
HONITON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
"Success for All"
Wellbeing and Pastoral Care
“Support and Challenge – Pastoral Care at Honiton”
We will support and challenge all of our students at Honiton to enable them to “take their place as a learner”. We put a great emphasis on pastoral care to ensure that each student feels understood, respected and safe in our community. The college’s pastoral systems provide excellent care, guidance and support so that our students know who to turn to if they are experiencing any of life’s challenges. Our Pastoral team has a deservedly strong reputation and includes our Heads of Pastoral, our Pastoral Support Officers and our Safeguarding and Well-being Centre teams. Students are organised into tutor groups within their years and meet their tutor on a daily basis.
We ask every member of our community to contribute to upholding our three rights:
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The Right to Learn
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The Right to Respect and Fair Treatment
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The Right to be Safe
In order to be successful at school all students need to develop secure relationships which enable them to feel safe, secure and good about who they are. For this to happen, relationships need to be at the heart of our college life. Our aim is to provide our students with as many positive relationships as possible; that way they feel supported to flourish as part of our community.
Pastoral Care, Mental Health and Well-being Support at HCC
The pastoral team at Honiton Community College comprise of both teaching and non-teaching staff. The team is comprised of Pastoral Heads for each year group and Pastoral Support Officers:
Pastoral Support Officers (PSOs): Nikki Venn and Sasha Thomas
The role of the pastoral team is to support and challenge our students to attain their very best. We offer a coordinated response to those students facing difficulties; supporting with a relational, attachment based approach and challenging through the judicious use of consequences and restorative conversations.
Our Well-being Centre Team
The college has a team of highly skilled, committed and caring Mental Health and Well-being practitioners who offer support for any of our community facing challenges to their well-being. Our practitioners offer a range of support; one to one sessions, group work and informal drop ins at the centre. They are also available to support any student who is dysregulated and temporarily unable to access lessons.
“Summit” Meetings
Our pastoral team – comprising of Heads of Pastoral, Safeguarding, Well-being and SEN practitioners – meet once a week to discuss appropriate interventions and support for any student who is facing difficulties in college. Our team works closely with external agencies, where appropriate, to ensure that the best possible support is made available for our students and families that need it.
EH4MH Champions
The college’s Early Help for Mental Health Champions meet regularly to discuss how the college can continue to raise awareness and help promote good mental health.
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Rob Robson – Vice Principal (Pastoral)
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Selena Burroughs - Head of 6th Form
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Clare O'Toole – Deputy Safeguarding Officer
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Emily Meek - Deputy Safeguarding Officer
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Nicola Thomas - Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner
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Sian Peace - Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner
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Jo Harvey-Ingram - Science technician with Mental Health background
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Hannah Bown - Head of Life Skills
Links for Further Support
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Mindfulness in Schools - Mindfulness in Schools Project. Nicola Thomas is trained to teach mindfulness in Schools and does this with selected small groups to help overcome anxiety, negative thoughts and promote well being.
Supporting Students
Supporting Parents
Supporting Staff / Mental Health and Wellbeing Educational Resources
Support for Feelings Around Suicide
Useful Resources to Access at Home
Various lessons: https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom/specialist/#subjects
Autism: https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/coronavirus/resources.aspx
National Autistic Society: https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/coronavirus/resources/helpful-resources.aspx?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=coronavirus&utm_content=resources&fbclid=IwAR0msxZ-l8DQEJQB1T2T-sUz8COwF_-fGaAo8zkmE-yMBrdwFWV2RZIWrNQ
Children and Family Health Devon: https://childrenandfamilyhealthdevon.nhs.uk/autistic-spectrum-disorder/resources/
ADHD: https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/information/parents/
Hearing impairment: https://beta.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/coronavirus-response/
Visual impairment: https://www.rnib.org.uk/
Improve typing skills: https://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/ or https://www.typing.com/
COVID-19 Support for Parents: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/support-resources-to-share-with-parents/