Pastoral Support

At Kirton Primary School, we place great importance on the pastoral care of our pupils, recognising that emotional wellbeing and mental health are fundamental to learning and personal development. Our pastoral team provides ongoing support to children, helping them build resilience, self-regulation, and strong social-emotional skills.

Our staff receive specialist training from Healthy Minds and the Mental Health Support Team, equipping them to support pupils’ mental health in the classroom and respond effectively to individual needs. This training underpins strategies to develop executive functioning skills, such as planning, focus, and self-control, which are essential for academic success and everyday life.

Practical measures are integrated into daily routines to support wellbeing. Pupils have access to water bottles on their tables at all times, regular brain breaks are factored into the timetable, and our sensory room provides a calm space for reflection and regulation. We also offer sensory circuit provision at the start of the day and after lunch to help children regulate energy levels and focus for learning.

Additionally, our school has a trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) who provides targeted interventions for children who may need extra support with emotional or social challenges.

We focus on prevention as well as support, helping children develop coping strategies, resilience, and positive relationships before challenges arise. We work closely with families to provide consistent guidance, sharing strategies to help children thrive at home and at school. Through these approaches, we aim to create a nurturing environment where every child feels supported, understood, and empowered to flourish both academically and personally.