The_Pastoral_Hub_booklet by Stonyhurst College

The Pastoral Hub

Welcome to the Pastoral Hub

Pastoral care is an essential part of any school’s environment, ensuring students’ wellbeing is prioritised. In schools, it involves attending to the physical, emotional, social, and mental needs of students, creating a safe and nurturing atmosphere. This support helps students thrive both academically and personally. The Pastoral Hub was established as part of a wider school initiative to improve and strengthen Pastoral Care at Stonyhurst College. The team comprises of 3 full time Pastoral Assistants and 3 Counsellors and we work collaboratively with the SEND Department, Safeguarding and the Health and Wellbeing Centre The team provides individual and group intervention support alongside a counselling service. The Pastoral interventions delivered by the team supports the health and wellbeing of all students in the college by offering a bespoke range of programmes for both individual students and small groups. The Pastoral team are responsive to need and students are referred to the Hub by Parents, Playroom Leaders, the Health and Wellbeing Centre, Learning Support, Houseparents and the Safeguarding Team. The Pastoral Hub also operates an open-door policy where students can access a safe, calm and relaxed area within the school and access further support where necessary.

Meet the Team...

Claire Wilkinson

Pastoral Coordinator and DDSL

I have been part of the Stonyhurst community for the past three years. Prior to this, I served as Curriculum Manager for Health, Social Care and Applied Science at a local FE College, where I also spent over two decades teaching vocational qualifications to young people. Alongside my teaching career, I have nurtured a passion for travel, leading overseas volunteering opportunities for students in Tanzania, Kenya, Moldova, Berlin and Turkey. I believe strongly that pastoral support provides the foundation on which meaningful learning takes place. It is central to school life, as it safeguards both the physical and emotional wellbeing of pupils. From my experience, when students feel safe, supported and happy, they are empowered to reach their full potential.

Rebecca Davies

Pastoral Assistant

I have taught Religious Studies, Citizenship and PSHE for the past 16 years, gaining a wide range of experience in planning and delivering lessons, assemblies, drop-down days and enrichment activities. I am committed to

continually developing my own knowledge and practice, having completed training such as the CEOP Programme for online safety, the Prevent course delivered by Lancashire Constabulary’s WRAP Team, and most recently a Safeguarding, Extremism and Online Safety course.

I believe that educating the whole child is at the heart of meaningful teaching and I feel privileged that Stonyhurst values this approach so deeply. My pupils are always at the centre of what I do. The relationships I build with them, the pride I feel in their growth, and the privilege of supporting them as they overcome challenges and self-doubt are the most rewarding aspects of my role. It means a great deal to know that pupils trust me, respect me and feel safe in my care. The impact we have as educators extends far beyond the classroom, and I believe the unique environment at Stonyhurst enables us to make a lasting difference one that continues to shape our pupils’ lives well beyond their time here.

Sandy Nelson

Pastoral Assistant

I hold a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art and recently moved from the Learning Support Department to join the Pastoral Hub. I have extensive experience working with young people and particularly enjoy supporting children with Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Beyond the classroom, I have a passion for music, art and medieval history, and I often draw on my creative background to help pupils build confidence and selfesteem. Using music and the arts as a tool for expression and growth is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.

Elodie Ladlow Counsellor

I am a Human Givens Psychotherapist with 12 years of therapeutic experience across education, the NHS and the charity sector. For the past seven years, I have been part of Stonyhurst, where I provide one-to-one counselling, promote mental health, and co-host the staff podcast Mind & ME alongside my colleague Maxine Roche. I am passionate about supporting young people and have a particular love for all things psychology. Outside of work, I enjoy reading, horse riding, indie music and spending time with animals.

Maxine Roche Counsellor and DDSL

I have been a counsellor at Stonyhurst for the past four years. Prior to this, I worked as a School Project Manager, providing counselling and psychotherapy services. In that role, I gained extensive experience within a school setting, developing both my therapeutic practice and my understanding of how to work effectively with young people. I also supervised colleagues, supporting

them to gain a well-rounded experience in working therapeutically with pupils. This has long been my passion, and I continue to learn every day from the young people I work with in an ever-changing world.

At Stonyhurst, I wear several hats: I am also a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, and I work alongside the pastoral team delivering groupwork and mediation. In addition, I co-host the Mind & ME podcast with my colleague Elodie Ladlow, where we explore issues around mental health and wellbeing.

I believe mental health is a fundamental part of growth and development, providing the foundation for emotional, psychological and social wellbeing, confidence and balance. My aim is always to help pupils develop the resilience and mindset they need to flourish both within and beyond school.

Outside of work, I enjoy tennis, yoga, and watching rugby—though I must admit I still don’t fully understand the rules!

Rebecca Warren Counsellor

I graduated from Buckinghamshire University in 2019 with a First-Class Honours degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Alongside my studies, I managed a mental health rehabilitation unit, gained placement experience with an organisation specialising in addiction, and volunteered as a young person’s mentor with Child Action Northwest and Barnardo’s.

Before joining Stonyhurst, I worked with a Pendle-based organisation providing psychotherapy to young people across schools and community settings. I began working with children at Stonyhurst in early 2023, primarily supporting younger pupils through an integrative therapeutic approach tailored to individual needs.

Outside of work, I love to travel and explore the world with my partner and our two children.

Programmes we offer

1:1 Mentoring

This is a bespoke programme designed for any student who requires additional pastoral support. The 1:1 Pastoral Mentoring sessions are tailored to individual need and students can be signposted to access additional support for many different reasons, such as, homesickness, school avoidance, relationship and friendship issues, anxiety and help with organisation. Sessions are typically 1 hour per week. Each student has an individual Pastoral Plan which is reviewed each half term with the pupil and the Playroom Leader. We use a variety of bespoke resources according to what the pupil needs.

“I came to get my confidence back and I have learned so much more about myself.. It made me learn about how to handle my emotions and anxiety and to like myself again. It has helped me grow and feel better in and out of school” (LG pupil evaluation)

“In Pastoral Care there is always someone to talk to. I find that setting weekly targets, helps me to manage my feelings and anxiety”. Mrs Wilkinson is very caring and understands me” (LG pupil evaluation)

“I think it’s exactly what she needs today. Baking and seeing you each week is like therapy to her. It helps with her anxiety, and it is one of her favourite parts of the week.” (Parent email: Syntax. Sept 9. 2024)

Sleep Hygiene

Our sleep hygiene programme aims to educate pupils on the importance of sleep and give them the tools and strategies to support quality sleep. The weekly intervention is delivered by the Pastoral and Counselling team, to small groups over a 4-week period. When the students come together, they have a shared goal of improving their sleep, with the motivation and support from each other. We feel this social aspect of sleep improvement makes the process more enjoyable and sustainable in the long term. We are proud to say that following our hard work in this area, Stonyhurst School has been awarded Sleep Champion status from the Boarding School Association! Each student who participates in the programme also receives a “Sleep Pack” with tailored resources for coping with sleep adjustment.

“I have learned how to sleep better, how to use calm, sensory things at night and not to have sugar before bed” (AH pupil evaluation)

Team Building and Resilience

We are excited to offer our pupils the opportunity to improve their confidence and self-esteem through a six-week programme involving survival skills, problem solving and.team challenges. This programme is delivered by Charles Tansley and the Pastoral Team. Pupils are referred to the programme by Playroom Leaders and there is an option for some students to extend this support by continuing with 1:1 mentoring to ensure these skills are strengthened and put into practice. For those students who continue on the weekly mentoring programme, an ASDAN LifeSkills qualification can also be completed to further boost their confidence and selfesteem.

Online Safety

Digital literacy has never been so important as we navigate the online world and the real-world impact from things like social media, AI and false information. Pupils will learn how to stay safe online, how to handle issues they may face online and how to use the internet in a positive and healthy way. We look at positive and negative online behaviour, how to think critically when researching, how to spot ‘fake’ news or information and how they can develop healthy choices and behaviours when they use the internet. We also explore the ‘truth and lies’ of the world wide web and equip pupils to understand what they are experiencing in terms of validity, reliability and motivation.

Healthy Eating

Helping children and young people to have healthy attitudes and behaviours, along with good evidencebased knowledge will enable them to develop the skills and abilities necessary to make informed choices about what they eat and drink, when and why, both now and in the future. This intervention comprises of 6 practical cooking sessions in which the student will plan and prepare a range of healthy dishes. The students will learn about the Eatwell Guide and how to incorporate healthier choices into their school life. Students will also have the opportunity to gain an ASDAN Life skills Certificate in Healthy Eating.

Healthy Relationships

Friendships and positive relationships have a huge impact on happiness and mental health. These interventions are designed for individual students or peer groups who are struggling to navigate their relationships with friends, peers or adults. The 6-week intervention will be delivered by the Pastoral and Counselling team. The sessions will cover topics such as: What is a relationship and the types of relationship, healthy and unhealthy behaviours, respecting boundaries, handling disagreements, and communication skills. Conflict resolution and mediation sessions are also offered by the Department.

Restorative behaviour

The Pastoral Team will also support students who are struggling to demonstrate positive behaviour in school. The sessions are delivered by both the Counselling and Pastoral staff. The session(s) will use a restorative approach where students will access support to help them to develop the social and emotional skills to be successful and address challenging behaviour. The session will give each student the opportunity to reflect on their actions, discuss how negative behaviour impacts themselves and others and to decide what better choices they are required to make. The sessions also enable the student to discuss any further support they need to improve their behaviour.

Counselling

Counselling is a process where trained professionals

young person to explore and express their emotional wellbeing at a deeper level and feel comfortable sharing their experiences in a comfortable environment. Building a rapport, assessing the need, goal setting and evaluation is an integral part of the intervention.

The counselling team are eclectic in their delivery of the counselling sessions. This can be person centred, human givens, CBT with many modules to add to the eclectic principles. A referral can be made by a member of staff, parent or be a self-referral. We work closely with the pastoral team who offer support and wellbeing. Where required we link with many internal and external services to provide an all-round service that links to a team around the child.

The team can be contacted on: counselling@ stonyhurst.ac.uk.

Wellbeing group

The Pastoral Hub is part of a new whole-school “Wellbeing” multi-disciplinary group made up of Counselling, our Mental Health Lead, Boarding staff and the Health Centre as well as our senior School Council and Committee members. This group of professionals deliver whole school initiatives covering anti-bullying, health and nutrition, our environment, mental health and international culture. Our remit involves planning and delivering whole school awareness weeks, with a view to engaging and educating our pupils as well as raising awareness of the support we offer and how they can access this.

Pastoral Hub, Playroom Leaders, Tutors, Boarding Staff, PSHE Prog Wellbeing Group

Relationships Organisation

Resilience

Self-esteem

Anxiety EBSA

Sleep

Communication

Social Media

Healthy Eating

One to one mentoring

Group Workshops

Group Interventions

Playroom

ASDAN Qualiﬁctions

Digital Wellbeing

Pastoral Concern

Allegations of Abuse

Mental Health Concern

Self-Harm

Social Services

Involvement

PHYSICAL

Medical Conditions

Allergies / Intolerances

Disordered Eating

Sickness

Sexual Health

Menstruation

Nursing Team advice & information clinics

Counselling Referrals

ELC AS (mental health)

C AMHS ( kids & families)

Heal

Pathway s

lth &

lth & lbeing

SENCO, SEN Dept .

Deputy Head

Pastoral, Health Centre, Counselling Team, Mental Health Lead, Chaplaincy

MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL

Diagnosed Conditions

Low Mood

Anxiety

Depression

Self-Harm

Relationships

Sleep

Feeling Overwhelmed

Worry/Anxiety

Parental Seperation

Bereavement

Trauma

Coping Strategies

Identity

Academic

Deputy Head

Academic, Teaching Staff

Academic choices

Studies

Exam/Revision

Diagnosed Conditions

ADHD

Dyslexia

Dyspraxia

Cognition

Processing

Other learning needs & cognitive/cognition

Assessment

LS Sessions

Exam access arrangements

EHCP

Teaching

Learning

Intervention Clinics

Exam Access & Support

Learning Support

Careers Appointments

Options Advice

Revision Support

Library

Co-curricular

More Library

The Pastoral Hub delivers and supports Boarding staff across the College to deliver the BSA Lifeskills award Programme. This series of Awards was created to reflect the experience and skills of being a boarder. There are 3 levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold, so that boarders from Year 6 to Year 13 access these awards. Boarders complete a selection of challenges and produce a portfolio of their work and the skills they have developed. These challenges range from ‘Living in a Diverse Community’, ‘Being a Role-Model’ to ‘Critical Thinking Skills’ and are agreed on with pupils to reflect their interests and personal goals.

ASDAN ASDAN Website | About us

ASDAN is an education charity and awarding organisation offering courses, accredited curriculum programmes and UK-regulated qualifications to learners working from Key Stage 2 from pre-Entry to Level 3. The Pastoral Team use ASDAN Lifeskills programmes to accredit the work that our pupils carry out within their interventions. For example, Healthy Eating and Teamwork and Resilience

TRAUMA INFORMED LANCASHIRE Home - Trauma Informed Lancashire

resolution. By empowering girls to find their own solutions, parents need worry less, schools can focus more on the curriculum and the girls learn more effectively – because they are happier. These excellent materials and resources are used to support small group sessions, especially within the boarding environment.

Trauma Informed Lancashire is an initiative dedicated to supporting a range of organisations across the public and private sector to understand the effects of mental and physical trauma on individuals. This enables us to identify and assess the potential implications of trauma on our pupils and informs the Pastoral Hubs’ response in terms of tailored support. All staff have received training on trauma and strategies to implement within their own practice.

ANTI-BULLYING ALLIANCE About ABA

We are a unique coalition of organisations and individuals, working together to achieve our vision to stop bullying and create safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn.

The Pastoral Department, the Wellbeing Group, and our senior Line Captains organise a yearly series of events dedicated to anti-bullying. This initiative not only enriches the relationships and friendships aspects of the PSHE curriculum but also includes conducting Playroom assemblies, tutor -led presentations, and focused group interventions. Students are encouraged to participate in surveys to share their insights and concerns on relevant matters, thus informing our approach while fostering inclusivity and instilling a sense of shared responsibility and commitment to our collective goal of eliminating bullying

We Are With You in Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Support | WithYou

We are excited to be working with Lancashire County Councils ‘we are with you’ programme, providing individual and small group sessions focusing on substance issues and mental health. This service offers free, confidential

ASDAN is an education charity and awarding organisation offering courses, accredited curriculum programmes and UK-regulated qualifications to learners working from Key Stage 2 from pre-Entry

The Pastoral Team use ASDAN Lifeskills programmes to accredit the work that our pupils carry out within their interventions. For example, Healthy Eating and Teamwork and Resilience

Girls on Board is an approach which helps girls, their parents and their teachers to understand the complexities and dynamics of girl friendships. The approach empowers girls to solve their own friendship problems and recognises that they are usually the only ones who can. Girls on Board sessions are non-judgmental and reflective, designed to raise empathy amongst the girls and it is that empathy that fuels the search for harmony and resolution. By empowering girls to find their own solutions, parents need worry less, schools can focus more on the curriculum and the girls learn more effectively – because they are happier. These excellent materials and resources are used to support small group sessions, especially within the boarding environment.

The Pastoral Department, the Wellbeing Group, and our senior Line Captains organise a yearly series of events dedicated to anti-bullying. This initiative not only enriches the relationships and friendships aspects of the PSHE curriculum but also includes conducting Playroom assemblies, tutorled presentations, and focused group interventions. Students are encouraged to participate in surveys to share their insights and concerns on relevant matters, thus informing our approach while fostering inclusivity and instilling a sense of shared responsibility and commitment to our collective goal of eliminating bullying.

are excited to be working with Lancashire County Councils ‘we are with you’ programme, providing individual and small group sessions focusing on substance issues and mental health. This service offers free, confidential advice and support to young people to help them to achieve their goals whether that’s making changes, staying safe and healthy or reducing harm.