children and families at North Mead. Despite the challenges our families face, the large majority of children and families stay in the Universal Support section.

Targeted support refers to support and interventions delivered using the educational settings resources and led by a member of staff.

Specialist support is provided when it is agreed through consultation with relevant professionals and family/carers at targeted support that, alongside the adjustments, interventions and support provided by school, additional support from an external provider is appropriate. Likely to come from removing barriers meetings.

Universal Offer

  • Quality First Teaching – clear to all and consistent across the school
  • Relationships and Unconditional Positive Regard
  • Team Tactics
  • Bespoke curriculum personalised to our context e.g. daily boost, bespoke PSHCE curriculum,  etc.
  • Free wraparound care – after school clubs and breakfast club
  • Magic Breakfast
  • Happy Lunchtimes
  • Assemblies – Core British Values and Protected Characteristics
  • Class Dojo
  • Safeguarding Culture
  • Drop in sessions
  • Adults visible on the playground to speak with parents

Targeted Offer

  • DDSL of the day – overseen by DSL
  • Full time Family Support Worker – Housing, benefits, bring children in to school
  • Full Time ELSA
  • Attendance officer
  • Speech and Language and other specifically measured interventions
  • Tuition – PP focus, Maths, Reading
  • Summer Sports Scheme – PP
  • Full Time SENDCo
  • Staff who speak a variety of languages
  • Family Coaching
  • Form filling and signposting – PIP, GP, benefits, Home Office
  • Housing Support – homelessness support, use of minibus, furniture applications, housing applications, transport children to school from temporary accommodation
  • Emotional Support for families and children
  • Clothing/food support – donations, signposting, buying
  • Behaviour support
  • SEND support
  • Anxiety support
  • Attendance Support

Specialist Offer

  • Social Care – calls to DAS, support in meetings, transport
  • CAMHS
  • Early Years Support Team
  • Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
  • Educational Psychologist
  • SEMH Team