Pastoral Support
At St Andrew's, we understand that pastoral care is fundamental to a child’s overall development and wellbeing. Our commitment to our school vision and values shapes how we nurture every child, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and supported throughout their learning journey.
Our Holistic Approach to Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at St Andrew’s is more than a policy; it is an essential part of our school ethos and daily life. We strive to support the physical, emotional, social, and mental wellbeing of every child, recognising that these elements are interconnected and vital for children to flourish both in and out of the classroom.
- Safe and Happy Environment: We work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere where children feel secure and happy to express themselves.
- Emotional and Social Support: Through compassionate listening and encouragement, we help children build resilience, courage, and endurance, reflecting our core values.
- Mental Wellbeing: We promote positive mental health by fostering friendships, hope, and trust within our school family.
Our pastoral care also aligns closely with our Christian values, inspired by the teaching: “Love one another, as I have loved you” (John 13:34). This underpins everything we do, encouraging forgiveness, respect, service, and thankfulness in our school community.
Our Pastoral Lead
Mrs L Allen is our dedicated Pastoral Lead, who works closely with children, families, and staff to provide personalised support. Whether your child needs someone to talk to, help managing social or emotional challenges, or support during difficult times, Mrs Allen is here to assist.
You can contact our Pastoral Lead by clicking the button below
How We Support Our Children and Families
- Regular Check-ins: Our staff are trained to observe and respond to the pastoral needs of children throughout the school day.
- Community and Collaboration: We engage with parents and carers as partners, ensuring a consistent approach to your child’s wellbeing.
- Promoting Positive Behaviour: Our behaviour and relationships policy, grounded in kindness and respect, supports children in developing self-discipline and positive relationships.
Next Steps for Parents
If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing or would like to learn more about the pastoral support we offer, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs Allen. We encourage open communication and are committed to working together to ensure every child thrives.
Useful Links
NSPCC Guidance - Leaving Children Home Alone
Many parents wonder whether it is appropriate or safe to leave their child home alone during holidays. The NSPCC provides clear guidance to help parents make informed decisions:
Leaving Your Child Home Alone - Advice | NSPCC
Keeping Children Safe Online
In today’s digital world, online safety is more important than ever—especially during school breaks, when screen time may increase.
Keeping children safe online | NSPCC
Support for Families and Managing Conflict at Home
At St Andrew's, we understand that family life can be challenging, and sometimes parents and carers face difficult situations that can cause stress, anxiety, or conflict at home. Unresolved conflict between adults can have a significant impact on children’s well-being and development.
Many issues can contribute to conflict, including:
- Financial pressures and debt
- Moving house
- Adjusting to life as new parents
- Relationship issues such as trust or fidelity
- Health challenges
- Other stress-inducing circumstances
We are committed to supporting our families and encouraging open, healthy communication. If you’re struggling to manage these challenges, free help and resources are available.
What Help is Available?
The Lincolnshire County Council offers free online support sessions for parents and carers experiencing conflict. These sessions include:
- Advice on how parental conflict affects children and strategies to reduce stress
- Support around managing debt and relationship stress
- Guidance on navigating parenting challenges and separation
You can access these resources by registering for free here.
https://skills.oneplusone.org.uk/users/checkout/auth
Support for Separating Parents
If you are separating from a partner, there is a free app available that can support you through the process.
The app includes:
- Practical tips and emotional support
- Tools to help you monitor your progress and readiness
- Positive communication strategies for co-parenting
You can download the Separating Better app to track your emotional preparedness and take control of your journey.
Further Help and Resources
Relate – Free advice and counselling for relationship issues
Anna Freud Organisation – Mental health support for families
Action for Children – Parenting and relationship guidance
Recovery College – Help with alcohol, drug use, and emotional resilience
We encourage any parents or carers facing difficulties to reach out and use these services. Your well-being is vital, and we are here to help ensure your family gets the support it needs.
Apps to help with children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and big feelings (Android & iOS)-
A child’s mental health is an important foundation on which the rest of their life is based, and often children are not able to share their problems and worries with their parents. In such situations, these apps for children and young people come to the rescue. They create a pleasant atmosphere and allow you to work through your fears and worries in a playful way. NHS and Children’s Health recommended, a lot of parents trust and use these apps with their children.
Kooth offer children and young people online counselling until 10pm and peer support 24/7, and is always free, safe and anonymous. Kooth contains mini-activities to boost your wellbeing including: How to make your own coping box, Create a ‘good mood’ playlist, and to Practice being present. The Kooth app encourages the “Write it down, let it out” mantra, and offers journalling to help you track and reflect on your feelings.
Chill Panda teaches children and young people how to relax, manage your worries and improve your wellbeing by measuring your heart rate and following games and tasks to suit your state of mind. It helps children and their family understand different emotions, and introduces skills to help regulate these including breathing techniques and calming games.
Clear Fear: The fear of threat, or anxiety, is like a strong gust of wind- It drags you in and makes you want to fight it or run away. Instead, face your fear with the Clear Fear app and learn to reduce the physical responses to threat as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions. The app uses mindfulness, relaxation and breathing techniques to help young people learn ways to reduce their physical responses to threat.
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is developed based on the motives and ideas of the programme “Sesame Street” and in a playful way can support children to solve their important everyday problems. The learning process is in the form of a game that teaches children how using the “breathe, think, do” principle can achieve results.
Finch is a self-care motivational app that provides help and a positive attitude through a virtual pet chick. As you complete self-care and self-help tasks, your pet will grow and thrive. This app helps to turn every day, often routine and not always pleasant activities into a game.
Mind Moose (https://www.mindmoose.co.uk) is a web app. Children go on a journey of discovery with Mind Moose and his animal friends. They explore more about themselves and different coping mechanisms so that in times of stress they know what helps them relax and what makes them feel happy. The app draws on different elements of psychology to help to develop character, resilience and self-confidence.
Luminova is primarily designed for children aged 7-12 years to support anxiety, though some content may also be suitable for younger children.
Anxiety is a common challenge, and we hope this app can provide support for any difficulties you or your child may be facing.
You can explore the app using the link below:
Lumi Nova - Free for families in Lincolnshire — Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage
Support for RAF Families
We understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with being part of the RAF community, and we are here to support you and your children throughout their educational journey and integration into the school community.
Support for RAF personnel and families < RAF Families Federation (raf-ff.org.uk)
The Little Troopers Therapy Programme supports the mental health and wellbeing of children whose parents serve in the British Armed Forces.
The tri-service Little Troopers Therapy Programme offers free one-to-one psychotherapy sessions specifically exploring the challenges that military life can bring, such as having a parent deployed or moving home and school frequently.
(1) Little Troopers Therapy Programme - Parent Video Series. DEPLOYMENT/SEPARATION - YouTube
(1) Little Troopers Therapy Programme - Parent Video Series. MOVING HOME & SCHOOL - YouTube
(1) Little Troopers Therapy Programme - Parent Video Series. NURTURING RESILIENCE - YouTube
Scotty's Little Soldiers is a charity that provides support for bereaved military children who have experienced the death of a parent serving in the British Armed Forces. Please see membership form below to fill in for free to get support for your child.
Charity for Bereaved Military Children | Scotty's Little Soldiers (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk)
membership-form-2022-1.pdf (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk)
Bereavement
The Children’s Bereavement Centre is run by a committed team of friendly, supportive and professional people who are passionate about helping children and young people to cope with the grieving process brought on by the death or terminal illness diagnosis that has a prognosis of a year or less for survival of someone close.
Get Support | Children's Bereavement Centre (childrensbereavementcentre.co.uk)
Winston’s Wish are the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity and have been supporting grieving children and young people since 1992. Winston’s Wish provides emotional and practical bereavement support to children, young people (up to 25) and those who care for them.
Help for parents and carers supporting grieving children | Winston's Wish (winstonswish.org)
Emotional Wellbeing
Emotional wellbeing is about being happy, confident, having good relationships and being able to cope with everyday events. Everyone at some point might find it hard to cope with how they are feeling or what is happening in their life.
Unfortunately, children and young people don’t come with a manual and it is often hard to know what course of action is best when your child’s behaviour changes and you start to worry about them.
Low self-esteem and low confidence :: Lincolnshire Young Minds (lpft.nhs.uk)
OCD :: Lincolnshire Young Minds (lpft.nhs.uk)
In Lincolnshire, you can now ‘self-refer’ to CAMHS or Healthy Minds services. This means that if your child is struggling with emotional or mental health, you can call them directly on the Lincolnshire Here4You phoneline to speak to a professional about getting the right support for you and them.
Here4You: 0800 234 6342
Online self-referral :: Lincolnshire Young Minds (lpft.nhs.uk)
Parenting advice from child mental health experts. Practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour
Place2Be: Parenting Smart: Articles
A guide to overcoming anxiety
Healthy Minds Lincolnshire provide emotional wellbeing support for children and young people up to 19 years old. They provide early support for when you start to feel that life is getting out of control and you need some help to cope.
Staying Emotionally Healthy - Primary by HML Boston on Prezi
Staying_Emotionally_Healthy__Primary_V3_20210514.pdf (lpft.nhs.uk) (work book)
Healthy Minds Lincolnshire :: Lincolnshire Young Minds (lpft.nhs.uk)
Healthy Minds Lincolnshire - Managing worries and anxious feelings ONLINE workshop - YouTube
(9) Healthy Minds Lincolnshire - Managing Angry Feelings Workshop (Primary) - YouTube
(9) Healthy Minds Lincolnshire - colour breathing - YouTube
(9) Healthy Minds Lincolnshire- Finger Breathing - YouTube
(9) Healthy Minds Lincolnshire- Progressive Muscle Relaxation - YouTube
