As well as working hard to support children’s special educational needs, we also work hard to support the emotional well-being of children and the families in which they live and to do this we employ a small team of pastoral care professionals.

Mentors

At St Luke’s we have 4 experienced mentors who support children with additional emotional, well-being or social needs. Where such needs are preventing a child from being happy or making progress at school, we will ask parents or carers (or indeed parents and carers may ask us first) about ways a mentor’s support could help their child. Mentoring support may last for a short time or a long time: this all depends on the child and his/her needs. Mentors work closely with parents/carers and class teachers and the way they work with children will be completely individualised to a child’s needs. Mentors will share their plans for improving a child’s school experience with everyone and keep everyone informed.

Our mentors also support children in transition and crisis.

Transition

Children new to our school (after the normal starting dates in Reception), are given some mentor support to help them settle in; learn about the school and make friends.

Crisis

Children experiencing a crisis (eg bereavement; family break-up; other family or medical crisis etc) can be offered mentor support as long as we know about it! Please let us know if your child could benefit

Counselling

St Luke’s also funds a counselling service for our children. Vicki Hougham is our wonderful counsellor who we employ through Dialogue.

Our counsellor supports children who need more intensive emotional support because their emotional needs are impacting on school life. School will contact parents/carers when we would like to refer a child to this service. Parent or carer referrals for her support must be directed through Danny Annaly or Diana Bell.

Vicki works closely with parents and carers of the children she supports and checks in with them regularly even after she has finished working with them.

Any parent/carer who feels that their family needs support is encouraged to contact Assistant Head/SENDCo (Danny Annaly for infant children and Diana Bell for junior children).