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Pastoral Interventions
At Alderman Knight School, the Pastoral Team also support pupils across the school with specific pastoral interventions. We recognise the value and importance in offering a range of pastoral interventions for pupils who require extra support to maintain their physical, social, emotional and mental health and well-being. Due to the small class sizes the expectation is that pupils will receive the support they require in the classroom setting wherever possible. However, if they do need a discrete bespoke session, each intervention will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the child.
Mentoring
If deemed the appropriate intervention, mentoring sessions give the pupils 1:1 time to be listened to and talk through what is on their mind. In general mentoring sessions focus on key difficulties and challenges in the young person’s life. The young person has the opportunity to talk through this and the mentor will help them order and rationalise their thought processes. Sessions include planning on how best to handle these difficulties and also strategies should be discussed on how to make them less of a challenge.
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
An ELSA is a specialist teaching assistant, trained to help children understand and learn about their own emotions and those around them. An ELSA is a caring and approachable person who is there to support a child to feel happy in school, to identifying any barriers to learning, enabling them to reach their full potential. An ELSA can help with loss & bereavement, self-esteem, social skills, emotions, friendships, relationships, anger management, behaviour regulation, stress & anxiety, bullying, conflict and relaxation techniques.
Therapeutic Well-being
These sessions are facilitated by a dual qualified teacher/therapist. Referrals can be made for 1:1 intervention, but also 2:1 or small group sessions. Using a Total Communication approach and psychotherapeutic model the sessions will focus on building social and emotional resilience, nurturing relationships and friendships, behavioural support, mental health and well-being, strategies for addressing and coping with anxiety and stressful situations such as exams and times of transition.