We were delighted to host our first Pastoral Conference yesterday, centred around Early Interventions in Pastoral Care. It was a pleasure to welcome delegates working in a variety of roles dedicated to supporting children and young people in different settings.
“….a great atmosphere across the event with committed colleagues striving to do the best for their children.”
The afternoon commenced with an informative keynote talk by Nicola Morgan, ‘The Teenage Brain Woman’, entitled “Their Brain in Their Hands: young people as active agents of wellbeing and resilience”. Nicola shared a wealth of practical strategies to empower young people to understand and help develop their mental and emotional health and cultivate resilience.
Deborah Gibbs, our Deputy Head Pastoral, discussed “Creative Interventions in Pastoral Care: The Power of Theatre in Education”. A special thanks to our Y7 and &Y8 students whose captivating and thought-provoking performance showcased the transformative impact of words. They covered almost every possible interaction in a school, from student conversations, staffroom chats, teacher feedback to students and more.
“I hugely enjoyed the drama performance. Incredibly powerful. Every student and teacher should see it.”
Following some tasty refreshments, delegates had the opportunity to attend a variety of interactive workshops, facilitated by professionals and experts. Dr Kathy Weston from Tooled Up Education talked about supportive early help and advice for parents. Neil Moggan from Future Action discussed developing trauma informed practice for working with children and young people, as well as the importance of physical activity as a whole school early intervention tool. Kitty Nabarro from Nip in the Bud discussed the importance of raising early awareness of mental health issues in children and young people. Additionally, our very own Ana Santos, Head of PSHE, conducted a workshop looking at the use of peer mentors as an early intervention for students of all ages.
The workshops were extremely engaging and provided delegates with a chance to reflect on their own ideas and engage in discussions.
“It was so lovely to pause and consider how I could develop as a pastoral leader.”
The conference was rounded off by Gayle Mellor, Pastoral Liaison Manager, reflecting on some of the key ideas from the afternoon, and bringing discussions to focus on our own self-care. Delegates were treated to a mindfulness practice which staff could try with students or themselves, checking in with thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, which promoted a sense of calm to close the event.
A big thank you to all our speakers, to Gayle and Deborah and the wider pastoral team, to our catering staff who provided delicious refreshments throughout the afternoon and to estates and other staff who helped make the afternoon enjoyable for all. We look forward to building on the success of the day at future events.
“Thought-provoking and engaging throughout.”
