Our Pastoral Team

Hello! My name is Keli Jackson, and I am the Senior Leader for Wellbeing here at Pinewood. 

This is a short text to inform you about our pastoral approach and provide information about what we do in this area. It is a whole school approach, and everyone has a responsibility to be actively involved in your child’s wellbeing. We take this seriously, and the curriculum reflects our focus on wellbeing.

Developing the children’s emotional wellbeing permeates our curriculum  and underpins our core values as a school. We have dedicated PSHE lessons covering a range of topics, timetabled daily mindfulness for children to concentrate on the present, and actively encourage outdoor education for its range of benefits. Our curriculum targets the pastoral side of school and pupils’ wellbeing. We use a house system (Oak, Ash, or Elm) to provide a sense of identity, belonging, and encourage healthy competition in events like sports day.

As a school we recognise the importance of children’s mental health and  wellbeing and provide emotionally honest spaces and targeted support for individuals who may require additional support in order to reach their full potential.We implement the Zones of Regulation, a colour-coded system helping children identify their feelings and ways to self-regulate, aiming for the green zone for positive learning experiences. We have PAL (Pinewood Always Listens),(PAL Badge) a peer mentoring group where older students actively help mentor others facing specific issues.

Our commitment to mental health and wellbeing ensures that our staff team are well qualified and trained to support our pupils. This includes annual Safeguarding training, Mental Health First Aiders, MHST training, STEPS Therapeutic Approach and STEP UP training for designated staff.

For pastoral concerns, you can communicate with the form tutor first. If needed, escalate to the Department Lead, Deputy Head Teacher, Head Teacher, and Chair of Governors.

Our Pastoral Team are as follows, each with specific roles:

• Todd Baines – Head Teacher 
• Antonella Muirhead – Assistant Deputy Head Teacher
• Keli Jackson – Senior Leader Wellbeing
• Jacqueline Hooton – School Family Worker
• Alison Summers and Heidi Jackson – Behaviour Mentors
• Mary Burnside – Intervention Worker
• Carina Maene – Sensory Circuits and Physiotherapy
• Helen Farrell – School Counsellor
• Paula Chaplin and Lisa Austin-Spikesley – People Welfare Officers in the Medical Room
• Zoe Tranter – SEN Administrator

We are also very lucky to have weekly visits from Lily and Anna from the NHS Mental Health Support Team for both group and individual support sessions.

These professionals provide various forms of support, from behaviour and sensory support to counselling, mental health, and medical care. If you have questions, feel free to contact the school via telephone or email.

At Pinewood, we work in partnership with parents and the whole school community to support and promote a child’s wellbeing. This is a commitment we made when being awarded The Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS)

We are very proud of our Pastoral System, it has repeatedly been identified as a strength of Pinewood School which is a testament to the caring nature, commitment and dedication of our staff.

We hope this information helps you understand the support available for your child’s wellbeing at Pinewood.