LEAD ARTICLE: 1. “The Case for Service Design in Pastoral Leadership” by NAPCE Vice-Chair Dr Matt Silver

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1. The Case for Service Design in Pastoral Leadership – By Dr Matt Silver, Vice Chair of NAPCE

How do you know whether the ‘services’ your organisation provides are actually working for the people who use them?

We’re not talking solely about central team processes here; we’re talking about the whole delivery within education; beyond meeting standards, auditing or organisational targets, to whether the newly appointed teacher moving through your induction process feels genuinely set up to succeed. Whether the student navigating a difficult transition feels supported and understood. Whether the family trying to engage with the school feels like the door is actually open for them. These are the types of questions we have to ask as we navigate constant change in education, particularly as we move towards a more inclusive system. We have to put the learner, the human, at the centre of our design and decisions.

Most pastoral leaders in education care deeply about these issues. Fewer would say they have a reliable, systematic way of knowing both the causes and, as a result, the answers. And the gap between caring about the experience of the people your organisation serves and understanding that gap on a deep level is exactly where service design competency lives, particularly in an age of automation and complexity.

Typically, the concept of service design is relatively new, especially within the education sector; however, many of the concepts are regularly adopted by educators within their roles, albeit implicitly. It is one of the most practically important capabilities an education organisation can build. And the case for building architects of systems is stronger right now than it has ever been. If we are to evolve the education system, we need leaders who understand how to and why.

What service design actually is, and what it is not

Before making our case, it is worth being clear about what service design means.

Service design is the discipline of understanding the diverse ways in which people experience the systems and processes an organisation provides, and using that understanding to improve them. That is it. It is about making them work better for the people they are designed to serve, and for the organisation delivering them.

Every school and Trust is already running dozens of services, whether they think of them that way or not. Staff induction; curriculum design; continuing professional development; attendance monitoring and intervention; SEND support pathways; student transition programmes; parental engagement and communication; performance management; extracurricular activities. The list goes on, and every single one of them has a design: a set of decisions about how it works, who does what, and what the person moving through it encounters.

Some of education’s designs are intentional and considered. Many are the accumulated result of decisions made over years, by different people, in response to different pressures. Service design is the practice of stepping back to ask: who is this process for? What do they actually need from it? We have to probe as to what their current experience of it is, how it could be better, and then do something about those answers and adapt.

Why education needs Service Design more than most sectors

Education is one of the most relationship-intensive environments there is. Everything an education organisation does lands on a person (or usually several people), in different ways, with different consequences depending on who they are and what they bring with them. This makes the gap between intent and experience particularly significant because when a service is not working well in education, the consequences show up specifically on individual levels – how a student who is struggling feels about asking for support, and whether they actually ask; whether a family feels like a partner in their child’s education or a problem to be managed.

That being said, the pressures that education organisations are under – financial, regulatory and reputational – all tend to push design decisions in exactly the wrong direction. Under pressure, the instinct is to tighten, to standardise, to build processes that are easier to see tangible results from and harder to argue with. Whilst this is understandable, it tends to produce services that work well for the organisation and less well for the people inside them.

The organisations that are retaining their best staff, building real trust with their communities, and making sustainable progress are doing something additional, and perhaps what pastoral care has been aiming to do all along. They are asking what their services feel like from the inside, and they are building the capability to find out and act on the answer.

This is a point of strategy.

The case for building this competency internally

Here is where the argument gets really interesting, and where we think the opportunity for education organisations is most significant.

Most organisations, when they recognise that a service is not working well, bring in external support to fix it – a consultant or a specialist. And sometimes that is exactly what is needed: a fresh take and new insights. But it has a limitation: when the work is done and the external support leaves, the organisation is often no more capable of understanding and improving its services than it was before. It has a better process but not better capability.

The organisations that make the most sustained progress are the ones that build competency internally through people who can do this work as a core part of how the organisation operates, rather than relying on reactive responses to problems as they arise.

What does that look like? It looks like having people who know how to get underneath a presenting problem rather than reaching straight for a solution. Who know how to involve the people most affected by a service in understanding and improving it – and we’re not talking about sending a survey to a hundred people at the end of a project. We’re talking about meaningful, well-designed engagement at the start, using data to measure performance but also understand experiences and make the case for change in a way that senior leaders can act on.

And here is the thing about building that capability internally: it compounds. Each project makes the organisation better at the next one. The frameworks become part of how people think. The instinct to ask, “what is the experience of the person this is designed for?” becomes embedded in how improvement work is approached. The organisation gets better at understanding itself and better at improving.

What this looks like in practice

An education organisation with genuine service design capability approaches improvement work differently from the outset. When a problem surfaces – for example, a spike in staff absence, or consistent feedback that a transition programme is not working – the first move is to understand what is actually going on for the people inside the problem, not choose a solution.

That might mean spending time with staff, students or families in a structured way to explore their experience more thoroughly and personally. Developing this understanding shapes the design of whatever comes next, which means the solution is far more likely to address the real issue rather than the presenting symptom, making it far more likely to take root. It means the organisation stops spending resource on fixes that do not fix things and starts building services that work.

Done well, this is a faster process than the alternative because it reduces the number of times the same problem comes back to the agenda, which is one of the most significant drains on leadership time and organisational energy in education.

A closing thought

The organisations that will be best placed to navigate the pressures ahead are not necessarily the ones with the most resources or the most sophisticated strategies. They are the ones that understand their services from the inside, that have built the capability to know what the experience of their staff, students and families actually is, and to improve it in ways that are systematic, sustained and genuinely human in their approach.

Building that capability is a leadership decision. It requires investment in the right people, the right development opportunity, and the right conditions to put good practice in place. But the return on that investment, in terms of the quality and consistency of what the organisation delivers, is significant.

The Level 6 Service Designer apprenticeship is designed to build exactly this capability – in professionals who are already doing improvement, transformation or operational work in education, and who are ready to do it with a more rigorous, more human-centred, and more strategic set of tools.

If you are a senior leader who wants to explore what that could mean for your organisation, we would love to have the conversation.

P.S. – We have a fantastic Level 6 Service Designer Apprenticeship specifically for educators where you can draw down apprenticeship funding! You can find out more from The Glass House Leadership Lab website.

Dr Matt Silver
Vice-Chair, NAPCE

Find Out More2. “Why Empower Hour became one of the most powerful pastoral tools I experienced as a Headteacher” by Vonny Shelley, Former Headteacher and Education Consultant, Akshaya Patra UK

Schools today carry extraordinary responsibility. We are not only educating children academically; we are helping them navigate anxiety, poverty, loneliness, family pressures, social challenges and an increasingly complex world. Pastoral care has never been more important, and schools have never been more stretched.

As school leaders, we know that for so many children, the end of the school day is precisely when some of the biggest challenges can begin.

Some return to homes where there is nobody available to hear them read. Some have nowhere quiet to complete homework. Some spend their evenings isolated from friends. Some don’t have opportunities to discover a new interest, build confidence or simply enjoy being a child. Often, simply sitting around a table to share a meal and conversation just isn’t possible.

We know that these circumstances aren’t always because of a lack of care at home. Whilst families are navigating increasingly challenging conditions, educators see the impact of these realities echoing into the classroom.

In 2024, when Akshaya Patra – a UK-based children’s food charity – arrived to introduce its award-winning after-school programme, Empower Hour, to Springfield Academy in Nottingham, where I was headteacher at the time, I was struck by their beautifully simple philosophy:

Nutritious food + educational support and opportunity = hope.

I immediately saw the potential in re-thinking what extending the school day by 60 minutes could look like – and what it could mean for our school community.

Rather than adding yet another initiative to an already crowded timetable, and without a prescriptive model, Empower Hour gave us licence to create something that could address several objectives simultaneously.

For us, we saw it as a way to build on our pastoral culture.

Twice a week, Empower Hour provided a space to cultivate calm and routine where children could spend time with trusted adults to read, listen, encourage and support (without the pressures of the classroom), and feel that they belonged.

After the sessions, everyone sat down together to a hot and nutritious meal where different conversations sprang to life, listening and social skills developed, and confidence began to grow.

We know that pastoral care is rarely defined by one significant intervention. More often, it is built through many small moments.

The child trying a new food for the very first time – and asking for more!

The bonding conversations between staff and pupils that simply didn’t have a chance to emerge during a busy school day.

The students who became less overwhelmed by homework because someone was there to help throughout the school year.

The mother of three autistic boys who came into school simply to tell us that those two Empower Hour sessions each week had transformed family life. Knowing her sons were safe, supported, engaged and enjoying a healthy meal gave her precious breathing space and allowed her to be the parent she wanted to be when they came home.

Pastoral leaders know that these kinds of moments can change children’s lives and trajectories.

At Mora Primary School, the Headteacher describes how Empower Hour has “helped targeted children access quality food and enrichment opportunities”, particularly supporting children who may not have access to a computer, space or time at home to complete their homework.

At Green Dragon Primary School, their SENDCo has seen the confidence of quieter children grow significantly, with children developing greater independence and social confidence through new opportunities made available to them through Empower Hour.

At Harris Science Academy East London, the Principal reported that more pupils became willing to stay after school for additional academic support on days when dinner was available.

At Laurance Haines, Empower Hour has been powerful for their Young Carers, giving these children “time and space to be children”. In addition to lightening the load for this vulnerable group, school leadership said that “the coming together and sharing of food is so powerful – the conversation around a dinner table supports the children’s emotional wellbeing and oracy skills”.

Empower Hour helps give schools a place to unlock more of those moments.

I’m delighted that Akshaya Patra UK will have the opportunity to explore this theme further as part of the panel discussion at the NAPCE National Conference this October. They’ll be discussing how schools can re-think the after-school space as an integral part of pastoral provision, sharing the experiences of partner schools and reflecting on how increased access to enrichment and nutrition can support children’s wellbeing and help strengthen a culture of care and belonging across the wider school community.

I hope the discussion sparks new ideas, encourages collaboration and, above all, celebrates the incredible work pastoral leaders undertake every day to ensure every child feels safe, valued and that they truly belong.

If there’s one thing my journey with Empower Hour has taught me, it is that schools don’t have to carry this responsibility alone. There are organisations, partners and people who share the same mission as schools do in building communities where every child is nourished and given the opportunity to thrive.

If Empower Hour resonates with the needs of children and families in your own school community, Akshaya Patra UK would love to hear from you. Whether you would like to explore bringing Empower Hour to your school, understand more about how the model works, or simply start a conversation about what support could look like in your community, please get in touch with Erika Loch, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Planning, Akshaya Patra UK: erika.loch@akshayapatra.org.uk

I hope the conversation at the NAPCE Conference will inspire even more of those partnerships to grow.

With a new academic year approaching, now is the time to reflect on the previous year and plan how to respond to new opportunities and challenges. How can schools develop and sustain a positive culture where learners can thrive and achieve? This doesn’t just happen but needs to be planned to take advantage of ideas and good practice. The pastoral work of the school provides the foundations that schools can build on to develop positive cultures for learning and to provide support, guidance and inspiration for the learners in their care.

Every school is different and has different challenges, but there are huge benefits from meeting with professionals in similar roles in different situations and from being inspired by other professionals who have a passion for children and young people achieving their full potential through their education. Since it was formed in 1982, the National Association for Pastoral Care in Education has been sharing good practice in providing guidance and support for learners. The NAPCE Annual Conference is not just an opportunity for members to meet and discuss current issues and challenges in education, but for all professionals with an interest in making a difference to share practical strategies and actions that enable learners to thrive as human beings and to achieve in preparation for their future lives. Attending the Annual Conference is inspirational for professionals with an interest in pastoral care or working in pastoral roles and develops understanding of practical ideas that work.

The 2026 Annual Conference will focus on inclusion and belonging in education, which are important current topics for schools wanting to ensure that they are accountable to national expectations and providing the best possible learning experience for their learners. It takes place at the lovely venue overlooking Worcester Cathedral at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Friday 9th October. There are good transport links from London, Birmingham and other parts of the UK, and there is a Premier Inn hotel next to the venue.

Keynote speakers include Andrew Wright OBE, Chair of the Attachment Research Community; Zoe Ali, who was recently seen as the Deputy Headteacher in the television programme Educating Yorkshire; and Dr Anne Emerson, who recently published a book entitled How to Be and Remain a Compassionate Educator.

The programme will include good practice presentations by schools and professionals who have been finalists in the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education, organised by NAPCE. The day will finish with a lively debate and discussion, with a panel of invited guests answering questions from delegates.

Tickets for this conference are limited, so book your place today to avoid disappointment. Tickets for the conference include lunch and refreshments, as well as the opportunity to visit displays and network with other delegates.

Book your tickets here: https://NAPCEANNUALCONFERENCE26.eventbrite.co.uk

If you have any questions, please contact the NAPCE Admin Team at admin@napce.org.uk.

We look forward to meeting up with members and delegates at the 2026 Annual Conference.

EVENT: 4. QT Panel Line-up Announced for NAPCE Annual Conference 2026

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4. A great line up has been announced for the Question Time Panel at the NAPCE 2026 Annual Conference on Friday 9^th October in Worcester.

Here are the confirmed panelists for the event.

Vonny Shelley, Educational Consultant, Akshaya Patra UK

Vonny Shelley is a former headteacher with over 30 years’ experience in education, with a particular passion for inclusion, SEND and creating school cultures in which children feel they belong. Most recently, she has worked as Education Consultant for Akshaya Patra UK, supporting the development of Empower Hour and its role within schools’ wider pastoral provision. She is now Founder and Headteacher of Homebrook Woods, a new specialist primary SEND school being established for children with autism and associated communication and anxiety-based barriers to education.

Daniel Machin, Principal Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, York

Educated with a degree in Business and subsequently qualified teacher status, Dan joined Queen Ethelburga’s as a Teacher of Business Studies and ICT in September 2005. Over his twenty-one-year career at QE he has carried out a number of interesting and varied roles including Head of Sixth Form, Head of College, Vice Principal and now Principal of the Collegiate, a position he has held since 2021. With an interest in leadership and management, he focuses his as Principal on supporting so many staff and students to achieve the school’s mission, to be the best that you can with the gifts that you have. Outside of his role as Principal, his hobbies include a keen interest in motor racing, travel, and football!

Becky Dawson, National Wellbeing Lead, Twinkl Ltd

Becky is the National Wellbeing Lead for Twinkl Educational Publishing, with over 25 years in education and mental health, her experience spans mainstream roles (SENCo, Safeguarding Lead) and leading a Whole School Approach to Mental Health across Primary and Secondary Schools in Newham. She developed an alternative provision programme over 5 years and delivers training for the South London Listens Be Well hubs programme and the Charlie Waller Trust.

Erika Loch, Strategic Partnerships and planning Director at Akshaya Patra Foundation.

Erika Loch is a business advisor and strategist, non-executive director, writer, poet, and general agitator against social injustice – currently acting as Strategic Partnerships and Planning Director at The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK.Erika initially joined Akshaya Patra in 2020 to support the opening of its first international kitchen and has since supported the organisation’s strategic development across various initiatives, including the development of charity’s flagship and award-winning program Empower Hour
 
Helen Baker, Head of LA Partnerships and Transition at Pupil Pathways 

Helen Baker is Head of LA Partnerships and Transition at Pupil Pathways, working with local authorities and schools nationwide to improve support for children at key educational transition points. She is committed to ensuring inclusive transitions for all learners, particularly those with SEND, vulnerable, and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Through Pupil Pathways’ StepIntoSchool, SixIntoSeven, and Foresight platforms, Helen helps schools and local authorities identify readiness, risks, and support needs early, enabling joined-up, evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for children and young people. She is passionate about ensuring every child starts a new phase of education feeling seen, understood, and fully supported.
 
Dominic Riste, Assistant Headteacher, (Pastoral) Woodlands School Basildon

Dominic Riste began his teaching career following his study of English Literature at Canterbury Christ Church University. He completed a first-class degree and went on to complete an MA in English Literature. He is dedicated to the personal and academic development of young people and has a track record of leading impactful pastoral care in schools across East London and Essex as an English Teacher, Head of Year and now as an Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead.  
 
Driven by a commitment to high expectations for all pupils and a belief in the importance of education, Dominic holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and is committed to continuing to support pupils in removing barriers for learning.

Have a Question for our Panelists or Want to Book Tickets?
 
If you are attending the conference and have a question for the Panel about pastoral care and support for learners, email admin@napce.org.uk. If you have not got your tickets for the conference, they are going fast so please cook yours here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/napce-annual-conference-2026-inclusion-and-belonging-in-education-tickets-1870491232629?aff=oddtdtcreator

The National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2026 Presentation Evening is now fully booked.

But if you’re interested in attending you can join our Waiting List. Please email admin@napce.org.uk and request to join.

For the 2026 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education
Organised by NAPCE – The Programme

Vanue: The Graeme Hick Pavilion
Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester, WR2 4QQ

Event Programme

6:30pm – Guests arrive on the red carpet. Prosecco Fizz reception and buffet provided by NAPCE. Dress to Impress.

7:00pm – Welcome from Phil Jones, National Chair of the National Association for Pastoral Care in Education, and host for the evening.

7:05pm – Entertainment – Dance in Motion from Malvern.

7:15pm – Guest Speaker.

7:25pm – Entertainment – Michelle Williams, female vocalist.

7:35pm – Announcement of the winners and presentation of prizes to finalists and winners.

8:15pm – Close by Phil Jones.

Followed by photographs.

Music from Michelle Williams.

The event will also feature:

Professional photographer – Simon Hannagarth

The Magic Photo Mirror will be open for guests.

Professional entertainment – Michelle Williams

Pay bar available until 10:30pm.

PODCAST: 6. NAPCE National Chair Phil Jones’ Interview on Twinkl Podcast is now LIVE

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6. NAPCE Chair Phil Jones’ Interview for Twinkl Podcast is now Available

The Twinkl podcast episode featuring NAPCE National Chair, Phil Jones, is now available on main platforms.

Phil chatted to host, Becky Dawson, who is the National Wellbeing Lead for Twinkl Ltd, and discussed some of the important issues and challenges facing professionals working in pastoral roles in schools.

It was an opportunity to talk about the work that NAPCE does to share good practice in the pastoral care and support of learners.

Phil responded to questions from the podcast host, Becky Dawson, who is the National Wellbeing Lead for Twinkl Ltd, and discussed some of the important issues and challenges facing professionals working in pastoral roles in schools.

Summarising the discussion for the In This Together podcast Becky wrote:-

“Phil Jones and I explored the importance of remembering that everyone working in a school has a pastoral role. I used to hear teachers talk about the fact that they were there to teach their subject and were frustrated about having to deal with “other issues” but the fact is those other issues are often barriers to learning.

Phil reminds us that sometimes it is as simple as considering our interactions with a child or young person, particularly if we are their class teacher or form teacher and seeing them at the beginning of the day. These interactions can make a huge difference and give children the touchpoint they need to feel positive.

Hear the full episode and let us know what you do to prioritise pastoral care in your setting.

Twinkl is a digital EdTech firm and educational publisher, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Sheffield, England, producing teaching and educational materials. Twinkl has provided educators around the world with high-quality, low-cost teaching resources for over a decade.

NAPCE is delighted that Twinkl is the sponsor of the award for Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care for the 2026 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education, organised by NAPCE.

Listen to the podcast on your favourite platform.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Hn7zPbYfcQZJnSahZrecx?si=e8Mh5x4bRjigzhkh-dUkVw
YouTube: https://youtu.be/xhpib50nbxc
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-we-need-pastoral-care-with-phil-jones-in-this-together/id1834417979?i=1000789790592

LEAD ARTICLE: 1. “Holiday Reading – From Maslow to the Classroom: Building Positive Relationships” by NAPCE Secretary Jill Robson

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1. Holiday Reading – From Maslow to the Classroom: Building Positive Relationships by Jill Robson

I am sitting down to write this article aware of the fact that when it appears in the August newsletter, the majority of teachers and educationalists will be on holiday, having a well-deserved rest, recharging their batteries and probably paying a premium price for the privilege. One of the best things about being retired teachers is the ability to take term-time holidays, and last year we took full advantage of that and spent the two months of January and February in the Southern Hemisphere.

On a weekend visit to Johannesburg, I was delighted to discover that our travel agent had booked us into the Maslow Hotel. The hotel was named after the psychologist Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs. The hotel’s branding and business philosophy are directly inspired by the pyramid theory, ranking human motivation from basic physiological needs (like a comfortable bed and good food) up to self-actualisation. I have long been a huge admirer of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; it is an ordered and logical approach which can provide schools with a model to enable students to reach their potential, so it was interesting to find a commercial business that had adopted both the tiered pyramid model and the psychological approach to hospitality.

At the base of the pyramid, Maslow placed physiological needs. Over the last few years, the NAPCE Awards nominations have included many schools and individuals who have catered incredibly well for the physiological needs of their students. After years of increasing child poverty, this has obviously been a vital focus in the pastoral care of their students. It does, however, seem incredible that in one of the richest countries in the world, any of our children should go to bed hungry or have to sleep on the floor. Recent reports have stated that there are 6 million people living in furniture poverty and that 1 million of them are children, so there is obviously a need for schools to provide breakfast clubs, holiday clubs with free lunches, school uniform banks and often beds.

The next layer of the pyramid is concerned with safety and security needs, and again schools are catering for these needs by providing safe spaces and support hubs, anti-bullying and e-safety programmes, health education, and many more facilities to ensure the safety of their students.

At the third tier, we have the love, belonging and friendship needs which all humans require on an emotional level.

Pastoral care is about good relationships. Generally, physiological needs are able to be met with a supply of resources, but as you move up the pyramid, catering for the higher-tier needs is not as straightforward. One in ten children have been referred to mental health services in the last year, and that can be attributed to many different factors, but when I hear of this happening, I often think of the line from the Crocodile Dundee film. When being told that someone had spent a great deal of money on seeing a psychiatrist, the title character asks, “Doesn’t she have any mates?”

Whilst I appreciate that this might seem a flippant or simplistic view of mental health issues, which often have very complex causes, undoubtedly loneliness and a lack of support from friends contributes towards poor mental health.

Dr Caron Carter, one of the associate editors of the NAPCE journal, Pastoral Care in Education, spoke at the 2024 NAPCE Conference about the importance of children’s friendships, and whilst everyone might recognise that it is a vital part of a child’s school experience, it is not always easy to achieve. There is no guarantee that every child will find friendship in school, or outside it for that matter, but it is vital that we try to develop relationships within the classroom. Many schools have introduced initiatives like friendship benches, peer mentors, as well as PSHE programmes to assist in this. During my career, I have used a variety of activities in PSHE to try to build good relationships in the groups I taught.

Whilst doing a course at university, I was fortunate to have seminars with an American lady called Donna Brandes, who co-authored, with Howard Phillips, a book called The Gamester’s Handbook. Over the years, I have adapted the ideas and games that she devised to create lessons to develop good relationships in my classes.

One that I found invaluable was the game “How Do You Like Your Neighbour?” I used it with new classes and always found it effective, particularly with new Year 7 students.

How Do You Like Your Neighbour?

Start with students sitting in a circle. Discuss when you meet new people: what is the first thing you need to know about them? Someone usually provides the answer that it is their name. You explain that they are going to play a game to learn everyone’s name.

The rules: One person starts in the middle, having removed their chair from the circle. They ask anyone they choose, the question, “How do you like your neighbour?” That person must answer in one of three ways:

1. “I like ___ and I like _____.” (They must be able to name the people on either side of them.) With this response, everyone stays where they are and the person in the middle must ask someone else the question.
2. “I like ___ and I like _____, but I would like to change them for _____ and _____.” (They name two others.) At this point, all four named people swap seats. When this happens, the person in the middle tries to take one of the vacant seats. The person without the seat continues with the same question.
3. “I don’t know.” (Used when the person cannot name the people on either side, or if they just choose this response.) Then everyone has to move and must move at least two seats away. The person left without a chair continues with the questions.

Students are allowed to ask the people on either side of them their names. After about 10–15 minutes of the game, everyone should be able to name the rest of the group.

Variation on the rules: Rather than just saying they like someone, the person asked has to give a reason for liking those people.

Usually, when this rule is applied, students are reluctant to give people compliments. It is an opportunity to point this out to the students, discuss why people are reluctant to give positive comments and what it feels like when someone does say something nice about you.

Group Interview Game

I usually then move on to the game, “Group Interview”.

We discuss that when you meet new people, it is useful to have some information about them in order to hold a conversation with them. We talk about asking open questions, that don’t give a “yes” or “no” answer, and how to phrase them in order to learn as much as you can about someone. We also talk about inappropriate questions and the fact that people have the right not to answer them.

At the start of the game, each person in the circle asks the person to their right, a question. When they have answered, they ask the person to their right, until everyone has asked a question. We then go around the other way so the person on their left is asked the question.

You can also develop this by asking people to talk about something someone has said that they may have in common, e.g. supporting the same football team, or having the same hobbies or interests.

Group Rule

To conclude the session, I give everyone a piece of paper and ask them to write down three rules that they would like their group to follow in these lessons. When they are collected, I do a tally chart of the statements. They have basically been the same with every class I have worked with and are usually:

1. Don’t talk when someone else is speaking.
2. Listen to what everyone says.
3. Don’t make fun of people or what they say.

Finally, we have a discussion about similarities and differences in people and how everyone is a unique individual, but life is nicer when we are kind and respectful to people and make an effort to get to know them.

I have used these activities on many occasions throughout my career and have always found them to be well received by the students and a great starting point for developing positive relationships in my classes.

If, while lying on a sunny beach, dreaming of retirement when you will be able to book a term-time holiday and wondering what you are going to do with your new Year 7 class, you would like to try something different, please feel free to try them out.

Have a good holiday!

Jill Robson
Secretary, NAPCE

Find Out More2. Join the Reviewer Team for Pastoral Care in Education

Pastoral Care in Education is a highly regarded international academic journal published by Taylor & Francis and focusing on the social, emotional and educational wellbeing of children and young people across schools, colleges and universities.

With a strong and growing national and international readership, the journal is seeking to expand its panel of peer reviewers and invites expressions of interest from academics and professionals with expertise in pastoral care, wellbeing, inclusion and related areas.

Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal. Through the peer-review process, they provide constructive and critical feedback on submitted manuscripts, helping to ensure that published research and scholarship make a meaningful contribution to policy, practice and understanding within the field.

We are particularly interested in hearing from individuals who:

• Have expertise and experience in pastoral care, wellbeing, inclusion or related areas of education; and/or
• Have previous experience of reviewing academic manuscripts, grant applications or professional publications; and/or
• Have experience of conducting educational research, ideally at Master’s, doctoral or postdoctoral level.

Serving as a reviewer offers an excellent opportunity to engage with emerging research, contribute to the development of the field and support the wider academic community.

If you would be interested in joining our reviewer team, please email a brief summary of your relevant experience, reviewing experience (where applicable) and areas of interest or expertise to:

Professor Noel Purdy OBE
Editor, Pastoral Care in Education
n.purdy@stran.ac.uk

We look forward to hearing from colleagues who would be interested in supporting the journal’s continuing development and impact.

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3. A New Academic Year Provides New Opportunities and Challenges

With a new academic year approaching, now is the time to reflect on the previous year and plan how to respond to new opportunities and challenges. How can schools develop and sustain a positive culture where learners can thrive and achieve? This doesn’t just happen but needs to be planned to take advantage of ideas and good practice. The pastoral work of the school provides the foundations that schools can build on to develop positive cultures for learning and to provide support, guidance and inspiration for the learners in their care.

Every school is different and has different challenges, but there are huge benefits from meeting with professionals in similar roles in different situations and from being inspired by other professionals who have a passion for children and young people achieving their full potential through their education. Since it was formed in 1982, the National Association for Pastoral Care in Education has been sharing good practice in providing guidance and support for learners. The NAPCE Annual Conference is not just an opportunity for members to meet and discuss current issues and challenges in education, but for all professionals with an interest in making a difference to share practical strategies and actions that enable learners to thrive as human beings and to achieve in preparation for their future lives. Attending the Annual Conference is inspirational for professionals with an interest in pastoral care or working in pastoral roles and develops understanding of practical ideas that work.

The 2026 Annual Conference will focus on inclusion and belonging in education, which are important current topics for schools wanting to ensure that they are accountable to national expectations and providing the best possible learning experience for their learners. It takes place at the lovely venue overlooking Worcester Cathedral at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Friday 9th October. There are good transport links from London, Birmingham and other parts of the UK, and there is a Premier Inn hotel next to the venue.

Keynote speakers include Andrew Wright OBE, Chair of the Attachment Research Community; Zoe Ali, who was recently seen as the Deputy Headteacher in the television programme Educating Yorkshire; and Dr Anne Emerson, who recently published a book entitled How to Be and Remain a Compassionate Educator. The programme will include good practice presentations by schools and professionals who have been finalists in the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education, organised by NAPCE. The day will finish with a lively debate and discussion, with a panel of invited guests answering questions from delegates.

Tickets for this conference are limited, so book your place today to avoid disappointment. Tickets for the conference include lunch and refreshments, as well as the opportunity to visit displays and network with other delegates.

Book your tickets here: https://NAPCEANNUALCONFERENCE26.eventbrite.co.uk

If you have any questions, please contact the NAPCE Admin Team at admin@napce.org.uk.

We look forward to meeting up with members and delegates at the 2026 Annual Conference.

INTERVIEW: 4. NAPCE National Chair Phil Jones a Guest on Twinkl Podcast

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4. NAPCE Chair Phil Jones Interviewed for Twinkl Podcast

NAPCE National Chair, Phil Jones, was recently interviewed as a guest on the Twinkl podcast In This Together.

It was an opportunity to talk about the work that NAPCE does to share good practice in the pastoral care and support of learners.

Phil responded to questions from the podcast host, Becky Dawson, who is the National Wellbeing Lead for Twinkl Ltd, and discussed some of the important issues and challenges facing professionals working in pastoral roles in schools.

Without giving too much away as a spoiler, these included discussions about why education needs to be relevant to the children and young people in schools, preparing them for their future roles in society.

Twinkl is a digital EdTech firm and educational publisher, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Sheffield, England, producing teaching and educational materials. Twinkl has provided educators around the world with high-quality, low-cost teaching resources for over a decade.

NAPCE is delighted that Twinkl is the sponsor of the award for Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care for the 2026 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education, organised by NAPCE.

The discussion with Phil will be available soon on the podcast In This Together, which explores all things relating to wellbeing in education.

INTERVIEW: 5. Phil Jones to Lead Trio of Education Conferences Later in 2026

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5. Phil Jones to Chair Three Education Conferences + NAPCE Event Update
NAPCE Chair Phil Jones has been invited to chair three conferences organised by Education Conferences UK during September and October, providing further opportunities for NAPCE to contribute to important discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing education professionals.

Phil will chair three events covering leadership and governance in Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), improving attendance, and safeguarding and inspection.

The first conference, Leadership, Governance and Impact in MATs: Preparing for MAT-Level Inspection, takes place on Thursday 17 September 2026. The conference will explore issues around leadership, governance, accountability and preparing Multi-Academy Trusts for inspection.

Find out more about the Leadership, Governance and Impact in MATs conference.

Phil will then chair the Improving Attendance Summit 2026, which takes place on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Attendance remains a significant challenge for schools, and the summit will explore practical approaches to improving attendance, using data effectively, strengthening whole-school approaches and supporting learners who face barriers to regular attendance.

Find out more about the Improving Attendance Summit.

The following day, Wednesday 21 October 2026, Phil will chair the Preparing for Inspection of Safeguarding Conference 2026. The event will focus on strengthening safeguarding culture, evidencing impact and preparing schools and colleges for inspection expectations.

The conference will consider a range of important safeguarding issues, including contextual safeguarding, online harms, attendance, child-on-child abuse, safer recruitment and protecting vulnerable learners. It will also explore how schools can demonstrate that safeguarding is embedded within everyday practice and not simply focused on policies and procedures.

Find out more about the Preparing for Inspection of Safeguarding Conference.

Phil’s involvement in these three conferences reflects the contribution that NAPCE continues to make to wider conversations across education.

Leadership, attendance and safeguarding are all closely connected to the pastoral work of schools, and the opportunity to share ideas and good practice across these areas is an important part of supporting professionals and improving outcomes for children and young people.
NAPCE Events Update – Only Six Tickets Remaining for the National Awards
There is also exciting news about NAPCE’s own events taking place on Friday 9 October 2026 at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Only six tickets remain for the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2026, organised by NAPCE. The Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding contribution being made by schools, colleges and education professionals to pastoral care and the wellbeing of children and young people.

With tickets now very limited, anyone wishing to attend the National Awards is encouraged to book soon to avoid disappointment.

Tickets are also available for the NAPCE Annual Conference, which takes place at the same venue on the same day. The 2026 conference will focus on inclusion and belonging in education and will provide an opportunity for professionals to hear from keynote speakers, share good practice, network with colleagues and explore practical approaches to supporting learners.

The Annual Conference and National Awards offer two fantastic opportunities to come together with colleagues from across education and celebrate the important contribution that pastoral care makes to the lives of children and young people.

For further information and to book tickets, please visit:

Conference

https://NAPCEANNUALCONFERENCE26.eventbrite.co.uk

Awards

https://NAPCEPRESENTATION26.eventbrite.co.uk

LEAD ARTICLE: “Pastoral Care in not something schools do; It is something schools are” by NAPCE’s Dr Amanda Hatton

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“Pastoral Care in not something schools do; It is something schools are” by NAPCE’s Dr Amanda Hatton

Pastoral care is often described as the heart of a school.

However, it is not just an initiative or a programme, nor is it the responsibility of one team or individual. Rather, it is part of the culture and identity of the school. It is found in the relationships, routines and everyday interactions that help children feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

The most effective pastoral care is rooted in genuine listening and trust, making space for curiosity. It is one of the clearest expressions of a school’s ethos and values, where those values move beyond words and become part of children’s everyday experience.

Over recent months, I have had the privilege of visiting schools and working alongside staff.

This newsletter draws on some of the common themes I have observed during those visits, reflecting on the importance of pastoral care and the many ways it is brought to life in schools every day.

Pastoral care underpins children’s experience of school, providing stability, consistency and trusted relationships. As schools navigate increasing complexity, it matters now more than ever.

Schools are supporting children and families with increasing emotional wellbeing needs, rising levels of anxiety, attendance challenges, SEND pressures, online influences and social media pressures, financial hardship, and complex safeguarding issues.

Although these challenges are significant, they also remind us why strong pastoral care is so important.

Support is provided through the culture that is created by everyday experiences, including children being greeted by name, adults noticing changes, predictable routines, opportunities to be heard, consistent responses and a genuine sense of belonging.

Current safeguarding guidance reminds us that creating a culture where children feel safe, listened to and supported is everyone’s responsibility.

If pastoral care is something a school is, rather than simply something it does, then it cannot rest solely with a pastoral team, safeguarding lead or senior leader.

It is shaped by every adult who is part of the school community. Pastoral care is often found in the ordinary moments that can easily go unnoticed.

It is the smile and greeting at the school gate, the teacher who notices a child is quieter than usual, the teaching assistant who quietly offers reassurance, the office staff member who recognises when a child seems unsettled, the lunchtime supervisor helping children navigate friendships, or the site staff member who takes a moment to chat as pupils walk across the playground.

Individually, these interactions may seem small, but together they create an environment where children feel seen, valued and safe.

When children experience consistent kindness, respect and genuine interest from the adults around them, they begin to develop a sense of trust and belonging.

They learn that there are people who will listen, notice when something is wrong and respond with care. These everyday experiences help to build the relationships that sit at the heart of effective pastoral care.

Over recent months, I have had the privilege of visiting several schools and working alongside dedicated professionals. One of the things that has struck me most is that the strongest examples of pastoral care are rarely defined by one initiative or intervention.

Instead, they are reflected in a shared culture where everyone understands that they have a role to play in supporting children and young people.

Whether directly or indirectly, every interaction has the potential to make a difference. In my observations, I have noticed that these aspects are woven into the school day by everyone.

Perhaps this is one of the greatest strengths of a caring school community: every member of staff can help a child feel that they matter.

My visits to a number of schools have enabled me to see and feel how pastoral support is lived and experienced.

They have also reminded me that small things can communicate care and belonging. For example, one child smiled, said hello and asked how I was, while another said, “Goodbye, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

These small, authentic moments are often the ones that communicate care and belonging most powerfully.  They reflect a culture where kindness, respect and genuine human connection are valued and modelled.

Discussions with children highlighted the importance of moments of connection with staff and with one another, and how these create a sense of belonging.

They spoke about respecting one another, taking active roles in supporting each other throughout the day, building friendships, recognising when they needed to regulate their emotions, and knowing how and where to seek help.

This moved beyond the importance of providing sensory spaces, quiet areas and supportive physical environments, demonstrating that children are not only recipients of care but also learn to extend care to others.

This reflects what might be described as an “invisible curriculum”: the aspects of school life that exist within the environment, atmosphere and relationships, where pastoral care is woven into everyday interactions rather than being confined to formal learning, the curriculum, planned strategies or interventions.

Children are always learning from the culture around them. Through this invisible curriculum, they learn what a school truly values and develop their own sense of belonging within that community. They learn that they can ask for help, that they are valued, and that relationships matter.

Viewed through a children’s rights lens, we can consider the importance of effective pastoral care, where children’s rights are realised through culture and practice, not just policies.

This is where rights become meaningful: where children are protected, listened to, respected, included and supported to participate.

Children are experts in their own experiences, and their voices provide valuable insights into the relationships, environments and everyday moments that help them feel safe, valued and that they belong.

Through this lens, pastoral care becomes something we create together, in partnership with children. As we approach the end of another busy academic year, we should thank everyone working in our schools.

Pastoral care involves significant emotional labour and often many extra hours added to the working day. Every day, staff are alert, noticing, listening and responding.

In holding this space, they often carry the weight of difficult stories while, at the same time, providing stability for children, both individually and collectively.

The kindness, patience and consistency shown every day often go unseen, yet they make an immeasurable difference to children’s lives.

Providing support for staff wellbeing is crucial to sustaining this culture, and a culture of care is strongest when it includes care for the adults as well as the children.

I hope the summer break offers an opportunity to rest, reconnect with family and friends, and return refreshed for the new school year. Looking after ourselves is not separate from looking after others; it is part of sustaining the compassionate relationships that lie at the heart of pastoral care.

Pastoral care is rarely defined by a single initiative or programme.  More often, it is found in the everyday moments that reassure a child they are safe, valued and that they belong.

Those moments may seem ordinary, but their impact can last a lifetime.

Dr Amanda Hatton
NEC Member, NAPCE

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National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2026 – Finalists Announced.

NAPCE was delighted to reveal the finalists for the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2026 this month.

Following another exceptional year of nominations from across the UK and around the world, our independent panel of judges has selected an outstanding group of finalists whose commitment to pastoral care is transforming the lives of children and young people every day.

Congratulations to every finalist on this remarkable achievement. The winners will be announced at the prestigious Presentation Evening on Friday 9 October 2026 at the Graeme Hick Pavilion, Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Worcester.

Now in its seventh year, the National Awards have become the UK’s leading celebration of excellence in pastoral care in education.

Organised by NAPCE and proudly supported by Headline Sponsor Flourish, the Awards recognise the individuals, teams, schools and organisations that place wellbeing, belonging and inclusion at the heart of education.

They celebrate outstanding practice, inspire innovation, share excellence across the profession and shine a spotlight on those making a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people.

The standard of nominations this year has once again been exceptional, reflecting the passion, creativity and dedication of those working across education to ensure every learner feels supported, valued and able to thrive.

NAPCE National Chair Phil Jones said:

“Everyone who entered this year’s Awards should be immensely proud of the difference they make to the lives of children and young people through outstanding pastoral care. The quality of nominations has once again been exceptional, making the judging process both challenging and inspiring.

“Congratulations to all our finalists on this well-deserved recognition. Your commitment to creating inclusive, caring and supportive educational environments is making a real impact, and we look forward to celebrating your achievements together in Worcester on 9 October.”

Tickets for the Presentation Evening are free for finalists and their guests and can be booked at:
https://NAPCEPRESENTATION26.eventbrite.co.uk

ON THE SAME DAY – The NAPCE Annual Conference – Inclusion and Belonging in Education takes place during the day at the same venue. Finalists and their guests can attend at half the standard ticket price by booking at:
https://NAPCEANNUALCONFERENCE26.eventbrite.co.uk

National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education – The Finalists

Pastoral Development of the Year

Sponsored by Taylor & Francis

Criteria: A pastoral initiative or idea that has achieved positive outcomes and improved the learning experience and future life chances of young people.

Empower Hour at Harris Science Academy – East London
Helen Parfect, Hobbs Centre, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
I3ntegrate Counsellors in School – Cambridge
The Nest, Sonning Common Primary School – Reading
Wellbeing Team, Wellingborough School – Wellingborough

Raising Awareness About Pastoral Care

Sponsored by The Association of School and College Leaders

Criteria: An individual, group or organisation that has raised awareness of pastoral care or pastoral issues and encouraged positive improvements for the benefit of young people.

Chris Tooley, Principal, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Harris Academy Peckham – Peckham, London
Emily Malsom, Dene Magna School – Gloucestershire
John Leggott College – Scunthorpe
Jaspar Khawaja, Institute of Education, UCL & States of Mind

Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care

Sponsored by Twinkl

Criteria: A person, group or organisation that has made a real difference for the benefit of young people through pastoral care.

Rachel Davenport,The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Susan Gee, Shinsei Academy – Manchester
Claire Sutton, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Sam Coton, Better Me Better You C.I.C – Worcestershire
Laura Stow, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge

International Contribution to Pastoral Care

Sponsored by EDClass

Criteria: An international school, organisation or individual outside the UK that has promoted or delivered high-quality pastoral care.

Guangzhou Happy Seeds – Guangzhou, China
Primary Years Programme Pastoral Care, ISA Wuhan International School – Wuhan, China
ISA Tianhe International School – Guangzhou, China
Cogdel Cranleigh School Changsha – Changsha, China
Ally Feng, Dean of Upper School, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Wuhan – Wuhan, China

Effective Pastoral Care to Support Transition

Sponsored by Pupil Pathways

Criteria: Demonstrating outstanding collaborative work to ensure children and young people experience positive transitions into new schools or educational settings.

Stockport Academy – Stockport, Greater Manchester
Lagan College – Belfast
Addey and Stanhope School – New Cross, London
Arushi Madaan, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Denton Community Academy – Denton, Greater Manchester

Pastoral Team of the Year

Sponsored by Connect to Purpose

Criteria: A pastoral team demonstrating exceptional commitment to supporting young people to achieve their full potential.

Gospel Oak School – Tipton, West Midlands
Prospect House School – London
Withington Girls’ School – Manchester
St George’s Junior School Pastoral Team – Shrewsbury
Loreto Grammar School – Omagh

Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year

Sponsored by Flourish

Criteria: A member of staff who consistently goes above and beyond to support young people and help them succeed.

Janine Fogg, Mossley Hollins High School – Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire
Jackie Challenger, Severnbanks Primary School – Lydney
Hannah Campbell, St Patrick’s College– Dungannon
Marie Quetant, Harris Science Academy East London
Tonia Webb, LEO Trust – Cheam, Surrey

Pastoral Leader of the Year

Sponsored by Vicki Blackburn

Criteria: A leader who inspires colleagues through a passion for pastoral care and makes a lasting difference to the lives of young people.

Chris Woods, Deputy Principal, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Zoe Ali, Deputy Headteacher, Thornhill Community Academy – Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Chris Tooley, Principal, The Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Claire Haller, Deputy Principal, John Leggott Sixth Form College – Scunthorpe
Michelle Black, Assistant Head (Pastoral), Djanogly Strelley Academy – Nottingham

Pastoral School of the Year

Sponsored by Global Equality Collective

Criteria: A school demonstrating an outstanding commitment to pastoral care that makes a real difference to the progress and personal development of young people.

Netherhall School & Oakes College – Cambridge
Richard Cloudesley School – London
Stoke Heath Primary School – Coventry
ISA Tianhe International School – Guangzhou, China
Woodlands Primary School – Telford, Shropshire

Additional Awards

The following awards will also be presented during the evening:

• Outstanding Pastoral Care for SEND Learners – The Edith Gerda Hanko Legacy Award
• NAPCE Special Recognition Award
• NAPCE Lifetime Achievement Award

Presentation Evening

Friday 9 October 2026 (Evening)
Graeme Hick Pavilion
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
New Road
Worcester WR2 4RL

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Dr Peter Lang – An Obituary by Ron Best and Peter Ribbins

27/7/1935 – 23/5/2026

It is with great sadness at the passing of Peter Lang, who has died aged 90, and in appreciation of his contribution to education, and specifically to pastoral care, that we write. In regard to the latter, there are few people (if any) whose contribution has been greater. We begin with an anecdote which captures something of his personality.

When NAPCE was founded in 1981, there was already a West Midlands Association for Pastoral Care in Education, which Peter had been instrumental in setting up. At an in-service event in that part of the country a year or two later, the guest speaker was about to begin their presentation when the door flew open, and Peter erupted into the room. He had come to publicise the next meeting of that Association, and, to his astonishment and amusement, he was introduced with the words: “Ah! Here is Peter Lang, another giant of pastoral care!”  For many years Peter would refer to other NAPCE founders as ‘giants of PC’, or otherwise find ways of referring to the episode. He was a very accomplished cartoonist, and one of his hand-made cards pictured two large figures waving to each other across a valley, with the caption: “Happy Christmas …. from one giant of PC to another”!

And Peter deserved the title if anyone did. He was a founder-member of NAPCE, and it was largely on the basis of Peter’s experience and that of his colleagues in the West Midlands Association, and their appeal to Michael Marland to be the convenor of a working group set up to consider founding a national association, that NAPCE came into being at all. Peter was a senior lecturer at the University of Warwick, and it was through him that Warwick became the venue for HEC meetings, and for many years the home of the NAPCE Base. It was no accident that in time, Professor John Tomlinson, CBE, head of the education department at Warwick,  became our President. The facilities provided to NAPCE and the accommodation of our meetings and workshops were all made possible by Peter’s lobbying and Professor Tomlinson’s good offices.

Peter was elected to the founding NEC, and on the well-known principle of “If no-one else will do it, I suppose I’ll have to!”, he became NAPCE’s first treasurer. The duties of the role were not much to his taste; he was far happier floating ideas for activities and for the development of the Association and doing his best to make them happen. He was one of the original co-editors (with Peter Ribbins and Maura Healy) of the Journal  –   the first in the field   –   and contributed articles, editorials and book reviews to it. He also participated in the setting up of the first formal university courses relating to pastoral care in the UK, and was very active as a scholar, author and editor of books and convenor of meetings of teachers and others concerned with pastoral care and personal and social education (PSE).

With Michael Marland, he edited New Directions in Pastoral Care (Blackwell, 1985), which resulted from an ESRC-funded seminar on “The future research needs of pastoral care” held (you will by now be unsurprised to learn!) at Warwick in 1984, a ground-breaking event which cast pastoral care in the research spotlight for the first time. NAPCE was largely an association of secondary teachers, and the term ‘pastoral care’ almost always related to that sector. However,  Peter was anxious that we should consider the primary sector as well, and believed that secondary schools could learn a lot from primary practice. (In later years he became very interested in Circle Time, which was originally conceived with primary schools in mind). His book: Thinking about Personal & Social Education in the Primary School (Simon & Schuster, 1988), broke new ground in bringing an explicitly ‘pastoral care’ perspective to the literature relating to this sector.

During the 1980s, Peter co-edited (with Peter Ribbins) the impressive Blackwell Studies in Personal & Social Education and Pastoral Care. They were keen to ensure that the series would be academically rigorous and professionally relevant but remain rooted in the daily work of teachers and schools, and to this end, they imaginatively paired practising teachers with academics and teacher-trainers to write each book. The Cassell Studies in Pastoral Care and Personal & Social Education, co-edited with Ron Best, and which included a major book of articles (Pastoral Care and Personal-Social Education, Cassell/NAPCE, 1995) which he edited with Ron Best, Caroline Lodge and Chris Watkins, continued Peter’s work as a series editor. While this series did not maintain the practitioner-academic teams of the earlier (Blackwell) series, it introduced an international dimension to the field, not least through Peter’s involvement with pastoral initiatives abroad. Two books in the series were co-edited by Peter with academics from Western Australia, Portugal and Israel.

Peter was very much an ‘internationalist’. In 1988, he was part of a team of people including Ribbins, Best and Tomlinson, invited to be major contributors to the Singapore Educational Administration Society’s third Biennial conference on the theme: ‘The Pupil’s Growth  –  our Major Concern’. Spin-off conferences followed at Edith Cowan University in Perth (Western Australia), and at Bond University on the Gold Coast in Queensland. More books followed.

Meanwhile, with a desire to get away from the (largely) British label of ‘pastoral care’ and to employ a more inclusive concept which might appeal in other countries, Peter convened an international seminar at Warwick with affective education as the umbrella-term. Delegates from Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium and the UK took part, and from this initiative grew the European Affective Education Network (AEN), which for many years flourished with a programme of international conferences in a different country each time. As time went by, further countries were represented including Turkey and Slovenia, where younger university and teacher-training staff could mingle with the ‘old brigade’ and contribute their own unique and fresh perspectives. Several books derived from conference papers and keynote presentations were published by universities hosting the Network’s conferences, including in Portugal, Italy and Denmark.

Peter Lang (L) with Peter Ribbins (C) and Ron Best (R)

While pastoral care, PSE and affective education were prominent in his researching, writing and editing, Peter never lost sight of the practitioner in the school. His work was characterised by both academic rigour and professional application, while never forgetting the practical realities of teaching. It was fitting that, in the fulness of time, Peter was awarded Life Membership of NAPCE, the Association which, without him, might never have happened, and by a PhD from Warwick by virtue of his body of published scholarly work in this field.

Peter was kind, generous with his time, loyal and ever ready to talk about education. He continued to teach university students by distance learning late into his long life  –  once a teacher, always a teacher!  –  because he believed in the value of what he was doing and wanted to share it with others. For all his achievements, Peter was appealingly modest. This meant that whilst he was always very generous about the contributions of others, he was very reluctant to listen to praise when they sought to thank him for his own achievements. This made him a joy to work with.

We salute Peter Lang, a Giant of Pastoral Care indeed!

Ron Best & Peter Ribbins

REPORT: Read About NAPCE’s Belfast Symposium 2026 Hailed  as “Great Success”

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NAPCE Belfast Symposium 2026  – A Great Success

The National Association for Pastoral Care in Education (NAPCE), in partnership with Stranmillis University College, was delighted to welcome delegates from across Northern Ireland and beyond to the NAPCE Belfast Symposium 2026.

Held on Tuesday 23 June at the Stranmillis University College campus in Belfast, the Symposium once again proved to be a great success, bringing together educators, pastoral leaders, researchers and school staff to share ideas, celebrate excellence and explore the vital role that relationships play in education.

This year’s theme, “Relationships at the Heart of Education: Building Respect and Wellbeing through Understanding,” set the tone for a day of inspiring presentations, thoughtful discussion and professional collaboration.

Delegates were privileged to hear the keynote address from Dr Anne Emerson, who explored how educators can foster meaningful relationships that promote school belonging, pupil autonomy and positive wellbeing throughout every stage of a young person’s educational journey.

The Symposium also showcased examples of outstanding pastoral practice from finalists and winners of the National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2025, providing delegates with practical ideas and inspiration to take back to their own schools and settings.

Among the highlights was a presentation from St John the Baptist’s College, Portadown, winners of the 2025 Pastoral School of the Year Award, who shared their successful approach to creating a culture where every young person feels valued, supported and able to thrive.

The programme concluded with an interactive discussion session, giving delegates the opportunity to engage directly with the keynote speaker and presenters, exchange experiences and explore the challenges and opportunities facing pastoral care in education today.

Throughout the day there was a genuine spirit of collaboration, with valuable networking opportunities helping to strengthen connections across the pastoral care community.

NAPCE would like to thank everyone who attended, our excellent speakers and presenters, and our partners at Stranmillis University College for helping to make another Belfast Symposium such a memorable and successful event.

Photo Gallery

Please enjoy our photo gallery below, capturing some of the highlights from another inspiring day dedicated to supporting and celebrating excellence in pastoral care.

You can view it here: https://www.napce.org.uk/napce-belfast-symposium-2026-a-great-success/

All photographs are courtesy of Greg McCready.