As a National Nurturing School we are a safe place where pupils benefit from an approach that supports children and young people with their individual needs, with the heart of the school focus being on children’s social, emotional and mental health development. The Pastoral Support Team (PST) work with children and families to help them to remove barriers and to access all aspects of school life. We want everyone involved with our school to feel well supported. We believe that good pastoral support focuses on nurturing the individual needs of each child so that they feel safe and ready to learn. We aim to build trusting and empathic relationships with all our pupils and their families.

Pastoral Support includes a range of interventions such as our Nurture group, social skills groups and  staff trained in Drawing and Talking and other therapeutic interventions. We understand the importance of enabling the voice of the child to be heard to promote safeguarding, well-being and to be successful in life.

Our Pastoral Team is lead by Pastoral Lead Nicola Furey.

About Nicola:

I have been at LHS for over 20 years, my 2 daughters attended the school and it holds a special place in my heart.  I had a previous life in the corporate world before finding my love of education through volunteering in nursery when my eldest child started school, 27 years ago.  I have held many roles during my time, as a one to one assistant, teaching assistant, nursery nurse, then nurture leader to my current role as the Pastoral Lead. Throughout my school career I have been supported and championed by many inspirational staff and leaders, who encouraged me back to adult education to achieve my nursery nursing qualification and then my degree in Early Years Education in my 40’s. I have seen the school flourish, moving in a direction which embraces a nurturing approach that is therapeutic and understanding of children’s social, emotional and mental health, this has expanded as the Inclusive MAT has grown. I feel lucky to be part of a wider pastoral team with Jade, Vicki and Len. I am tenacious in my determination to ensure we develop young people, whatever their starting point to be as best prepared and ready for their next steps. Whatever their future may hold, I want them to remember staff at Laurance Haines listened, helped, nurtured and cared about them. They are our future and they deserve ‘a better future’.