Pastoral Support

At Kirton Primary School, we place great importance on the pastoral care of our pupils, recognising that emotional wellbeing and mental health are fundamental to learning and personal development. Our pastoral team provides ongoing support to children, helping them build resilience, self-regulation, and strong social-emotional skills.

Our staff receive specialist training from Healthy Minds and the Mental Health Support Team, equipping them to support pupils’ mental health in the classroom and respond effectively to individual needs. This training underpins strategies to develop executive functioning skills, such as planning, focus, and self-control, which are essential for academic success and everyday life.

Practical measures are integrated into daily routines to support wellbeing. Pupils have access to water bottles on their tables at all times, regular brain breaks are factored into the timetable, and our sensory room provides a calm space for reflection and regulation. We also offer sensory circuit provision at the start of the day and after lunch to help children regulate energy levels and focus for learning.

Additionally, our school has a trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) who provides targeted interventions for children who may need extra support with emotional or social challenges.

We focus on prevention as well as support, helping children develop coping strategies, resilience, and positive relationships before challenges arise. We work closely with families to provide consistent guidance, sharing strategies to help children thrive at home and at school. Through these approaches, we aim to create a nurturing environment where every child feels supported, understood, and empowered to flourish both academically and personally.

Self-Regulation at Kirton Primary School

At Kirton Primary School, we are committed to supporting pupils’ emotional wellbeing and helping children develop the skills they need to manage their feelings.

As part of this approach, we have introduced a whole-school set of self-regulation techniques. These strategies help children recognise their emotions and use simple, effective methods to calm themselves and refocus when they are feeling overwhelmed.

The techniques are introduced to pupils during school assemblies, where children learn about each strategy and how it can help them. They are also practiced regularly in classrooms during calm times so that pupils become familiar and confident with using them.

To support this, self-regulation posters are displayed in classrooms and around the school. Each class also has an SOS basket, which includes small cue cards and resources that remind pupils of the strategies they can use when they need support with their emotions.

Our Mental Health Leaders also help promote positive wellbeing across the school by encouraging conversations about feelings and supporting a culture of kindness and understanding.

By practicing these techniques regularly, we aim to ensure that all children feel supported, safe, and ready to learn.