Our Pastoral Team:

Miss Blake – Pastoral Leader
Miss Ashcroft – specialised therapeutic support (breathing therapy)
Mrs Minihane – Principal
Mrs Smith – Vice Principal and SENCo
Mrs Cox – Vice Principal
Mrs Walton – EYFS Leader

Pastoral care is at the heart of our St Mary’s community. It ensures that every child feels safe, supported, and understood-both in school and at home. Our pastoral team works closely with families to provide guidance, early help, and practical support during challenging times.
Pastoral care can help with:

▪ Financial worries
▪ Health concerns
▪ Behaviour and emotional regulation
▪ Referrals to external agencies
▪ Early Support Plans (Early Help)
▪ EBSNA Pathway (Emotionally Based School Non Attendance)
▪ Mental Health/Wellbeing
▪ Bereavement and family changes
▪ Accessing pastoral interventions tailored to your child’s needs

 

If you ever feel your child or family may benefit from additional support, please speak to the Pastoral Lead (Miss Blake) or a member of the Senior Leadership Team. We are here to help.
What pastoral care offers:
Our pastoral support aims to:
▪ Build children’s confidence and resilience
▪ Strengthen emotional wellbeing
▪ Support positive behaviour
▪ Help families navigate difficult circumstances
▪ Provide early intervention before issues escalate

 

We work in partnership with parents/carers and external agencies to ensure every child receives the right support at the right time.
Pastoral interventions available at St Mary’s:
Below is a breakdown of the interventions we offer and how they can support your child.

 

Art / Sand Tray Therapy

Art and Sand Tray therapy provide children with a safe, creative space to express their feelings when words are difficult. Through drawing, painting, or using symbolic objects in sand, children can explore emotions, reduce anxiety, and build emotional resilience.

 

Thrive Intervention

Thrive focuses on supporting children’s social and emotional development. It helps identify gaps in emotional understanding and provides targeted activities to build confidence, self-regulation, and positive relationships.
Rainbows Bereavement Intervention
Rainbows is a structured programme (Diocesan-approved) for children who have experienced loss, bereavement, or significant family change. It offers a safe group environment where children can share feelings, develop coping strategies, and feel supported by trained adults.

Emotion Coaching / Anger Management

Emotion Coaching helps children understand their feelings and respond to them in healthy ways. Anger Management sessions teach children practical strategies to manage frustration, calm their bodies, and communicate their needs more effectively.

Brick Therapy

Brick Therapy is a structured, child-centred intervention that uses LEGO® bricks to help children develop important social, communication and emotional skills. Working collaboratively in small groups, pupils take on different roles and work together to follow instructions, solve problems and complete building challenges. Through these activities, children learn to listen carefully, take turns, share ideas, build confidence and develop positive relationships with others.

 

HugglePets

HugglePets is a therapeutic animal-assisted intervention that supports children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and social development. Through positive interactions with specially trained animals, pupils are encouraged to develop communication skills, build self-esteem and learn strategies to manage their emotions. Spending time with animals can help children feel calm, safe and relaxed, reducing anxiety and promoting positive mental health. HugglePets sessions provide a nurturing environment where pupils can develop empathy, responsibility and resilience, helping them to thrive both emotionally and academically.

Breath Work

Breath Work is a calming and supportive intervention that helps children develop emotional regulation, focus and resilience through simple breathing techniques. Children are taught age-appropriate strategies to slow their breathing, relax their bodies and become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. These techniques can help reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and overwhelm, while improving concentration, self-control and overall wellbeing. By practising Breath Work regularly, pupils develop valuable lifelong skills that enable them to manage emotions positively, feel calmer in challenging situations and be ready to learn.

How to access support:
If you feel your child may benefit from any of these interventions, please speak to the Pastoral Lead (Miss Blake) or a member of a member of the Senior Leadership Team. We will discuss your concerns, explore the best intervention for your child, and guide you through the next steps. Pastoral care is a partnership-and together, we can help your child thrive both emotionally and academically