Pastoral Team and the Schools Offer of Help for Children and Families

"Pupils at Milton Park Primary follow the school’s values. They are ‘responsible, respectful and resilient’. Leaders ensure that pupils receive high-quality pastoral support. Pupils feel that staff will support them with any problem they have. Consequently, pupils feel safe because staff care for and nurture them." Ofsted March 2022

At Milton Park Primary School pastoral support is a high priority and we aim to promote the wellbeing and self-esteem of each child. We believe that every child should enjoy their education and be happy, healthy and safe at school. We will value our children for their individuality, culture and heritage. We are committed to achieving this by providing the Right Help at the Right Time in the Right Place for children and families.

The Pastoral Support Team consists of a Pastoral Support Manager, Mr Paul Cox, and Learning Mentor, Mrs Andrea Flourentzou-Bell and Pastoral Assistant Mrs Colette Holden.

What sort of help can I get from Pastoral Support?

Often it may be that parents want to talk about concerns they have about their child, but support can be offered in many different ways to help you in your role as parents.  Here are just some of the ways we have been able to help families:

• One to one support  
• Making phone calls on your behalf
• Writing letters of support to other agencies
• Help with filling in forms for housing/benefit applications
• Help with applying for secondary school places
• Giving a listening ear when parents just need to talk
• Attending meetings with parents
• Pointing you in the right direction for specialist help and support
• Helping to find furniture for families in an emergency
• Getting children to and from school in an emergency
• Parent Groups – offering training and support
• Parent Drop In Sessions
• Advice sessions for school transition
• Settling in sessions for children starting school

Our Learning Mentor and Pastoral Assistant, helps pupils make the most of school life by breaking down barriers to learning. For the child, they are someone supportive to talk to, share successes or disappointments with, or to provide help with practical difficulties or worries.  They can also be the link between school and home, or with outside agencies.  They can act as an advocate for children and young people and is non-judgmental.  They deliver a tailored and flexible approach to meet the needs of those being mentored.

Our Learning Mentor and Pastoral Assistant meet with children and young people, usually outside of the classroom, either individually or in small groups in a planned and structured way. 

What can the Learning Mentor/ Pastoral Assistant help with? 

• Settling into a new school
• Friendship issues
• Problems on the playground
• Family breakdown
• Unstable or difficult family circumstances
• Changes in home life
• The loss of a loved one
• Coping with illness
• Any form of bullying (including cyber bullying)
• Controlling emotions
• Social skills
• Self-esteem or confidence issues
• Worries or concerns about transferring from primary to secondary school
• Anything else causing a child to worry

The Pastoral Support Team are also members of Milton Park Primary School’s Safeguarding Team, supporting the Head Teacher in matters relating to children’s welfare and child protection concerns.

You can contact any member of the Pastoral Support Team by calling into the school office or telephoning the school on 01934 624868.