Pastoral Care, Safeguarding and Student Support

Supporting Every Student to be Ready, Respectful and Safe

 At Marling School, we are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive and respectful community where every student feels safe, valued and ready to learn. Through strong relationships, high expectations and student-centred pastoral care, we work in partnership with families to ensure that all students feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

Our pastoral systems are designed to ensure that students are known as individuals, supported when challenges arise and encouraged to achieve their very best. We believe that students thrive when they feel safe, included, understood and connected to their school community.

Our approach is underpinned by our school values:

• Passion for Learning
• Academic Excellence
• Perseverance
• Being Inclusive
• Respect

Alongside these values, we expect all members of our school community to be:

Ready                                             Respectful                                             Safe

These principles shape our approach to behaviour, safeguarding, wellbeing, attendance and student support.

Our Pastoral and Inclusion Approach

At Marling School, pastoral care is central to school life. We recognise that wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and academic success are closely connected.

Our pastoral team works proactively to:

• Build positive relationships with students and families
• Promote inclusion and belonging
• Support students' emotional wellbeing and health
• Encourage excellent attendance and engagement
• Respond early when concerns arise
• Provide clear and consistent support
• Celebrate achievement and success
• Ensure students feel safe and supported in school

We believe that early support and strong relationships help students to flourish both academically and personally.

A Graduated Approach to Support

Most students access support through our universal pastoral systems, including Form Tutors, Heads of Year, Subject Teachers and the wider school community.

Where additional needs or vulnerabilities emerge, support is increased in a structured and proportionate way. This may include:

• Additional pastoral mentoring
• Attendance support
• Emotional wellbeing support
• Behaviour support plans
• Internal interventions and safe spaces
• External specialist support
• Multi-agency working where appropriate

This graduated approach helps us ensure that students receive the right support at the right time.

Behaviour, Relationships and Expectations

At Marling School, we believe that positive behaviour is built through strong relationships, high expectations and consistency.

Our behaviour culture is centred around students being:

• Ready to learn
• Respectful towards others
• Safe in their actions and choices

We promote a calm, respectful and purposeful learning environment where all students can succeed.

Relational Practice

Our approach to behaviour is grounded in relational practice. This means that we:

• Build positive relationships between staff and students
• Respond calmly, fairly and consistently
• Support students to reflect and learn from mistakes
• Maintain high expectations for all students
• Work in partnership with parents and carers
• Recognise and celebrate positive behaviour

We believe that high expectations and high support go hand in hand.

Positive Behaviour and Recognition

Celebrating success is an important part of our pastoral culture. Students are recognised regularly for demonstrating:

• Academic Excellence
• Passion for Learning
• Perseverance
• Respect
• Inclusion

At Marling, we are proud of students who go above and beyond — not only in lessons, but in the way they support others, contribute to the school community and represent the school values every day.

A Marlingtonian is someone who:

• shows kindness and respect
• works hard and perseveres
• values learning
• includes and supports others
• and helps make Marling a safe and positive place to be

These qualities are recognised and celebrated throughout school life.

Attendance and Belonging

Excellent attendance and punctuality are vital to both academic success and wellbeing.

We work closely with students and families to:

• Promote positive attendance habits
• Identify barriers to attendance early
• Support students experiencing difficulties with attendance
• Encourage positive routines and engagement
• Ensure students feel connected and supported within school

Where students experience challenges with attendance, our approach focuses on understanding barriers, working collaboratively with families and providing appropriate support.

Safeguarding at Marling School

Marling School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we work in line with:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE)
• Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership guidance
• CBAT safeguarding procedures and policies
• Gloucestershire Levels of Intervention guidance

We are committed to:

• Providing a safe and supportive environment
• Listening to and supporting students
• Identifying concerns early
• Working effectively with families
• Working closely with external agencies where appropriate
• Promoting students’ emotional and physical wellbeing
• Taking appropriate action to protect children from harm

Reporting Concerns

Students are encouraged to speak to any trusted adult if they are worried about themselves or somebody else.

Parents and carers can contact the school directly if they have any safeguarding or wellbeing concerns.

All safeguarding concerns are passed immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or a Deputy DSL.

Safeguarding Team

Click [here] to see our Safeguarding Team

Additional Key Staff

• Operation Encompass Lead: Andrew Beavis
• Safeguarding Governor: Dr Martyn Hewett
• PSHE / RSE Lead: Frances Phillips
• Online Safety Lead: Catherine Lee

Operation Encompass

Marling School works in partnership with Operation Encompass.

This means that the school may be informed by the police prior to the start of the school day if a student has been exposed to a domestic abuse incident.

This information allows the school to provide timely and appropriate support for the student.

Online Safety

Online safety is an important part of safeguarding at Marling School.

Students receive regular education around:

• Safe online behaviour
• Social media use
• Cyberbullying
• Digital wellbeing
• Healthy relationships
• Online risks and exploitation

Online safety education is delivered through:

• PSHE and RSE curriculum
• Assemblies
• Tutor programme
• Safeguarding initiatives
• External workshops and resources

The school also uses filtering and monitoring systems in line with statutory safeguarding guidance.

Early Help and Student Wellbeing

At Marling School, we believe that identifying concerns early and providing timely support can prevent difficulties from escalating. We are committed to working collaboratively with students, families and external services to ensure that young people receive the right support at the right time.

Early Help is about providing support to children, young people and families as soon as challenges begin to emerge, or where there is a risk that difficulties may develop in the future. Through early intervention and strong partnership working, we aim to promote wellbeing, strengthen resilience and ensure that students feel safe, supported and able to thrive both in and beyond school.

Support may involve:

• pastoral and wellbeing support within school

• attendance and emotional wellbeing support
• mentoring and targeted interventions
• signposting to external services
• or referrals to Early Help and specialist agencies where appropriate

Children and families are entitled to access Early Help support when it is needed. Where appropriate, the school can make referrals to Early Help services with parental consent.

If you feel that you, your child or your family may benefit from additional support, please contact the school via email at studentsupport@marling.school. A member of the pastoral team will then be in touch to discuss how we may be able to help.

Families may also find support, advice and downloadable resources through the Gloucestershire Family Information Service:

Gloucestershire Family Information Service

Marling’s Early Help work aligns with:

Gloucestershire Early Help Guidance

• Gloucestershire Levels of Intervention framework
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Young Minds Matter (Mental Health Support Teams)

Universal Support Available to All Students

All students have access to:

• Form Tutor support
• Heads of Year support
• Pastoral Hub support
• PSHE and RSE curriculum
• Assemblies and wellbeing education
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• School Nursing support
• Safeguarding support
• Enrichment and wider school opportunities

Targeted Pastoral Support

Where concerns begin to emerge, students may access additional support such as:

• One-to-one mentoring
• Attendance support
• Emotional wellbeing support
• Internal counselling (provided by Gloucestershire Counselling Service)
• Small group interventions
• Behaviour support plans
• Safe spaces and regulation support
• Support around friendships and social difficulties
• Support for anxiety and school-based stress
• Support for emotionally based school avoidance

We work closely with parents and carers to ensure that support is personalised and responsive to need.

Multi-Agency and Specialist Support

Where students require additional specialist support, the school may work with external agencies and professionals.

This may include:

• Young Minds Matter
• Educational Psychology
• School Nursing
• Early Help services
• CAMHS
• Social Care
• Team Around the Child / Family meetings
• Other specialist services

Support is coordinated carefully to ensure students and families receive joined-up support.

Mental Health Support and Young Minds Matter

At Marling we are proud to work in partnership with Young Minds Matter (Mental Health Support Teams) to support students’ emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Young Minds Matter can provide support for students experiencing:

• Anxiety
• Low mood
• Stress
• Emotional wellbeing difficulties
• Mild to moderate mental health concerns

In addition, their support may include:

• Individual interventions
• Group work
• Workshops
• Advice and guidance
• Parent support
• Staff consultation

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to get in touch at StudentSupport@marling.school

Websites

youngminds.org.uk: Offers advice for young people and parents on a range of mental health issues. Includes a 24hr text service and a free parent helpline.

letstalkwell.org.uk: Offering an online chat which is available Sunday - Thursday 5am - 9pm. If further support is needed a referral can be made for counselling via the pastoral team.

childline.org.uk: Offer support online or via the phone on 0800 1111 for young people aged 25 and under.

thedoor.org.uk: Stroud-based charity that offers mentoring and youth sessions for young people aged 11-25, support with the transition from primary to secondary school and family support.

samaritans.org: National charity offering a free phone support 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts.

giveusashout.org: 24-hour text message support manned by trained crisis counsellors to help young people find space in times of crisis – send HELP to 85258.

winstonswish.org: Supporting young people with bereavement. Access to an online chat/WhatsApp via 07418 341800. Alternatively, a referral for bereavement counselling can be made via the pastoral team or them directly.

getsafeonline.org: Tips on how to keep you and your child safe online.

parentzone.org.uk: Experts in family digital life, offering insights into popular digital games and advice on parenting techniques.

papyrus-uk.org: young suicide prevention organisation.

kooth.com : Young people aged 11 to 18 living in Gloucestershire can access free anonymous counselling from qualified counsellors via an online mental wellbeing platform. Kooth is designed for young people experiencing issues with their emotional wellbeing, such as anxiety, low mood or stress. Counselling can be accessed through a drop-in service or booked sessions; there is no referral needed from a health professional, no waiting lists, and no criteria to meet to get support. As well as the option of online counselling, there is an online support network where young people can join friendly discussion boards to connect with others having similar experiences. They can access journals, goal trackers, and self-help articles with the option to contribute their own experiences or advice.

Apps

Calm Harm: Uses various activities to help users to resist or manage the urge to self-harm.

Silvercloud: Offers a range of supportive and interactive programmes to improve mental wellbeing.

Self-help for Anxiety Management (SAM): Self-help and private reflection exercises to help manage anxiety.

Fear Tools: An anxiety aid to help you combat generalised anxiety disorder, phobias and social anxiety disorder.

CALM: Supports with mediation and sleep

Headspace: Meditation and sleep support

School Nurse - NHS: Offering appointments for wellbeing checks, support with mental health, sleep and a whole range of other health needs. They offer appointments in school via referral or drop in session during lunch time every Thursday. Referrals can be made via the pastoral team or directly.