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