Pastoral Support at Loseley
At Loseley we recognise that children can only thrive socially, emotionally and academically, when all of their needs are met. In addition to our PSHE curriculum, SMSC threads through the topics and Citizenship pathway, we have a broad pastoral offer to support children with their social and emotional development.
There are many reasons why a child may need to access our pastoral provision beyond the curriculum. For example: friendship issues, bereavement, anxiety or tailored support with transition. We have a fantastic pastoral team who offer a range of interventions to help our children and families to overcome barriers and improve wellbeing.
Meet the Team
Debbie Loveland is our experienced Home School Link Worker (HSLW) and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. She works closely with class teachers and the safeguarding team to support children through both group and tailored 1:1 work. She also works with parents and carers to offer parenting support as well as signpost them to other agencies who may be able support. Debbie has worked at Loseley Fields for a long time and has built strong relationships with families in the community. She founded the school’s therapeutic gardening programme, Flourish.
Susan Edwards is our Ecotherapist, bringing a background of helping people to learn about themselves and the world through our relationship with nature.
Our TA team are trained to deliver Lego Therapy to support children to play with their peers. During the intervention, children take it in turns to play a role by taking on a specific responsibility i.e. builder. The children have to develop the communication skills to build their Lego effectively within a team. We have seen great outcomes from this intervention as children transfer what they have learnt onto the playground.
Flourish
Loseley Fields enjoys a large outdoor site surrounded by mature trees and hedges, with a pond, woodland, and meadow habitats, as well as more formal garden planting. This amazing resource is valuable for our school community for many reasons and pastorally we use nature because;
- Being able to see and be in green and natural spaces helps our bodies feel better by slowing our heart rate, breathing rate, helps our eyes stay healthy and helps regulate sleep.
- Time spent in nature helps us feel happier by reducing levels of stress hormones.
- Being outdoors reduces the amount of harmful airborne chemicals and bacteria we are exposed to.
- Having contact with nature including soil and trees, exposes us to compounds that raise our happy hormone levels.
- We have space to move and use our bodies in different ways to help us keep fit and self regulate.
- Children can build their nature connectedness which positively correlates with wellbeing.
Through our Flourish programme, children have the opportunity to grow food for themselves and for wildlife, and spend time immersed in natural spaces. This offers opportunities for children to explore strategies to develop self-regulation, empathy and social skills. We also offer a programme focused on Art in Nature.
The team assess the children upon entry to the programme, considering what outcomes would support the child to access their overall wellbeing which supports class learning, and monitors their progress throughout the intervention.
How can my child access this support?
Teachers may contact you if they feel your child may benefit from accessing the pastoral provision on offer and you are also able to refer into Mrs Loveland directly or through your child’s class teacher. Likewise, if you feel that you may need some additional support or advice, please call Debbie through the school office.
