Pastoral Blog
November
Today we observed Remembrance Day and all our children made paper chains with messages of thanks & recognition. Our Little Troopers also made a beautiful display of Poppies on our Mess windows. The children were so respectful and really enjoyed taking part.
Hello. My name is Lisa Noice and I hold the post of Family Liaison Officer across the Crofton cluster of schools; Crofton Secondary, Anne Dale Federation and Hammond Infant and Junior schools.
Parenting can be the most rewarding job in the world, but it isn’t easy and at times things can be difficult to manage. That’s where I can help.
I can help with any worries or issues you have in the family home with behaviour, emotions, routines, managing change, family relationships or bereavement. I can also help with other areas or if appropriate will signpost you to the right support or person to help. You may just need a listening ear for a short period of time or some support to build your confidence, I facilitate parenting courses that would help and would be glad to welcome you to one.
I am also the cluster’s trained ‘Champion’ for families in need of support or information when a family member or family friend is going through the criminal justice system or has been imprisoned.
Every child and every parent matters and I would be glad to support you in any way I can. The school can submit a referral form to access support or you can self-refer using my Mobile: 07867970024 or e-mail: lisafamilyhub@outlook.com
Breakfast in the Mess…
As part of our pastoral provision at Crofton Anne Dale, Miss Harper and Mrs Wright run a breakfast club for invited children in the Mess.
Not every child can come to the Mess but we all know that a good breakfast is the best way to start our day. Research consistently shows that eating a good breakfast improves attention span, concentration & memory. At Breakfast Club, the children enjoy a wide variety of food. Some days it may be an American breakfast with pancakes and smoothies. Other days, French croissants and pain au chocolate, welsh cakes, breakfast wrap or Bacon, scrambled eggs and muffins are on offer. Cereals are available every day as are smoothies.
As a mum as well as a teacher I often find the mornings quite stressful. Waking up feeling like I haven't had enough sleep, panicking that the school uniform is ready, shoes polished, snack and drink in the school bag and that's just for my son! Have I got everything I need for work, can I face breakfast, have I brushed my hair, teeth and put some sort of matching outfit on that is suitable for work as opposed to my lazy Sunday clothes?
I regularly feel like time is slipping away especially in the mornings. I say to myself if I'd just got up ten minutes earlier then I wouldn't be so panicked. What I tend not to think about is how my morning actions are reflected into the feeling of my son. I drop him off early, often with firm words such as "Hurry up" or "Have you got your bag, coat, water bottle?" and then I give him a kiss and rush off to school myself.
During the drive, I am lucky as I drive along the coast through Lee on Solent and get to see the sea which helps relax me, I reflect on what has happened in the previous hour since waking up. Then the guilt comes and hits me like a slap in the face. Why did I speak to him that way, could I have dealt with that issue differently, is he sad that I was cross when he didn't get into the car on first time I asked? Will he have a good day at school? Is his ability to learn or communicate going to be impacted because I told him to hurry up with a firm voice? I hope desperately that he will be OK and that I promise to myself to remind him how much I love him and talk about the day when we get home in the evening.
Upon reflection, what I really need to do is commit to myself to make a better morning routine not only for myself but for my son. He is already racing towards the end of his primary education and in another 5 years he will be racing towards the end of his secondary learning experience. Do I really want his memories of his school days to be me shouting at him to hurry up and get a move on?
So, what can I change? I will set my alarm for 6.30 in the morning which will give me time to wake up slowly, have a shower, make a cup of tea, open the window and breathe some calming fresh air. I will get my clothes ready the night before, pack my work bag and make sure I have a water bottle ready filled. I will talk with my son about the mornings, how it makes both of us feel. I will be honest with him and share how I feel. We will work on improving the morning routine together. Communication is key and children are a very open to having parental feelings explained but not blamed on them.
Reflect on your own morning routine, is there anything you can change for the better? Have a chat with your own child. Ask openly about how they feel being dropped at school, a child minder or relative's house. What can they change to make the morning routine easier? Working together is key to make the school learning experience have maximum impact.
Our priority is to ensure your children are relaxed and ready to learn at Crofton Anne Dale Federation. We will always work with you to support morning routines and transition into school every morning.
For specific support , parent/ guardian should share their concerns over their child’s behaviour at home with teachers. Asking for support and requesting ELSA.
Sharing lunch with the children and listening to them laugh and joke together is always a pleasure. Having The Mess as part of our provision allows us to offer this home like environment to support and encourage all manner of skills. Social interactions are especially important following the disruption we have all witnessed this year and I know children are really enjoying seeing their friends again and we are really enjoying seeing the children too!
Spring has finally arrived and it is lovely that we are able to do activities outside during our ELSA time. Sharing, taking turns and being part of a team are life skills, which we nurture during our sessions.
Developing resilience
As pastoral educators we support the development of the children in our care through a variety of activities in school. Combining self-challenge with fresh air and support, we run 2 Forest School sessions a week for children who need to build their resilience as well as other skills.
The ethos behind Forest School is to develop interests, skills and passions that can be applied at home, in school and elsewhere. Resilience forms a huge part of this skill development and through activities that create challenge, such as problem solving or preparation for a project, children develop a sense of wanting to achieve despite feeling like they may fail or the outcome may not be as they wish.
Gentle support and verbal reassurance form a big part of developing resilience in children. Positive language and open questioning can support a child from feeling frustrated to wanting to have another go at a challenge and complete it.
If your child struggles to hear “Just have another go” or “Try a bit harder”, then why not change your approach with more open language:
“I can see that you are frustrated, how could we solve this problem together?”
“Could we work together to complete this challenge? Perhaps you can show me what you would like me to do to help you?”
Subtle verbal support or a thumbs up can often support a child recognise their successes rather than the words “well done” which mean very little. Be specific, verbally or visually encourage and celebrate the road to resilience with your child.
For specific support Parent/ guardian shares concerns over child’s behaviour at home with teachers. Asking for support and requesting ELSA etc
16th March
Prawn Curry!
When children need extra support in school, this can be for a variety of reasons. Here at Crofton Anne Dale Federation, we pride ourselves on getting to know the children as individuals, working alongside to support them not only with their classroom-based work, but also developing their social and emotional confidence.
Today, Miss Walton was able to spend time cooking with a child who had been developing confidence at coming into school and settling to work without additional support. Each day the child achieved this, over the previous 2 weeks, they earned an ingredient for a recipe. Prawn curry was the meal of choice and Miss Walton and the child worked together at becoming professional chefs in The Mess kitchen to achieve the recipe.
"I was excited to cook because I felt proud of myself for achieving the breakthrough of getting to school every day without a wobble. I felt like a professional chef because I used the large knife, smashed and peeled the garlic and cooked in the frying pan next to the hot hob which I haven't done before."
