Pastoral Care - Primary Phase

At Oasis Academy Shirley Park the pastoral care of students is of integral importance to everything we do.  As highlighted in our Ofsted report, pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well throughout the academy.  Pupils spoke of the academy being one of tolerance and respect.

As a school we really value the importance of building positive relationships between staff, students as well as parents. Each of our students belong to a class where teachers and staff make a conscious effort to build wonderful relationships with each and every one of their students. Their class teacher supports every child holistically, with a focus on academic success as well as emotional well-being. In the Primary phase, the Orchard (our enhanced learning provision), Early Years, Years 1-3 and Years 4-6 each have their own phase leader who is there to look after all the students in phase. They track academic progress as well as ensure their well-being is being cared for.

We know that each of our young people will face different challenges as they grow up, be that academically, socially, emotionally or developmentally, therefore we want to do everything we can to help them through whatever life throws their way. For this purpose we have set up a comprehensive pastoral care system, designed to support students in all aspects of school life.

These include: 

• Building positive relationships between children, staff and parents to help our students thrive
• Rewards and recognition given for positive behaviour which is celebrated through the lens of using our Oasis 9 habits
• Use of child informed, individualised Flourishing Life pupil profiles to help students self-reflect and know which of our habits are already are a strength for them as well as those they will be working on in class.
• Access to skilled and caring pupil and family support workers and ELSAs
• Support of the wider pastoral team including the Attendance Officers, Educational Welfare Officer, our Emotional and Mental Health Support Team, and our Safeguarding Team.
• Supporting our students additional individual needs through the use of: TACs (Team Around the Child), Peer supported Buddy support at playtimes as well as Buddy Clubs.
• Every child in our school has two named safe adults who they can go to if they have something they are worried about. We also have a worry box in each class which teachers check for those students who find it harder to speak directly to an adult in their class.
• There are also partnerships with external organisations where further support is available. Currently we have: Reaching Higher; an Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner who works on site to support our students and parents as well as Safe and Well.  
• We have regular MOPs, Meeting of Professionals, within the primary phase as well as with our secondary phase to make sure information is shared so that our pupils are well supported.

We know that the most effective learners are happy learners, therefore from the start of your child's journey with us through to the end of their time in our academy we aim to make sure they feel supported, encouraged and motivated to learn. We do this by introducing them to their class, and giving them a tour of our academy even before they have formally started with us in September.