LEAD ARTICLE: “Pastoral Care For All – One Brain at a Time” by NAPCE Officer Eileen Donnelly ?”

My attention was caught recently, by an article in The Pastoral Care for All – One Brain at a Time
 
As we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of NAPCE we reflected on the role it has had in informing our pastoral provision in schools.

Our postponed celebratory dinner – which took place earlier this year – afforded us the opportunity to express gratitude to the many authors and contributors to the journal which over the years had shaped and formed our thinking enabling us to arrive at where we are today.

The pastoral journey spans from the earliest years of providing financial and physical support to small numbers of individual students, through to the development of a topic-based curriculum delivered to the ‘less able’ students, and more laterally a statutory skills based Personal Development programme which supports students to take responsibility for their social, emotional and cognitive development.

Additionally, the literature helped move us away from the historic divide between the ‘pastoral’ and ‘curricular’  aspects of the school. Subject teachers were encouraged to get to know their students and build strong relationships with them. Pastoral care was to be ‘caught’  in addition to ‘taught’ 
 
More laterally, the field of neuroscience had added even more grist for the mill giving Teachers an insight into the uniqueness of each student’s brain, the behavioral impact of underdevelopment and the need for support to compensate.

We are learning that the adolescent brain is  very much ‘under construction’. Many of the regions including the frontal lobe (top front) which is concerned with executive function, judgement, and impulse control will not be fully developed until early adulthood, long after they have finished their formal school education.

Normal growth appears to occur between the ages of six and ten (KS2) and again in early twenties leaving the years between ten and eighteen (KS3 & 4) void of improvement.

Might this go some way to explain students’ lack of focus, poor organization, time management skills, and inability to register tasks and follow through with them until completion. Might our expectations of some students be just too high? Might this bring a new focus to the kind of care we need to provide for them? 
 
When they appear tired and lazy, we may be right in thinking they have had late night ‘screen time’ however it may indeed be because their brain has been busy ‘pruning’.  The process of cutting back old unused neuron connections to reshape new brain connections and allow for more growth happens mostly at night and requires energy.

Similarly, melatonin levels in adolescents naturally rise later at night and fall later in the morning . This may explain why many teens stay up late and struggle with getting up in the morning.

They frequently need more sleep than children. This sleep interruption can explain lethargy, lack of concentration, poor engagement with learning,  increased impulsivity,  irritability and depression. Until we create a greater awareness of this, student’s health and wellbeing may not be addressed appropriately.
 
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with producing intense feelings of pleasure and reward. During adolescence, levels in the limbic system can increase dramatically.

Serotonin, known as the calming chemical, on the other hand, eases tension and stress and can counteract the excitement and recklessness that dopamine can produce.

If there is a defect in serotonin processing in the brain, there can be vulnerability to boredom, increased risk taking and impulsiveness manifesting in behaviours which can have lasting negative consequences.

Neuroscientists have also alerted educators to what they describe as  ‘temporal discounting preference,’ and ‘underdeveloped brain organization.’

The impact of this is seen in students’ impetuous behaviour and making choices which offer short-term rewards.

Despite this, our expectations of students is that they become self-motivated, make responsible career choices, set personal and academic targets, and strive to achieve them. We need to rethink how best to achieve this, considering these findings.

The prefrontal cortex which essentially manages emotions and impulse control has developmental delays years behind the limbic system. Until it catches up with the rest of the brain our students will rely on the amygdala to steer them through very difficult situations. For many, this will prove an unreliable source of support as it is not a thinking organ, rather, it works on instinct rather than logic.

This turmoil often explains why the period of adolescence is when many mental disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and eating disorders emerge. Early intervention strategies that create an awareness of this and train the amygdala to make better decisions are essential.
 
Perhaps most interestingly, research into neuroplasticity offers teachers the most hope by dispelling the notion of fixed intelligence.

We have always known that neurons and synapses, changing and strengthening connections, are at the root of all learning in the brain.

However, we believed that neurons were predetermined at birth by biology and genetics. Using a carbon dating technique scientists can prove that neurons can grow in the hippocampus region of the brain which is known to play a crucial role in  memory and learning.

Teachers have to accept that students can get ‘smarter’ and figure out how best to achieve and capitalise on it.
 
Neuroscience has lots to offer Teachers, but does it pose more questions than answers?

• Should research developments feature more on Teachers CPD?
• Might it revolutionize the care and support we give Students during their most vulnerable years?

• Without the luxury of magnetic resonance imaging scans how will we know who to target for support?

And the students:

• Can they really blame it all on their brain?
• Can we afford to ignore it?
• Can we even begin to measure the destructive impact this can have on their lives?

• Will they be receptive to intervention strategies until their brain ‘grows up’?

The GL PASS Psychometric test provides insightful information on the mindset of students, how they will respond in certain situations and the impact it will have on their behaviour and learning. Schools are using it to identify students in need of immediate support. In response, we have developed a range of brain-based intervention strategies informed by research from the fields of Neuroscience and behavioural change techniques.

The  ‘PASS – Mentoring Intervention Programme’ introduces pupils to a basic understanding of their brain and uses videos to demonstrate the skills driven behavioural change strategies, which, with persistent practice, will change their behaviour enabling them to be more in control of their lives.

Our approach works, schools report an average 25 per cent increase in student PASS scores when reassessed after programme completion. The outcomes for students can be  life changing.

If you would like to feedback on the contents of  this paper or find out more about the
PASS – Mentoring Intervention Programme please email me
eileen@eileendonnelly.co.uk

Eileen Donnelly
NEC Member
NAPCE

ARTICLE: Introducing “World Kindness Day” a event to be celebrated with Liz Bates

Did you know it is World Kindness Day on November 13^th ? Asks Liz Bates                                                                                                                                                      

And of course November 13^th is also the start of Anti-bullying Week.

With ‘Make a noise about bullying’ being this year’s slogan perhaps it is also time to ‘make a noise about kindness’.

There is no escaping the rise of unkindness in its most evident, explicit and toxic form.

The internet has allowed anonymity to enable a ‘no rules’ onslaught of unkindness which is almost impossible to challenge.

Then at the other end of the scale are the minute by minute, everyday choices that are made, to be unkind.  And that is the root of conversations we can have with children – that unkindness is a choice and, crucially, so is kindness.

Scientific studies have shown that kindness has a great number of physical and emotional benefits and that children require a healthy dose of good, positive feelings in order to flourish as healthy, happy, well-rounded individuals.

Kindness can change our brains by simply experiencing it. We can think and talk about kindness but that is not enough.

Experiencing kindness is the best way to learn about it.

Kindness can….

• increase positive behaviour and help to create warm, inclusive environments where children can feel safe, secure, noticed and listened to, where children can belong

• increase the likelihood of forming relationships, children are more likely to be accepted if they are well-liked – kindness is a pro-social skill
• change a viewpoint when helping others less fortunate
• produce endorphins activating parts of the brain that are associated with pleasure – this can lead to good feelings
• lead to a release of oxytocin – this can increase individual levels of happiness
• result in ‘helper’s high’ increasing a sense of self-worth
• increase levels of serotonin which can affect mood and other aspects of health

and all of these can lead to better mental health.

Giving and receiving kindness are equally important. Being kind to others feels good, as does someone being kind to you. And not to be forgotten is being kind to ourselves, which I will come to shortly.

Remember ‘kindness can be catching’.

The more children see and hear adults and other children ‘modelling’ kindness the more normalised those behaviours become. I am more likely to be kind to someone else if someone has been kind to me (replace kind with unkind and that too is true).

What we do and what we say are our choices, so we can talk with children about this, asking, “Why would someone choose to be unkind if we have a choice to be kind?”

Because 99 times out of 100 there is a choice.

We can interrogate the reasons that someone might have for choosing to be unkind. We can look at kindness as an active choice, not a passive act. ‘I am choosing to do this…I want to say this….why would I do or say something else instead?’ Let’s see kindness as a superpower which we all have.

There is plenty more on this in Cool to be Kind: A Storybook and Practical Resource for Negotiating the World of Friendships and Relationships such as exploring the language of kindness and I will say a little more here about that, the words we choose to say.

Language is a very powerful instrument. The words we choose to say can be helpful or harmful.

We can speak words of encouragement, praise, inspiration and enthusiasm. We can also speak words of threat, hatefulness, put downs and criticism.

And once unkind words have been said they are hard to take back.

They can sometimes leave a mess that is very hard to clean up – imagine that words are like eggs.  We have to treat them carefully – if we don’t they can leave a horrible mess.

We also have to own the words that we say – they belong to us, no-one else.

If we make a bad joke or say an unkind thing we cannot then blame the other person for not getting the joke or being upset, the unfeasible “can’t you take a joke?” ‘defence’. They are our words and we have to take responsibility for them.

So the language of kindness:
Is positive and supportive.
Is clear, with a shared understanding, so it isn’t misunderstood.
Is inclusive and does not deliberately exclude.
Belongs to us – what I say are my words, I choose to say them so they are my responsibility.  I cannot blame anyone else for the words I choose to say.

Kindness isn’t about agreeing with or liking someone else but about accepting them and upholding their right to feel safe. It is about an absence of cruelty, meanness and nastiness.  But if we do get it wrong it is important to forgive ourselves and commit to doing better and getting it right next time.  Just like anything else, the more we practice, the better we get.

We know that nurturing the moral development of children has both positive individual outcomes and also positive outcomes for others, for the group, for their peers, for the classroom, for the school, and kindness is a fundamental building block in that development.

As is our modelling of behaviours, and of language; the thousands of micro-moments we have when interacting with children.  As adults we show children kindness – why wouldn’t we?
As well as talking about what kindness means, try introducing a regular ‘kindness reflection’.

In schools this could be done on a Monday morning and Friday afternoon.

Head on table, eyes closed (if the child/children feel comfortable doing this)
Spend 1 minute thinking about:
The kind people you know
Kind acts that someone has done for you
A kind act that you could do for someone
How do you show kindness?
What more can you do to be kind or show kindness?
What can you do today or this week that is kind?
And on Friday afternoon….
What have you done this week that is kind?
What can you do this weekend that is kind?

Self-kindness

There are some children whose unkind narrative is a repetition of what has been said or done to them by others – both adults and children.  A child who is unkind to others may be repeating the unkindnesses done to them. And may be reinforcing those unkindnesses to themselves. Self-kindness also needs to be cultivated, looked after and, as alluded to earlier, practiced.  It is about being sensitive to our own feelings as well as the feelings of others, particularly negative feelings and negative thoughts.

Some children can be self-critical to the extent that it prevents them from developing, moving forward and achieving.  This self-criticism might be said aloud and heard by others, but it is often hidden in the head of the child.

Their anger, frustration and disappointment is reinforced by their internal voice, thus maintaining the negative emotions and potentially making them worse. Supporting these children will include challenging negative self-talk and helping them to not necessarily believe their thoughts – learning to challenge that voice in their heads, the internal monologue that may be unfair and unrealistic.  Helping them to move towards accepting themselves.

There are activities and strategies we can introduce such as ‘Mean Mate’ and ‘Patient Pal’, all of which are described in detail in Cool to be Kind and the accompanying adult resource.

And finally, as Henry James said, “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”

For much more on raising awareness, activities and lesson plans:

Cool to be Kind: A Storybook and Practical Resource for Negotiating the World of Friendships and Relationships
routledge.com/9780367537807

So have a think about what you can do to raise the profile and make a noise about  kindness in your setting and celebrate World Kindness Day, not just on November 13th,  but every day.
LIZ BATES
lizslamer@gmail.com

ARTICLE: A Guide to Setting Up & Running an Effective School Council from VotesForSchools

A GUIDE TO SETTING UP AND RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL COUNCIL with VotesForSchools

NAPCE is very pleased to enjoy a positive collaboration with VotesForSchools.

Once again in this month’s NAPCE News we are delighted to share an insightful article from the organisation, which we hope will inspire you.

Discover the ultimate guide to setting up and running a successful school council, empowering student voices and fostering leadership skills with VotesforSchools’ free resources.

We all know how important pupil voice is – it can bring about positive change in your classrooms, playgrounds, and beyond.

And yet, the prospect of setting up and running your school council can still be daunting, especially in a jam-packed schedule. But I can assure you it’s worth the effort: its success lies in equipping your young people with the skills they need to self-manage and lead with confidence.

What is a school council?

A group of young people who are elected by fellow pupils to represent their school and think of ideas for improving it.

Why is school council important?

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that every child has the right to express their views, feelings, and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.

EMPOWER YOUR SCHOOL COUNCIL:

Let them lead the charge against bullying and amplify their voices for a safer, inclusive school..

Sign up today to receive your free Anti-Bullying Week 2023 lessons straight into your inbox ahead of the week.

Hold an election

At the start of each academic year, invite pupils from each class to create a pitch that highlights their school-wide ambitions for the year ahead. A good place to start is by reminding them of the dos and don’ts when it comes to voting and getting them to think critically about the qualities of a good representative. This not only stops elections from becoming a popularity contest, but also means that they are putting their knowledge of the democratic process into action. Getting creative by using vote slips and ballot boxes is also a great way to introduce your pupils to the voting system.

Provide opportunities for all

In your first school council meeting of the academic year, encourage members to discuss their interests and favourite subjects. This may help them to decide on who is the best fit for each role or responsibility. A good listener? Chairperson! Enjoy working with numbers? Treasurer! A keen writer? Secretary! But, most importantly, make sure that there’s something for each person to take a lead on.

Get organised

A little bit of organisation goes a long way. Having an agenda for each meeting to keep discussions on track and putting a date in the diary for the next meeting means that the councillors’ valuable time will be well spent. These might be things you want to sort out ahead of time, or as you go – decide what works best for you and your school community.

Communication is key

Keeping pupils and colleagues in the loop about upcoming meetings and events helps with the smooth running of a school council. It also makes sure that everyone knows how, when, and where to make their voices heard. Whether these details are shared through emails, posters, or assemblies, involving your school councillors in the wider conversation helps to reduce your workload and enhance their leadership skills.

Shine a spotlight on councillors

Giving your councillors the opportunity to get involved in wider school life by leading an assembly or holding a weekly surgery at break times can help make them identifiable amongst their peers and encourage pupils to share their views with them. These actions can also help to build momentum and generate enthusiasm for the school council in order to make it fully pupil-focused.

Showcase change

Making sure that the ideas raised by the representatives are being enacted in school and in the wider community allows young people to see the difference their actions are making. Small changes such as changing from single-use sauce packets to bottles at lunch, or new equipment in the playground should be celebrated for all to see. You could do this by inviting the Headteacher or your local MP to an upcoming meeting, or by encouraging the councillors to write a proposal that outlines the changes they want to make in future.

Remember, your role as teacher representative is to facilitate, rather than lead. By putting these things in place early in the academic year, it will benefit pupils and help minimise your to-do list in the long-term and inspire further school council ideas.

While working in the profession, Sophie was the teacher representative for her school council and supported students in making positive change in their school and local community. She is passionate about fostering young leaders, inspiring pupil voice and promoting democracy

About VotesForSchools

Each week VotesforSchools creates resources for teachers to have informed discussions with their classes on topical issues. The children then get a chance to vote and comment, and they then publish that data – ensuring that pupil voice goes on to have an impact. Each week around 40,000 children vote.

They want children to be informed, be curious and be heard.

Due to the nature of the debate and voting and the topics covered. VotesforSchools provides a brilliant resource for the whole school to meet British values and Prevent requirements. For more information contact info@votesforschools.com

The website https://www.votesforschools.com

AWARDS: National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2023 – Programme Revealed

The programme for the National Awards For Pastoral Care In Education 2023 on September 29th has been announced.

The SOLD OUT Presentation Evening at Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, Worcester – which will be busier than ever –  will include a selection of entertainment alongside guest speakers and the glitzy awards ceremony.

Tickets for the NAPCE Awards are FREE and the event includes a fizz reception, guest speaker, entertainment, pay bar and the grand presentation.

The event is SOLD OUT, however feel free to contact Anne at admin@napce.org.uk to join a waiting list for returns.

Now in its fourth year, the NAPCE Awards is a standout event on the education calendar.

The ceremony is open to all people working in pastoral care in education roles.

It offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the work and achievements in pastoral care and is a wonderful networking event.

The NAPCE Awards was launched by  in 2019 and is the first UK-wide scheme to recognise outstanding achievements across pastoral care in education settings.

It was created to highlight excellent practice in pastoral care and to celebrate the people making a real difference in the educational experience of young people.

It also encourages new initiatives and ideas in pastoral care and recognises the contributions being made to developing policy and practice in pastoral support.

MEETING: Next NAPCE NEC Meeting Scheduled for October 14th, 2o23

NAPCE NEC Meeting October 2023
The next meeting of the NAPCE National Executive Committee will take place on October 14th, 2023 in London.

The event will take place for the first time at Mixing Networks, Second Floor, 36 Spital Square, London, E1 6DY and will be chaired by Phil Jones.

It will be followed by a six-monthly meeting of the Pastoral Care in Education Journal Editorial Board.

This event is not open to the general public.

For more information about NAPCE, our NEC and the Journal visit https://www.napce.org.uk

LEAD ARTICLE: “Do our schools in the post pandemic 21st century adequately prepare our young people for the life that the majority will live?” by NAPCE’s Jill Robson –

Do our schools in the post pandemic 21^st century adequately prepare our young people for the life that the majority will live?
My attention was caught recently, by an article in The Times in June, reporting that Chief Scout and adventurer Bear Grylls had declared that schools are not teaching the skills that matter, when life is harder for young people, than at any previous time.

Bear Grylls has long been critical of the education system, contributing to a Times Education Commission in Jan 2022, he stated that our education and assessment system is too narrow and should recognise and reward life skills such as resilience.

He is also attributed with stating that there is a huge gap between the skills that young people need for life and what is being taught in schools and that we need to close the life skills gap and demystify what is required to succeed in life.

Tim Brighouse and Mick Waters writing in the TES in March 2022 said the they believed that the push for a knowledge-rich curriculum and a focus on facts means we may have created a generation unprepared for the modern world.

When you look at schools’ visions statements, they frequently include an intention to prepare their students for adult life. Definitions of the word education often includes such phrases as “systematic instruction, schooling or training in preparation for life”.

The question is, do our schools in the post pandemic 21^st century adequately prepare our young people for the life that the majority will live?

When NAPCE was formed it was recognised that young people needed to learn skills that were not always taught in schools and as someone who was around in the early days of the association, it is incredibly frustrating that we are still having these discussions on the appropriateness of the curriculum, forty years on.

Possibly the reluctance of successive governments to adapt what is taught in schools is because it is easy to measure progress in Maths, English and Science in terms of levels and grades, whereas it is not as easy to assess young people’s progress in relationships, confidence and resilience.

So, what skills do we need to include in a new curriculum to prepare young people adequately for their adult life?

The starting point should be interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to build relationships, to communicate effectively, work in teams and deal with conflict and assertiveness strategies that are vital to young people, to cope with adult life and to avoid bullying and mental health issues.

Watch any secondary students walking to, or from schools and you can observe a number of them with their eyes fixed on their phones rather than communicating with each other. Technology is obviously advantageous in the education process in the modern world but not to the exclusion of human interaction.

The other essential is critical thinking skills, the ability to reason, question ideas and to think objectively and rationally about issues which affect them, rather than accepting them at face value.

This would include decision making and problem-solving skills which are important in a democratic society where the media and the internet are so influential in shaping ideas.

Mandell Creighton, the historian and Bishop of London in the 19^th century remarked that “the one real object of education is to leave man in the condition of constantly asking questions” and this is still a commendable aim two centuries later.

Money management and financial skills, the ability to manage a budget and plan financially, understanding home acquisition and responsibilities, are also relevant, particularly in the present financial climate, where people are struggling to pay mortgages and homelessness is on the increase.

One area we have particularly neglected in the English education system has been parenting, understanding pregnancy and child development, supporting learning in babies and children.

Child development has often appeared as an option in Year 10 but not as a compulsory element for all young people. When you consider that it is a role that the majority of young people will fulfil during their adult life, it is incredible that we offer no educational support for this vital role in our society.

Another gap in the present education curriculum is the teaching of practical cooking skills. At one time young people were taught what was referred to as Domestic Science, which later became Home Economics and then Food Technology but which has disappeared totally in some schools.

In terms of Maslow’s hierarchy of human need, physiological needs form the basis of the pyramid, yet the ability to provide for that need is not addressed in many schools which have abandoned the teaching of the subject.

In Health Education students learn about healthy diets but are not necessarily given the skills to create them themselves. Being able to cook and prepare meals at home particularly healthy meals is often beyond some parents who rely on expensive ready meals or takeaways.

In one school where I taught, we had a family of six children who ate free school meals at lunchtime but had takeaway pizza every evening at home. The irony was not lost on me when I went to observe a food technology lesson where one of the children was in the class, to find that the aim of the lesson was to design a pizza box.

Television cookery programmes aim to fill the gap by showing people how to make nutritious meals on limited budgets when at one time this teaching was done in the home or school.

This suggested list is not exhaustive, there are other topics which more detailed analysis may identify. The ideas are not radical, they have been around for many years and have been presented in numerous programmes, Bear Grylls himself has introduced one called “Becoming x education” but there have been several over the years which have been implemented as an add on to the curriculum.

What is needed is a total overhaul of what is taught in our schools so that these important skills can be embedded in the curriculum and we can achieve the point, at which we can confidently state, that our education system does prepare our young people for the reality of adult life in the 21^st century.

Jill Robson
Secretary
NAPCE

AWARDS: NAPCE Awards 2023 Sponsors Unveiled 

Sponsors for the 2023 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education, Presentation Event Announced

NAPCE is pleased to announce a partnership with Majesticare as our main sponsor for the Presentation Event of the 2023 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education.

The presentation event takes place in the splendid setting of the Graeme Hick Pavilion at Worcestershire County Cricket Club in Worcester on Friday 29^thSeptember.

Sponsors, judges, NAPCE members, and finalists in the eight categories for the awards will join together to celebrate and value the excellent contributions that are made by people working in pastoral roles that make a positive difference in the learning experience and future life chances of children and young people.

On the evening the winners of the awards in each category will be announced and the plaques and prizes awarded.

NAPCE is proud to work in partnership with Majesticare, who provide exceptional care in their care homes.

They are excellent partners for the awards because they have been providing award winning care in their care homes for over 20 years.

They are considered to be one of the UK’s leading care home providers with beautiful residential, nursing and dementia care homes across Worcestershire, the Home Counties, Buckinghamshire and into Somerset.

Like education, providing care in a care home setting requires a skilled and dedicated workforce to meet the different needs of the people in their care.

Majesticare understand what it means to provide exceptional care with a stimulating and vibrant community for the people in their care.

NAPCE is pleased to be working in partnership with our sponsors of the eight awards categories to raise awareness about the excellent practice in pastoral care in education.

These include The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)who represent and support more than 24,000 school leaders. Their members are responsible for the education of more than four million children and young people. They are sponsoring the Raising Awareness about Pastoral Care category.

Other sponsors include the publishers Taylor and Francis (Pastoral Leader of the Year) and Crown House Publishing (Pastoral Development of the Year). Taylor and Francis work in partnership with NAPCE for the publication of the Association’s academic journal ‘Pastoral Care in Education’.

Taylor and Francis is a specialist in scholarly research and in helping academic and research communities make new breakthroughs. They curate, produce and publish scholarly research and research referenced-led content enabling the latest academic thinking and discovery to be shared and built on. 

Crown House Publishing is an independent publisher of books. It is a rapidly growing publishing house specialising in the areas of Education, Coaching, Business Training and Development, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy, Counselling, Self – Help, Mind Body Spirit, and Personal Growth. In 2019, 2020 and 2022 we were shortlisted for the Independent Publishing Guild Education Publisher of the Year Award.

The sponsor of the award for the International Contribution to Pastoral Care is Global Equality Collective, (GEC) who are award winning diversity and inclusion providers. Their aim is to make ordinary classrooms extraordinarily inclusive. They help schools to deliver better inclusion by sharing their expertise and through the GEC platform which provides state of the art analytics and benchmarking tool to support innovation.

The sponsor of the award for Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care is Eileen Donnelly Educational Development Limited. They support teachers and students personal, social and emotional development to help achieve success.

The Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year is sponsored in 2023 by North London Collegiate School, Jeju, South Korea. This is a British international School situated on the UNESCO world heritage island of Jeju in South Korea. It was founded in 2011 as a day and boarding school. The school has a belief in the potential of young people and that they can foster the drive and determination that will enable them to make a difference in the world.

NAPCE is pleased to be working partnership with Schools Consent Projectas the sponsors of the Pastoral School of the Year award. The Schools Consent Project (SCP) teaches sexual consent to young people aged 11-18 in schools across the UK. We aim to normalise conversations about consent amongst young people to challenge harmful attitudes.

The Pastoral Team of the Year award is sponsored by Connect to Purpose. It is the dream of a group of highly motivated education professionals connected with their passion for working with young people, pushing the boundaries of educational practice. Connect to Purpose is a start up charity that provides peaceful heritage sanctuaries for the rest and renewal of young people and their families who seek support in challenging times. As a charity NAPCE appreciates the support of all our sponsors to enable us to provide prizes and a memorable experience at the Presentation Event to recognise the excellent practice in pastoral care in education.

The places for the Presentation event had been fully reserved but we are pleased to announce that following discussions with the venue we have managed to arrange for some additional places to be made available. These can be reserved now on Eventbrite by following the link https://NAPCEawards23.eventbrite.co.uk

We hope that finalists, sponsors and anybody with an interest in supporting pastoral care in education will not miss this opportunity to attend this important event on the educational calendar. Don’t miss your chance to have your moment on the red carpet. The programme for the evening is.

Programme

7-00pm Guests arrive – Prosecco Reception served by venue staff, nibbles and pay bar open

7-30pm Welcome by the host for the evening, Phil Jones National Chair of NAPCE

7-35pm Guest Speaker Ronald Skelton M.Ed. B.Phil. B.Ed. (Hons) NPQH LLE. Headteacher and CEO of Broadway Academy in Birmingham and the longest serving headteacher in the region. ‘Building the culture and values of a school.’

7-45 pm Entertainment – Performers form Alderbrook School, Solihull

8-00 pm The Announcement of the Winners and Presentation of the Awards

1. International Contribution to Pastoral Care Award 

Sponsored by Global Equality Collective 

Presented by (to be confirmed.)

International Contribution to Pastoral Care Finalists

• Bromsgrove International School Thailand
• NLCS Jeju
• Charlene Secondary School Kiryandongo Uganda
• University of Malta
• International School Ikast-Brande

2. Raising Awareness about Pastoral Care 

Sponsored by The Association of School and College Leaders

Presented by Margaret Mulholland from ASCL

Raising Awareness about Pastoral Care Finalists

• Mr Stephen Page, All Saints Catholic College
• Ellie Costello, Team Square Peg
• Pastoral Care Department, Glenlola Collegiate School
• Highfield and Brookham Schools,

3. Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care

Sponsored by Eileen Donnelly Educational Development Limited

Presented by Eileen Donnelly, Member of NAPCE National Executive Committee (TBC)

Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care Finalists

• Girls on Board
• Heather Tuffs, Nidderdale High School
• Lads Like Us
• Sacred Heart PS, Derry
• Mohammed Adam, Manchester Academy

4. Pastoral Development of the Year

Sponsored by Crown House Publishing 

Presented by (to be confirmed.)

Pastoral Development of the Year Finalists

• Christ the King Sixth Forms
• Inclusion Hub, Friern Barnet School
• Leighton Park School
• St. Louis Grammar School Ballymena
• Raymond Herron, St. Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School

Entertainment – featuring Sienna – fantastic young singer.

5. Pastoral Leader of the Year

Sponsored by Taylor and Francis

Presented by Mel and Ellie from Majesticare

Pastoral Leader of the Year Finalists

• Donna Merry, Southend YMCA Community School
• Liz Weddle, JCoSS, Barnet
• Mrs Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS, Derry
• Kathryn Bates, Shireland Collegiate Academy, Smethwick
• Andrew Keep, St Bees School

6. Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year

Sponsored by North London Collegiate School, Jeju, South Korea

Presented by Chloe, World Irish Dancing Champion

Entertainment – Irish Dancing 

Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year Finalists

• Mr Matt Pont Beck Primary School
• Raymond Kelly, St Patrick College Dungiven
• Thomas Carter Stead, NLCS Jeju
• Liz Tzouliou, East Barnet School
• Mrs Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS Derry

7. Pastoral Team of the Year

Sponsored by Connect to Purpose.

Presented by Georgina Saralis Founder and CEO, Connect to Purpose. (TBC)

Pastoral Team of the Year Finalists

• Pastoral Team at Shireland Collegiate Academy
• SENDi Team Tudor Grange Academy Worcester
• Pastoral Team, Stockport Academy
• Institute of Policing’s Work Based Education Officers Team.
• Team of Student Managers, Preston College

8. Pastoral School of the Year

Sponsored by Schools Consent Project 

Presented by Luke Ramsden (TBC)

Pastoral School of the Year Finalists

• Up Holland High School, Lancashire
• Richard Cloudesley School
• St Patrick College Dungiven
• RGS The Grange
• Holy Trinity Primary School

9-00pm Closing remarks by Phil Jones National Chair of NAPCE

10-15pm Last orders at Bar

10-30pm Event finishes

Please note there may be changes to the programme. 

We are looking forward to meeting our guests at the Presentation Event for the 2023 National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education. Guests are welcome to attend with colleagues, friends, and family. Why not spend a weekend in the lovely cathedral city of Worcester. There is a Premier Inn next door to the venue and there is a choice of accommodation in the city. The nearest train station to the venue is Foregate Street, Worcester, with good connections to London and other parts of the country. If you have any questions or for more information contact admin@napce.org.uk or follow the link https://NAPCEawards23.eventbrite.co.uk.

AWARDS: National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2023 – LAST TICKETS AVAILABLE, ALMOST SOLD OUT

A new tranche of tickets for the National Awards For Pastoral Care In Education 2023 are available now, but please book quickly, they’re almost SOLD OUT.

Now in its fourth year, the NAPCE Awards is a standout event on the education calendar.

With finalists announced in June, attention now turns to the Presentation Evening on September 29th at Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, Worcester.

The ceremony is open to all people working in pastoral care in education roles.

It offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the work and achievements in pastoral care and is a wonderful networking event.

NAPCE National Chair Phil Jones said: “Following last year’s incredibly successful event, we are delighted to return to Worcester.

“The NAPCE Awards offers a unique opportunity to get so many people working in pastoral care in education together to mark all of our great achievements.’

Tickets for the NAPCE Awards are FREE and the event includes a fizz reception, guest speaker, entertainment, pay bar and the grand presentation.

To book FREE tickets for the showpiece Presentation Evening on September 29th at Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, Worcester, click here: https://NAPCEawards23.eventbrite.co.uk

The NAPCE Awards was launched by  in 2019 and is the first UK-wide scheme to recognise outstanding achievements across pastoral care in education settings.

It was created to highlight excellent practice in pastoral care and to celebrate the people making a real difference in the educational experience of young people.

It also encourages new initiatives and ideas in pastoral care and recognises the contributions being made to developing policy and practice in pastoral support.

Details about how to book tickets will be sent to finalists directly, before being made available to people from across the education sector.

The 2023 Finalists – Main Sponsor Majesticare

Pastoral School of The Year sponsored by Schools Consent Project

(A school that can demonstrate a commitment to pastoral care and support for learners that makes a real difference in the progress and personal development of young people in the school)

Up Holland High School, Lancashire

Richard Cloudesley School

St Patrick’s College, Dungiven

RGS The Grange

Holy Trinity Primary School

…

Pastoral Team of The Year sponsored by Connect to Purpose

(A team that works in pastoral care and can demonstrate a determination to support young people to achieve their full potential and a positive impact on the young people they work with)

Pastoral Team at Shireland Collegiate Academy

SENDi Team Tudor Grange Academy, Worcester

Pastoral Team, Stockport Academy

Institute of Policing’s Work Based Education Officers Team

Team of Student Managers, Preston College

…

Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year sponsored by North London Collegiate School, Jeju, South Korea

(A member of staff who works in pastoral care and who always makes the extra effort to support young people to enable them to become effective learners and achieve success)

Matt Pont Beck Primary School

Raymond Kelly, St Patrick’s College Dungiven

Thomas Carter Stead, NLCS Jeju

Liz Tzouliou, East Barnet School

Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS, Derry

…

Pastoral Leader of Staff of the Year sponsored by Taylor and Francis

(Has a passion for pastoral care that is shared with colleagues to inspire and motivate them to make a real difference in the lives of the young people they work with)

Donna Merry, Southend YMCA Community School

Liz Weddle, JCoSS, Barnet

Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS, Derry

Kathryn Bates, Shireland Collegiate Academy, Smethwick

Andrew Keep, St Bees School

…

Pastoral Development of the Year sponsored by Crown House Publishing

(A pastoral initiative or idea that has achieved positive outcomes and has improved the learning experience and future life chances, for young people)

Christ the King Sixth Forms

Inclusion Hub, Friern Barnet School

Leighton Park School

Louis Grammar School, Ballymena

Raymond Herron, St. Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School

…

Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care sponsored by Eileen Donnelly Educational Development Limited

(A person, group or organisation that has made a real difference for the benefit of young people in the area of pastoral care)

Girls on Board

Heather Tuffs, Nidderdale High School

Lads Like Us

Sacred Heart PS, Derry

Mohammed Adam, Manchester Academy

…

Raising Awareness About Pastoral Care sponsored by Association of School and College Leaders

(An individual, group or organisation who through their actions have raised awareness about pastoral care or pastoral issues and encouraged positive improvements for the benefit of young people)

Stephen Page, All Saints Catholic College

Ellie Costello, Team Square Peg

Pastoral Care Department, Glenlola Collegiate School

Highfield and Brookham Schools

…

International Contribution to Pastoral Care sponsored by Global Equality Collective

(An international school or organisation outside of the UK or an individual working in research or in an international school outside of the UK, that has promoted or delivered high quality pastoral care)

Bromsgrove International School Thailand

NLCS Jeju

Charlene Secondary School Kiryandongo Uganda

University of Malta

International School Ikast-Brande

There will be a prize of £100 for the school or institution for the winners of each category and individuals will also be recognised for their achievements.

MEETING: Next NAPCE NEC Meeting Scheduled for October 14th, 2o23

NAPCE NEC Meeting October 2023
The next meeting of the NAPCE National Executive Committee will take place on October 14th, 2023 in London.

The event will take place for the first time at Mixing Networks, Second Floor, 36 Spital Square, London, E1 6DY and will be chaired by Phil Jones.

It will be followed by a six-monthly meeting of the Pastoral Care in Education Journal Editorial Board.

For more information about NAPCE, our NEC and the Journal visit https://www.napce.org.uk

ARTICLE: Empowering Teachers & Students to spot the signs of extremism & radicalisation from VotesForSchools

APPROACHING BRITISH VALUES AND PREVENT IN THE CLASSROOM – Empowering Teachers and Students to spot the signs of extremism & radicalisation – from VotesForSchools
Since 2020, there has been a sharp rise in right-wing extremism, particularly online. This has led to radicalisation and in some cases, terrorist plots being developed by young people in the UK.

Schools and other educational settings have a legal duty to do everything in their power to prevent people from being drawn into extremism and terrorism. The legal framework comes under Section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, as stated in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2020 and is an Ofsted requirement, known as the Prevent Duty. Every adult in your school should be confident in being able to recognise the signs and indicators that children and young people may be being radicalised or are beginning to develop extremist views. Of course, these concerns should be discussed with the Designated Safeguarding Lead or equivalent.

It’s one thing to recognise signs and be fastidious with following up on concerns. However, it is also a duty to give young people the opportunity to discuss extremism, radicalisation, and terrorism. It is important to remember that discussing these areas is as important as reporting concerns about young people.

So, how do you do that? What’s the most effective way to approach these topics without fear of causing harm or misrepresenting information? How can you make it age-appropriate? How do you avoid unhelpful stereotypes that could make some feel even more alienated? The curriculum is already overloaded, where is the time to cover these massive areas?

These are all valid concerns. But they must be overcome. Schools and colleges at their most ideal are safe environments that allow these discussions to happen. After all, discussing these topics is a legal duty, just as learning about sexual exploitation or FGM is.

As a former teacher of Religion and Philosophy, I have seen first-hand that enquiry-based learning can bear the most fruit in the classroom. In other words, teacher-led discussions can give pupils the confidence to reflect on difficult subjects such as religion, war, and other important areas. I have compiled some useful tips to help teachers feel supported and confident in discussing extremism, radicalisation, and terrorism including what to look out for and how to ensure your pupils are safe and supported. There is also a free lesson pack which will help you discuss extremism in your classroom that you can download below.

More Information on VotesForSchools Extremism Lessons

VotesForSchools lessons on extremism explore whether we respect views that are different to ours (5-7), whether or not we can recognise extreme views (7-11) and whether or not extreme right-wing views are pursuasive to young people (11-18). All of this, as well as assemblies on British Values for both primary and secondary are available to download from this page https://www.votesforschools.com/teacher-toolkit/british-values-smsc-prevent/extremism-radicalisation-and-terrorism-in-the-classroom/#

About VotesForSchools

Each week VotesforSchools creates resources for teachers to have informed discussions with their classes on topical issues. The children then get a chance to vote and comment, and they then publish that data – ensuring that pupil voice goes on to have an impact. Each week around 40,000 children vote.

They want children to be informed, be curious and be heard.

Due to the nature of the debate and voting and the topics covered. VotesforSchools provides a brilliant resource for the whole school to meet British values and Prevent requirements. For more information contact info@votesforschools.com

LEAD ARTICLE: NAPCE’s Dr Matt Silver – Recovery and Reflection – Tapping into Your Energy

Recovery and Reflection- Tapping into Your Energy by Dr Matt Silver, CEO of The Glass House Leadership Lab and Vice-Chair of NAPCE

As this article is being written, it is the last day of term.

Whatever your role is in education, there is something so significant about it.

Most call it the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ or the end of ‘silly season’.

So what is it that shapes this narrative and what does it have to do with Pastoral Care?

Any period that is emotionally charged can equally be emotionally draining.

As we have the highs of end of year- whether that is productions, exhibitions, or transitions, we also face the low of coming down from these experiences.

The same can be said about the lows, drawing a close to community journeys, working through red tape to try and leave your summer free, or fretting about multiple anxieties that face uncertain parts of our future.

We seek a bigger high to outweigh the low, and if we can’t find it, it sends us in to grasping for a break that we perceive to find the ‘rest’ we think we need.

What is occurring is waves, much like a rollercoaster, on what is known as our hedonic treadmill.

We seek a high to get out of our low, and with this repeating pattern comes a greater seeking.

This is what I have re-termed the Goldilocks Effect.

In constantly seeking ‘just right’ we reject the ‘too hot’ or ‘too cold’ missing the energy and wisdom that sits in the struggles as well as the success.

So how do we overcome this sense of being drained at the end of term?

Begin to try to find the ‘just right’ right now. The opportunity of the break is not to perceive rest as the topping up of our energy tanks, but to reflect on what has been learnt and how we have developed our capacity, and that of others, over the past year.

In doing this, we top up our tanks with our wins, recognise and address the potholes that won’t empty them again next year, but most importantly, expand them with our own maturity.

This is essentially what adult development is based upon, finding satisfaction on the journey rather than reaching the summit.

Pausing along the way to rehydrate and refuel, taking in the expansive picture and making sense of where we are and where we are going, not sprinting through the race only to burnout.

At the Glasshouse Leadership Lab we have been working with leaders through coaching and team journeys on finding meaning as the world surrounding education moves at an accelerating pace whilst the system is overwhelmed by its consequences.

In better understanding yourself and those around you, as well as the system and how it is constructed, allows you to find a way of moving your own setting forward despite the weather outside.

What applies to leaders, also applies to learners. Do they have a sense of meaning? What is school to them now as the attention demand is tapping into their identity? If we do not understand our own identity, how are we to provide the maps for our learners to navigate theirs?

What has been a constant theme emerging is that Pastoral Care is more essential than ever, but potentially being more and more sidetracked for performance metrics catalyse behaviour issues to overtake teacher workload for the first time ever as a reason for leaving the profession.

Yet much like the hedonic treadmill, the harder we seek the ‘highs’ of performance the lower the consequences sink.

The purpose of our energy expenditure in education is becoming more erratic and the tipping point, potentially, ever closer.

Refocusing on the human state of education, whether that is student or staff, is essential.

There is hope, but it begins with us as individuals becoming aware of the blueprint towards this, being capable of forming a team and developing their capacity to not just think differently but act differently. If the system is too mature, so must we.

In summary, all of us at NAPCE wish you a fantastic summer, one that is deserved for all of the energy you have put in to the human element of education we all know actually enhances performance.

It is not an either/or, but a both/and. So both relax and reflect, finding energy in both. Energy is essential to change.

The demands of the education system creates immense pressure to perform. The Glass House Leadership Lab guides your team to develop deeper insight into sophisticated system design to enhance student performance and community outcomes so we can evolve education for all.
www.glasshouselab.com

REPORT: NAPCE’S Sell-Out Northern Ireland Symposium – FULL REPORT

NAPCE’s First Northern Ireland Pastoral Care Event – Who Cares About Pastoral Care – REPORT

Who cares about Pastoral Care?

I am sure there will once again be some great conversations during the weekend and will lead to some more good ideas for NAPCE events and activities to support pastoral care in education.

Phil Jones
National Chair
National Association for Pastoral Care in Education (NAPCE)

AWARDS: National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education 2023 – TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Tickets for the National Awards For Pastoral Care In Education 2023 are available now.

Now in its fourth year, the NAPCE Awards is a standout event on the education calendar.

With finalists announced last month, attention now turns to the Presentation Evening on September 29th at Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, Worcester.

The ceremony is open to all people working in pastoral care in education roles.

It offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the work and achievements in pastoral care and is a wonderful networking event.

NAPCE National Chair Phil Jones said: “Following last year’s incredibly successful event, we are delighted to return to Worcester.

“The NAPCE Awards offers a unique opportunity to get so many people working in pastoral care in education together to mark all of our great achievements.

“We are anticipating the demand for tickets to be very high and so I would recommend early booking.”

Tickets for the NAPCE Awards are FREE and the event includes a fizz reception, guest speaker, pay bar and the grand presentation.

To book FREE tickets for the showpiece Presentation Evening on September 29th at Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, Worcester, click here: https://NAPCEawards23.eventbrite.co.uk

The NAPCE Awards was launched by  in 2019 and is the first UK-wide scheme to recognise outstanding achievements across pastoral care in education settings.

It was created to highlight excellent practice in pastoral care and to celebrate the people making a real difference in the educational experience of young people.

It also encourages new initiatives and ideas in pastoral care and recognises the contributions being made to developing policy and practice in pastoral support.

Details about how to book tickets will be sent to finalists directly, before being made available to people from across the education sector.

The 2023 Finalists

Pastoral School of The Year sponsored by Schools Consent Project

(A school that can demonstrate a commitment to pastoral care and support for learners that makes a real difference in the progress and personal development of young people in the school)

Up Holland High School, Lancashire

Richard Cloudesley School

St Patrick’s College, Dungiven

RGS The Grange

Holy Trinity Primary School

…

Pastoral Team of The Year sponsored by Connect to Purpose

(A team that works in pastoral care and can demonstrate a determination to support young people to achieve their full potential and a positive impact on the young people they work with)

Pastoral Team at Shireland Collegiate Academy

SENDi Team Tudor Grange Academy, Worcester

Pastoral Team, Stockport Academy

Institute of Policing’s Work Based Education Officers Team

Team of Student Managers, Preston College

…

Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year sponsored by North London Collegiate School, Jeju, South Korea

(A member of staff who works in pastoral care and who always makes the extra effort to support young people to enable them to become effective learners and achieve success)

Matt Pont Beck Primary School

Raymond Kelly, St Patrick’s College Dungiven

Thomas Carter Stead, NLCS Jeju

Liz Tzouliou, East Barnet School

Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS, Derry

…

Pastoral Leader of Staff of the Year sponsored by Taylor and Francis

(Has a passion for pastoral care that is shared with colleagues to inspire and motivate them to make a real difference in the lives of the young people they work with)

Donna Merry, Southend YMCA Community School

Liz Weddle, JCoSS, Barnet

Aine Deane, Sacred Heart PS, Derry

Kathryn Bates, Shireland Collegiate Academy, Smethwick

Andrew Keep, St Bees School

…

Pastoral Development of the Year sponsored by Crown House Publishing

(A pastoral initiative or idea that has achieved positive outcomes and has improved the learning experience and future life chances, for young people)

Christ the King Sixth Forms

Inclusion Hub, Friern Barnet School

Leighton Park School

Louis Grammar School, Ballymena

Raymond Herron, St. Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School

…

Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care sponsored by Eileen Donnelly Educational Development Limited

(A person, group or organisation that has made a real difference for the benefit of young people in the area of pastoral care)

Girls on Board

Heather Tuffs, Nidderdale High School

Lads Like Us

Sacred Heart PS, Derry

Mohammed Adam, Manchester Academy

…

Raising Awareness About Pastoral Care sponsored by Association of School and College Leaders

(An individual, group or organisation who through their actions have raised awareness about pastoral care or pastoral issues and encouraged positive improvements for the benefit of young people)

Stephen Page, All Saints Catholic College

Ellie Costello, Team Square Peg

Pastoral Care Department, Glenlola Collegiate School

Highfield and Brookham Schools

…

International Contribution to Pastoral Care sponsored by Global Equality Collective

(An international school or organisation outside of the UK or an individual working in research or in an international school outside of the UK, that has promoted or delivered high quality pastoral care)

Bromsgrove International School Thailand

NLCS Jeju

Charlene Secondary School Kiryandongo Uganda

University of Malta

International School Ikast-Brande

There will be a prize of £100 for the school or institution for the winners of each category and individuals will also be recognised for their achievements.

EVENT: Major Online Pastoral Care Conference – Claim Discounted Tickets Here

Delivering Outstanding Pastoral Care Conference 2023

We’re delighted to announce that NAPCE leader Phil Jones will chair an important online pastoral care conference in October.

The Delivering Outstanding Pastoral Care 2023 event, on October 5th, is the latest in an exciting programme of events for NAPCE this year.

It is run by Education Conferences UK.

As a reader of NAPCE News we’re delighted to offer you a 20% discount on tickets for the event which is available for booking now.

About the Online Conference & How to Claim Your 20% Discount

Covering the newest pastoral challenges affecting pupils including cost of living crisis, poor mental health and cyber-bullying

The direct link to the conference & tickets is https://www.educationconferencesuk.co.uk/conferences-masterclasses/pastoral-care

20% Discount code: hcuk20spkr

Thursday 5th October 2023, Virtual Conference

The role of the Pastoral Lead is broad, complex and one of the most difficult jobs in school – not only because of how varied the challenges are but how often they change – new ones are appearing all the time.

But demanding roles often don’t allow individuals to keep abreast of updates – from legal requirements to best practice, it’s crucial you stay on top of it all.

Your invitation to attend the Pastoral Care Conference

Chaired by Phil Jones, National Chair, National Association for Pastoral Care in Education this full day conference will look at recent changes to guidance on behaviour, exclusions, attendance and safeguarding so that you are able to remain compliant and understand the impact that these will have on your day-to-day work.

Our experts will also be delivering sessions on some of the biggest challenges facing pastoral leads in schools, including; responding to the cost of living crisis, supporting student mental health and wellbeing and addressing the difficulties arising out of cyber bullying.

Learning Outcomes:

•    Get essential updates on key topics for pastoral leads in schools
•    Understand how the cost of living crisis might impact your pupils
•    Come away with practical ideas to support children and families facing poverty
•    Improve how you work with hard to reach and disengaged families
•    Gain a deeper understanding of how to work with children facing mental health challenges
•    Improve how you respond to incidents of cyber bullying to ensure pupils are effectively supported
•    Update your knowledge on school attendance and the changes to guidance and proposed changes in the Schools Bill
•    Go back to your school with practical ideas to improve your behaviour management strategy
•    Hear practical case studies from pastoral leads in schools about changes they have implemented
•    Supports CPD professional development

Your speakers

Phil Jones
National Chair
National Association for Pastoral Care in Education

Sam Garner
Mental Health & Inclusion Consultant & Director
Garner Education Services

Joanne Sierzega
Senior Attendance and Welfare
CSAWS

Who are Education Conferences UK?

We provide conferences and training aimed at senior leaders, teachers, SENCOs, safeguarding leads and support staff working in early years, primary and secondary education.

You can pre-purchase conference places in bulk at discounted rates, for your organisation to use throughout the year. Email Emilyw@hc-uk.org.uk for more information. 

ARTICLE: Bridging the Lockdown Learning Gap for Children (Part 1) by NAPCE Officer Noel Purdy

Dr Noel Purdy is a member of the NAPCE National Executive Committee and Director of the Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement at Stranmillis University College, Belfast.

This article, written by Mr Purdy, is the first in a two-part series focusing on Bridging the Lockdown Learning Gap, following the societal social distancing restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last Friday afternoon (5th June 2020) 369 educators from across Northern Ireland took part in a ground-breaking
webinar on the theme of ‘Charting the Way: Conversations on education in NI ahead of September 2020’.

It was by far the largest and most relevant-to-practice webinar on which I have ever had the privilege of being a panellist, and is a remarkable testament to the innovation of the @Blended_NI team who organised it in less than a week. In its sheer scale, it was also a clear sign of the thirst among dedicated classroom teachers for practical guidance, support and reassurance as they face the challenge of an educational earthquake (revolutions are planned after all) that no one could have predicted even six months ago.

The webinar discussion was wide-ranging but one of the key issues to emerge was the likelihood of a ‘lockdown learning gap’ arising from the current pandemic crisis during which the vast majority of children are not being educated at school.

In response I would suggest that there are three key questions to consider: (1) Is there a lockdown learning gap? (2) What does the lockdown learning gap look like? and (3) What steps can we take to bridge the lockdown learning gap?  In the first instalment of this blog I will address questions 1 and 2.  In the second instalment I will consider question 3.

IS THERE A LOCKDOWN LEARNING GAP?

The short answer to this is that we can’t know yet for sure, as we don’t have reliable evidence from large-scale assessment tests to tell us the long-term impact. That will doubtless come over the coming months.

In the meantime, we can however look at likely indicators from a number of recent studies: for instance, the pre-lockdown Ofcom survey revealed that online access is mediated by family background and that children in working class homes are less likely than those in middle class homes to access the internet via either a tablet (59% vs. 72%) or a mobile phone (49% vs. 62%); the early-lockdown Sutton Trust Report in April confirmed what I had predicted in an earlier blog that the lockdown has exacerbated existing inequalities in our education system with children from poorer backgrounds having less access to online resources and parental support, spending less time learning, and submitting less work than their less disadvantaged peers and those attending private schools. A month later, a report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies found that children from better-off families are spending 30% more time on home learning each week (amounting to more than two additional school weeks in total, assuming schools re-open here in late August/September) and have more access to individualised online resources than those from poorer families.

On 20 May our own Stranmillis report on Home-Schooling in Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 Crisisreported on a survey of over 2000 parents and found wide disparities in parental experiences of home-schooling, often mediated by their level of education and employment status.

Experiences ranged from, on the one hand, confident, highly educated parents relishing the opportunity to spend more time learning alongside their children, safely cocooned from the pandemic threat, to, on the other hand, highly stressed working parents struggling to access resources, lacking confidence in their own abilities and battling to motivate their children to engage in learning during the ‘nightmare’ of lockdown.

Based on these robust research reports, it is clear that there will undoubtedly be a lockdown learning gap. I would further suggest that the gap is likely to be wider than the traditional loss of learning experienced during the summer months, because unlike the normal two-month summer vacation, there will not have been such widely divergent experiences between children who have effectively been home-tutored by degree-educated parents and children who, through no fault of their own, have engaged in little or no learning at all.

WHAT DOES THE LOCKDOWN LEARNING GAP LOOK LIKE?

A report published earlier this month by the Education Endowment Foundation has attempted to predict the impact of school closures on the attainment gap, based on a rapid evidence assessment of a total of 11 previous studies of learning loss carried out since 1995.

The EEF predictions suggest that the current closures will widen the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers by a median estimate of 36% (with a range between 11% and 75%). The authors acknowledge the limitations of their review which (inevitably) is based on studies of summer learning gaps rather than the experiences of previous current pandemic crises. The report notes that sustained effort will be required over the coming months to help disadvantaged pupils catch up.

There has been much general discussion of learning needs but little specific about the particular learning needs of pupils on their return to school. Consequently, I have developed a typology of learning needs (see below), beginning with the need for teachers to address pre-lockdown learning which may be lost (and needs reteaching) or rusty (and needs refreshing) as might be expected after a lengthy break from traditional schooling of 5 months.

This experience is similar to what might normally be expected following the summer vacation, and teachers are already skilled at recapping and refreshing knowledge and skills in September before moving on to new learning material.

A TYPOLOGY OF LOCKDOWN LEARNING NEEDS

While this might represent relatively familiar ground for teachers, the particular features of lockdown learning loss are different: based on the studies cited above, we can also expect many children to have missedlockdown learning where there was little or no engagement at all with learning activities since March (through no fault of their own) and where catch-up teaching is required; shaky lockdown learning (requiring consolidation) where lockdown learning has been partial, incomplete or insecure, the result of a range of possible factors including poor or miscomprehension, lack of pupil motivation, inadequate parental support, and limited opportunities for individualised teaching and/or feedback; and minimal lockdown learning (needing extension) where learning has been rudimentary, covering minimum content but falling short of the wealth of differentiated extension activities that would normally have been provided in school.

The fundamental consequence of this is that additional time and investment will undoubtedly be required to identify and address the various learning needs of individual pupils over the coming months. So let’s not imagine for a moment that this is going to be ‘business as usual’ in August/September.  With the prospect of widely divergent attainment levels following more than three months of widely divergent home learning experiences, teachers will need to draw on all of their professional expertise to meet the challenges ahead.

So, I would argue that there will undoubtedly be a lockdown learning gap come August/September, and that it will be wider than what might be experienced after the customary two-month summer vacation.

Furthermore, I would contend that the nature of the learning deficit will be more varied and differentiated than ever before, including lost, rusty, missed, shaky and minimal learning, all of which need to be addressed by professional, dedicated and compassionate teachers. In the second instalment of this blog, I will consider the third and most significant key question: what steps can we take to bridge the lockdown learning gap?

JOURNAL: Stan Tucker, the Editor of NAPCE’s globally renowned publication shares an excerpt from a recent edition – “Lost time“

Lost Time

It has been almost impossible to miss the debate over the recent on/off opening up of  schools in the United Kingdom.

Debates about social distancing, classroom size and children’s safety are clearly very important.

Yet for all children and young people their return to school will be marked by a significant loss of educational time.

For me, one of the major concerns now revolves around the impact that ‘lockdown’ will have on the personal, social and emotional development of the young.

I have noted with interest the protestations of the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, concerning  the potentially uneven and detrimental impact of Covid-19 on particular children and their families.

I have written in the recent past a short piece, for this newsletter, about homeless children and their families living in hotel accommodation; of course I still remain concerned about the educational, social and health outcomes for this group of young people.

However, the passage of time has greatly increased the likelihood of more young people experiencing significant problems on their return to school.

For some, loss of friends; contact with teachers; a daily routine; school meals and the prospect of forthcoming public examinations and SATs is likely have a very real impact.

What about significant  transition points between, for example, primary into secondary, or secondary into FE (an issue we have debated extensively in our journal Pastoral Care in Education)?

All of this points to the need for the development of a robust and resourced strategic plan for when children and young people return to school. Children will need space to talk about and reflect on their experiences.

Catch up programmes of study may well be required. Some may need targeted interventions. Whatever the need, a failure to think carefully and plan appropriately will only serve to cause further damage to the lives of many children and young people.

Stan Tucker
Emeritus Professor of Education
Editor of Pastoral Care in Education

AWARDS: First NAPCE Awards ceremony moved online because of Covid-19 Social Distancing measures 

The first National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education Awards presentation event is now to take place online later this year.

Despite plans for a winners ceremony in Birmingham, organisers of the NAPCE Awards 2020 have confirmed that the September celebration is now happening virtually because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The online presentation is expected to take place on September 24th at 7pm.

Finalists for the inaugural Awards were announced in May but, sadly, the winners will no longer be invited to a physical event because of potential risks and restrictions around social distancing.

It is fully expected that an in-person event will be held in 2021 and beyond.

Phil Jones, Chair of NAPCE, said: “The recent announcement that schools will not return fully until September at the earliest led us thinking very carefully about the planned presentation event for the Awards which was due to take place in Birmingham on September 26th.“We now think that this means that it is unlikely that school staff will be in a position to travel for an event in September with the current Government advice that all off site activities should not take place.

“We feel that it would not be responsible for NAPCE, as an respected organisation, to go ahead with a physical event in 2020 and we are now putting all of our efforts into organising a quality virtual event to announce the winner of the 2020 awards.”

The Finalists

Pastoral Development of the Year – Sponsored by NAPCE

(A pastoral initiative or idea that has achieved positive outcomes and has improved the learning experience and future life chances, for young people)

ACS International School, Boarding – Cobham, Surrey

Anneliese Walker, Nidderdale High School – Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Dan Midgley, Malet Lambert School – Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Malet Lambert , Peer Mentoring Scheme – Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Mr Shaun Easton, All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham, Essex

Pastoral Leader Of The Year – Sponsored by Taylor and Francis 

(Has a passion for pastoral care that is shared with colleagues to inspire and motivate them to make a real difference in the lives of the young people they work with)

Rebecca Finn, Cardinal Newman Catholic High School – Warrington, Cheshire

Dave Richardson, Kingdown School – Warminster, Wiltshire

Lena Dhrona, North London Grammar School – Hendon, London

Sarah Freeman, The Park Community School – Barnstaple, Devon

Laura Howieson, St Michael’s Middle School –Colehill, Dorset

Pastoral Member of Staff of the Year – Sponsored by TES

(A member of staff who works in pastoral care and who always makes the extra effort to support young people to enable them to become effective learners and achieve success)

Ms Ceri Ellis, Rhyl High School –North Wales

Sunita Mall, Morecambe Road School – Lancashire

Mr Dominic Riste, All Saints Catholic School and Technology College – Dagenham, Essex

Melanie Ennis, Archway Learning Trust- Nottingham

Deborah Mason, Silver Spring Primary Academy – Stalybridge, Greater Manchester

Pastoral School of The Year – Sponsored by BlueSky Education

(A school that can demonstrate a commitment to pastoral care and support for learners that makes a real difference in the progress and personal development of young people in the school)

The Grove School – Tottenham, London

Shaftesbury High School – Harrow, Middlesex

The Stanway School – Colchester Essex

All Saints Catholic School and Technology College- Dagenham Essex

Brighton Hill Community School – Hampshire

Pastoral Team of the Year – Sponsored by The Thrive Approach

(A team that works in pastoral care and can demonstrate a determination to support young people to achieve their full potential and a positive impact on the young people they work with)

Moor End Academy – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

Pastoral Support Team – Cardinal Newman Catholic High School – Warrington, Cheshire

Guidance Team –  Churchill Community College – Wallsend, Tyne and Wear

Pastoral Managers- Julie Ayres, Hannah Jolly, Gieves La Fosse and Lauren Koster, – The Ramsey Academy, Halstead, Essex

Silver Springs Primary Academy – Stalybridge, Cheshire

Raising Awareness About Pastoral Care – Sponsored by Association of School and College Leaders

(An individual, group or organisation who through their actions have raised awareness about pastoral care or pastoral issues and encouraged positive improvements for the benefit of young people)

Sean Henn – The Berne Institute – Kegworth, Derby

Pat Sowa – Starfish – Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Dr Bronagh McKee – Stranmillis University College, Belfast, Northern Ireland

King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls – Handsworth, Birmingham

Glenlola Collegiate School Pastoral Care Team – Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor , Northern Ireland

Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care – Sponsored by NAPCE

(A person, group or organisation that has made a real difference for the benefit of young people in the area of pastoral care)

Glenlola Collegiate School – Bangor, Northern Ireland

Jackie O’Hanlon, Shaftesbury High School –Harrow, Middlesex

Eileen Pavey, Litcham School – Kings Lynn, Norfolk

Tor Bank School, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Ann Armstrong, All Saints Catholic School and Technology College – Dagenham, Essex

The Awards ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in July but has been postponed because of the Covid-19 crisis.

NAPCE has made tentative plans to host an event in September 2020, but is also looking at back up plans to announce the winners online if a physical event is not feasible within the chosen timeframe.

There will be a prize of £100 for the school or institution for the winners of each category and individuals will also be recognised for their achievements.