Wellbeing and pastoral care

Visitors often comment on how confident, vocal and happy our children are. In order for children to do well academically, they need to feel safe, and to have their pastoral needs looked after. We have happy and engaged children at Hanover because we invest in supporting children well. 

We have a three-tiered approach to pastoral care:

Tier one - our core curriculum. 

All children receive weekly lessons through our PSHE curriculum, which focus on developing social and emotional understanding. Class discussions ensure children explore key themes and are given tools to manage their emotions, and our trauma-informed approach to teaching ensures that staff are equipped to support those who might struggle. 

Tier two - in school group or individual support

We have invested in expert provision for children who need a little more support in school. We have a full-time, out of class Inclusion Team who are able to support children in groups or individually. In addition, we work with Place2Be, who provide group and individual counselling, offering drop-in appointments to children, staff and parents, as well as blocks of one to one therapy for children who we refer. These are highly effective in supporting children who need individual support. Parental involvement is vital in ensuring these have a long-lasting impact. We also signpost families to support they can access locally if this is helpful. 

Tier three - external support

Sometimes, children need more specialist support. This might include referrals to external agencies including the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Educational Psychologists, Behaviour outreach teams from New River College, or others. The school works closely with these agencies to ensure that the school adapts in order to meet the needs of children with a high level of need. 

If you need support

Please contact your child's class teacher in the first instance, to talk about support that you feel your child may need. They will signpost you to the right people to talk with. You can contact your child's class teacher through Arbor, or through the Contact Us section of our website.