Pastoral Support &
Student Wellbeing

Pastoral development

Pastoral Support & Student Wellbeing

Effective pastoral care underpins school life and there is always someone to whom the students can turn for help and advice.

Pastoral Support

Every adult has a responsibility for students’ welfare and security and there are many layers of care in place. Students are individually valued and well-supported. 

Each year group has a team of tutors who see their tutees daily and deliver tutor work to their group. Students will go to their tutor group each morning, and this will be the first-place students go before lessons begin. Form Tutors have immediate access to information about students’ achievements and any incidents during the day.

The LSU

Our Learning Support Unit (LSU) is there to support students at any time during the day. It provides a safe and stimulating environment where a students can get any support they might need during their time at school. It provides holistic pastoral care for all students and contributes to a unique positive experience at the Academy.

Within the LSU our Pastoral Team is committed to supporting students’ well-being with compassionate curiosity, ensuring every individual feels heard and valued. We take a restorative approach to resolving conflicts, using de-escalation techniques to create a calm and supportive environment. 

Our services include internal and external mentoring, providing students with guidance and positive role models to help them navigate challenges. Through this holistic support, we aim to foster resilience, confidence, and success for every student in our school community.

The LSU works with a wealth of agencies to provide any additional support and can provide advice for parents and carers as needed.

LSU provides students with assistance with the following:

  • A welcoming, friendly, positive and supportive environment in which to work.
  • Someone to talk to and share a problem with
  • Asking for advice and support
  • If you have fallen out with friends
  • If you are being bullied
  • Somewhere to go at lunch / breaktime
  • Behaviour support
  • Counselling services
  • If you are feeling upset or not well
  • If you are out of lessons for any reason   
  • First Aid
  • Medication storage & any administration of medication needed during the day
  • Contacting parents in an emergency
  • Spare school uniform
  • If you have forgotten something and need equipment
  • Lockers
  • Bus / transport enquiries and bus passes
  • Vaccinations
  • Lost property
  • Returning forms for trips

Staff in the LSU

Miss K Buckthorp

Assistant Headteacher

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Head of Year 11

KarenBuckthorp@
alcesteracademy.org.uk



Miss S Bartlett

Head of Year 7

Careers & Enterprise

SaschaBartlett
@alcesteracademy.org.uk

Mrs J Bennett

Head of Year 8

juliebennett@
alcesteracademy.org.uk

Mrs J Austin

Head of Year 9 and 10

janeaustin
@alcesteracademy.org.uk

Mrs L Hatcher

Attendance Officer

louisehatcher
@alcesteracademy.org.uk


Mrs S Bove

LSU Administration

sarahbove
@alcesteracademy.org.uk

Student Wellbeing Support

Through the LSU, we can also offer further external support through the many agencies we work with.

We have a school counsellor - Claire Gibb who specialises in CBT counselling and our therapy dog, Albie who are all part of our LSU team. We also work closely with Warwickshire Young Minds Matters and Rob Townsend from Lifespace who all in school every week to provide counselling and mentoring services to our young people who may need that extra support with mental health, family or school issues or behaviour support.

Other agencies we regularly work with and can access support though include

  • Shakespeare Hospice
  • Acorns
  • Safeline
  • Connect4Health
  • Guys Gift
  • COMPASS

Please find below some useful websites that can offer information, advice and support:

Mental Health

  • Coventy and Warwickshire MIND – NHS led services providing emotional well being and mental health services for children and young people. www.cwrise.com  
  • Mental Health Matters – Support for people with mental health needs.  www.mhm.org.uk  0800 616171 – Confidential helpline for Coventry and Warwickshire 
  • Kooth – Online mental wellbeing community. Free, safe and anonymous support. www.kooth.com  

 

Self-harm:

  • Selfharm – Free online support for 14-19 year olds, dedicated to self harm recovery, insight and support. www.selfharm.co.uk  

  

Health and well-being 

07507331525 Mon-Thursday 9-5 Friday 9-4:30. 

  • Warwickshire Schools Health and Wellbeing Service – Support and advice on a range of health topics. www.compass-uk.org  

 

LGBTQ 

  • Stonewall youth – Supporting and empowering young lesbian, gay, bi and trans people to live free from discrimination and fulfil their potential. www.stonewall.org.uk/young-futures  

 

General support for families and young people 

  • Childline – General advice, support and resources for parents and young people. www.childline.org.uk  0800 1111 
  • The  Mix – Confidential help line or online chat support for young people on all issues from mental health to money, drugs to break ups. 0808 808 4994 www.themix.org.uk 
  • Royal Society for the prevention of accidents –Water safety for children and young people. www.rospa.com