Pastoral and Positive Relationships

Pastoral Care and Nurture Provision

At Radbrook Primary School, we place the highest priority on the pastoral care and wellbeing of our children. We recognise that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and emotionally secure. Our Nurture provision supports the development of vital social skills, confidence and self-esteem, ensuring that all pupils are ready and able to learn.

Nurture supports children by addressing social and emotional needs that may otherwise present barriers to learning. It encourages pupils to take pride in their achievements and supports them in becoming confident, engaged and successful learners within their classrooms and the wider school community.

Types of Pastoral Provision

At Radbrook Primary School, we are fortunate to offer a wide range of pastoral support provisions designed to meet the diverse needs of our children. These include our Nurture provision, targeted one-to-one support sessions, small group interventions and access to the NEST classroom. Each form of provision is carefully matched to individual need and may be offered flexibly or in combination to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.

Support is designed to be proactive, responsive and inclusive, enabling children to develop emotional resilience, positive relationships and readiness to learn.

Our Nurture Approach

Nurture provides children with the opportunity to grow in confidence and develop positive relationships at a pace and in a way that suits their individual needs. It is an environment where adults and children work closely together, where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, boundaries are clear and supportive, and children are encouraged to reflect on themselves and their experiences.

The purpose of Nurture is to allow children to revisit and strengthen early learning and developmental skills, while promoting their social, emotional and mental health. Research shows that learning is most effective when children have a strong sense of emotional wellbeing and positive self-esteem. Our Nurture provision supports the development of maturity, resilience and emotional literacy.

Placement within Nurture is informed by assessment using the Boxall Profile®, which helps identify pupils who would benefit from targeted support based on their social, emotional and mental health needs.

Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)

Mrs Worley and Mrs Switonski are trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) who provide invaluable support to children through both one-to-one and small group sessions. ELSA support may focus on areas such as:

• Self-esteem and confidence
• Friendships and social skills
• Team building
• Emotional understanding
• Anger management
• Counselling-style support

Mrs Switonski works across the school in a reactive and responsive manner, offering ELSA sessions during the mornings to support children as needs arise.

Pastoral Support

Mrs Duggan is the school’s Pastoral Support Assistant and works across all age groups to support children’s emotional wellbeing. She leads Nurture sessions informed by the Boxall Profile and offers a range of supportive opportunities, including:

• Morning Nurture drop-in sessions, where children can enjoy toast and talk about their day ahead
• A lunchtime Wellbeing Club, providing a quieter environment with mindfulness-based activities
• Afternoon Nurture sessions focusing on identified developmental and emotional needs

Mrs Duggan also works closely with families, helping to build strong home–school relationships and providing support for the whole school community.

Radbrook Primary School has an open-door ethos and values strong communication with families. We work in partnership with parents and carers to ensure every child is supported to be the best they can be.

The NEST and Wellbeing Lodge

The NEST and Wellbeing Lodge provide a comfortable, home-like classroom base offering a safe, structured and predictable environment. These provisions support children who benefit from revisiting early nurturing experiences and receiving additional social and emotional support.

Children accessing the NEST follow a personalised curriculum designed to meet their individual needs, enabling them to progress both emotionally and academically. Staff prioritise the development of positive relationships and place a strong emphasis on language and communication skills, which are essential for children who may require additional support with their social, emotional and mental health.

Every child is valued as an individual, and provision is carefully tailored to support their strengths, needs and personal development.

Radbrook’s Commitment to Inclusion

The NEST team works closely with the SENCO and Senior Leadership Team to ensure inclusive practice across the school. We use a Nurture UK approach to respond effectively to each child’s needs, taking into consideration:

• Life experiences
• Individual strengths
• Communication needs
• Learning needs
• Emotional, social and mental health needs
• Developmental needs

Aims of Our Nurture Provision

Our aims are to:

• Provide a small, supportive setting where children receive nurturing care from skilled staff
• Break down barriers to learning
• Offer a calm, predictable and purposeful environment
• Develop self-esteem and social skills
• Build positive, trusting relationships between adults and children
• Encourage responsibility for oneself and others and promote appropriate behaviour
• Support children in making informed choices and understanding consequences
• Work in partnership with parents, carers and class teachers to ensure consistency
• Reduce the risk of suspension and exclusion

Measuring Success

Our ultimate aim is to successfully reintegrate children who access the NEST back into their mainstream classrooms for increasing periods of time. Where appropriate, we also work closely with external agencies to support children who may require specialist provision beyond our school.

Radbrook Primary School is proud to be an inclusive setting that works tirelessly to support children and families. We are a creative and dedicated team, committed to finding solutions that help every child flourish.

Nurture is a proven, research-informed approach that helps children develop the social skills, confidence and self-esteem they need to be ready to learn and succeed, both in school and beyond.