At Coleshill C of E Primary School , pastoral care is at the heart of our school community. Rooted in our Christian vision—where every child is known, valued and loved—we work proactively to ensure that all within our community feel safe, supported and able to flourish academically, socially and emotionally. Our pastoral offer sits alongside our safeguarding, mental health, SEND and attendance systems, creating a joined‑up, responsive network of support for children and families.

Pastoral care is woven into everyday school life: the relationships we build, the routines children rely on, the emotional literacy we teach and the early help we offer when worries arise. Our Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy outlines our commitment to a whole‑school, trauma‑informed approach, ensuring early identification, timely intervention and a culture where every child knows they belong and has trusted adults to turn to.

Our pastoral support also plays a key role in:

Safeguarding, through consistent relationships, vigilant staff and clear pathways for support
Attendance, by reducing barriers, building positive routines and strengthening home–school connections
Mental Health & Wellbeing, through universal, targeted and specialist provision within our Graduated Approach
Inclusion, ensuring all children feel respected, listened to and emotionally secure

What We Offer to Our Whole School Community

✔ Every child identifies their own “Network of Support”

All pupils are taught to recognise who they can talk to when they feel worried, unsafe or unsure. This includes trusted adults in school—staff who build relationships, are visible, and nurture resilience.

✔ Soft Starts

Soft Starts take place at the beginning of the school day and allow children to arrive calmly, settle gently and prepare emotionally for learning. During this time, children may engage in quiet tasks, check‑ins with staff, regulation activities or light social interaction. This routine supports attendance, reduces anxiety and enables a positive, settled start to the morning—especially for pupils who find transitions challenging.

✔ Parent Classes (Warwickshire)

Throughout the Autumn term, we hosted parent support programmes run by Warwickshire, offering practical guidance on:

behaviour routines
sleep
managing emotions
strategies for supporting children at home

These workshops strengthen home–school partnerships and empower families with tools that support their child’s wellbeing and development.

✔ ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) Sessions

Delivered by our trained ELSA practitioner, these sessions provide 1:1 or small‑group emotional support to help pupils understand their feelings, build resilience, develop confidence and manage worries. ELSA sits within our Targeted Support in the Graduated Approach.

✔ Boomerang

A structured short-term intervention aimed at building confidence and self‑esteem for groups of up to six children. It helps pupils understand their strengths, develop positive relationships and feel more secure in themselves.

✔ Nurture Check‑Ins

Our pastoral team offers regular, supportive check‑ins for children who need ongoing emotional support. These sessions provide a safe space for pupils to talk, regulate and reflect, and form a key part of our universal and targeted wellbeing offer.

✔ Supporting Friendships

We explicitly teach children what positive friendships look like and help them develop the skills they need to build them—kindness, listening, empathy, turn‑taking and problem‑solving. Through PSHE, circle time, small‑group interventions and adult modelling, we give pupils concrete strategies for repairing fallouts, understanding emotions and communicating effectively with others. Interventions such as ELSA, Boomerang, and nurture check‑ins further support children who need additional guidance to feel confident socially and build healthy relationships.

✔ Supporting Co‑Regulation

Children are not expected to manage challenging emotions alone. Staff use a trauma‑informed approach—modelling calm behaviour, naming emotions, coaching pupils through difficult moments and offering predictable routines to help them feel safe and grounded. We provide visual supports, safe spaces, movement breaks and emotional check‑ins so children can regulate with the guidance of a trusted adult. Targeted support, including ELSA and wellbeing check‑ins, teaches children practical strategies for calming, understanding feelings and bouncing back from challenges.

A Pastoral Team That Knows and Cares

Our pastoral provision is led by:

Mrs Currin – Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead
Mrs J Rutherford – SENCo, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, & Mental Health Lead
Mrs Hodges – Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, ELSA lead, Family Support & Pastoral Workers
Mrs Thompson – Family Support & Pastoral Workers

Together, we work with staff, families and external agencies to ensure every child receives the support they need.

Pastoral Care