Post-16 Pastoral Support
Sixth Form is a brilliant but challenging time for students and the well-being of our young people is extremely important to us. Students often find the change from Year 11 to Year 12 a little bit difficult but we are here to help.
The Sixth Form Pastoral Team consists of the Sixth Form Tutors who are very experienced working at this level and will support students in their transition to a more independent way of working. They are the first port of call for students and where possible will remain with the group for their time in Sixth Form.
Our Sixth Form Manager works with the tutor team to offer an additional layer of support throughout the school day so that students always have a friendly face to turn to. She gets to know our students very well and liaises with staff and parents to help students who experience any difficulties in Sixth Form, as well as supporting students to meet our expectations in terms of work and behaviour.
Our bespoke Sixth Form PSHE curriculum also helps students to prepare for the challenges of adult life. This is delivered in Year Group blocks covering the following basic themes:
- Transition
- Personal Safety and Well-being
- Healthy Relationships
- Physical and Mental Health
- Careers and Next Steps
Assemblies and the registration programme add to this as well as the range of opportunities offered by our extra-curricular and enrichment programmes.
Our Sixth Form Learning Support Assistant and Library Manager both work with our students to maintain a positive working atmosphere during their study periods and offer additional mentoring and organisational support for students who need require a little more help with their independent learning.
We also have a range of further support services available for students who might be experiencing difficulties.
Targeted Services
Our Student Well-being Officers offer both one to one and group support sessions.
Some students will pop along to a well-being drop in, chat with staff and find that this level of support works for them. Other students need more support and our Well-being Officers will set up regular sessions with these students, counselling them and working with parents and carers to help that young person.
If students are identified as needing more support, they are referred to our specialist services, accessed through the cluster.
Cluster Specialist Support
Alongside the primary schools in our Cluster, we have access to a range of specialist support services, to which students are referred according to their needs. These can include services which work to support parents and carers alongside the child, or counselling or inclusion work.
Family Support Worker
Our Family Support Worker offers families with children support to build relationships within the family and in the local community to enable families to thrive together. This can include one to one work or attending the drop in groups, which can cover everything from emotional regulation at secondary school or support for parents and carers of neuro divergent children.
TaMHS
The Targeted Mental Health in Schools counsellors have one to one sessions with students who have been referred by the pastoral team. These usually last for some weeks, while the student and their counsellor work together. These are accessed through internal referrals from school to the Cluster.
CaMHS
The NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams work with students who have been referred to the cluster by their GP, leading to counselling work.
Area Inclusion Partnership
Sometimes students and families need a different kind of support and school can refer families to the AIP. The AIP will also work alongside the services above. The Area Inclusion Partnership exists to reduce exclusions and support the development of social, emotional and mental health and well-being. The AIP works with school and families to help students who are most vulnerable, to ensure the best quality of education and outcome for them and their families.