Nurture, Pastoral, Wellbeing and Mental Health Support

Providing nurturing support for our children is an essential part of the provision provided at Godinton Primary School. In order to fulfil their academic potential, our children need to be happy and have positive outlooks; they also need to feel well supported with their mental health and wellbeing. We recognise that sometimes life throws challenges at our children which requires extra support, this might be a bereavement or friendship difficulty and that some children need additional support with their social, emotional or mental health needs.  All our children are unique individuals and throughout their time at primary school, we are here to help, every step of the way, with whatever comes their way.

'Godinton Primary School stands as a beacon of how a nurturing approach can shape a thriving school community, where both academic success and personal wellbeing are prioritised'.

Nurture UK accreditation 2024

To find out more about pastoral, nurture, wellbeing and mental health support at Godinton Primary School, please click on the links below:

Nurture Provision at Godinton Primary

Pastoral Support and Children’s Wellbeing and Mental Health at Godinton Primary

Rainbows Bereavement Support at Godinton Primary

Information for parents on supporting your children’s mental health and wellbeing as well as that of your family

Please click here to access a slideshow about Pastoral and Nurture support at Godinton Primary School.

Meet Our Team

Whilst much of the pastoral support which children require will come from class teachers and teaching assistants, our specialist pastoral and nurture team provide additional assistance. Led by our Assistant Head for Inclusion and SENCo, Sarah Stein our team includes the following members of staff.

 Sarah Stein – Assistant Head for Inclusion / SENCO

As well as being one of the school's Assistant Headteachers, Sarah Stein is the school’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator. Mrs Stein has extensive experience in this role and enjoys working with parents, staff and pupils to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children at Godinton. Mrs Stein is a qualified teacher with over 25 years’ experience and also has a post graduate diploma in Leading on Inclusive Practise. She is a sensory and autistic spectrum champion and has worked with our Nurture Teaching Assistant on the Nurturing Kent programme from Nurture UK. Mrs Stein is trained Drawing and Talking practitioner. She is also an advocate of all behaviour being a form of communication and using this to help support children's wellbeing and success in school. 

Mrs Stein can be contacted via her email address: sarah.stein@godinton.kent.sch.uk

Jacqui McGibney –Family Liaison Officer and Pastoral Lead

Mrs McGibney is a trained Emotional Learning Support Assistant (E.L.S.A), a Drawing and Talking therapy practitioner and is our Rainbows Bereavement Coordinator. She draws upon a wealth of experience of working to support children’s pastoral development, both on a 1:1 basis and with small groups; leading this provision alongside Mrs Stein and Miss King. In addition to her support for pupils, Mrs McGibney is also our Family Liaison Officer and again is able to draw on many years’ experience of supporting families with their personal wellbeing, family dynamics, behaviour in the home, family trauma and bereavement.

If you would like to contact Mrs McGibney regarding any family concerns, please do so via her mobile number which is 07921 879758 or via her email which is   jacquimcgibney@godinton.kent.sch.uk

Sam Ellis – Nurture Teaching Assistant

Mrs Ellis is an experienced class based and 1:1 Teaching Assistant who has supported pupils with a range of complex needs across the school. Mrs Ellis currently offers ‘Squirrels’ Nurture groups to our pupils, 1:1 nurture sessions and drop in sessions for those pupils who need additional support throughout the day. Mrs Ellis has worked with Sarah Stein on the Nurture Kent programme delivered by Nurture UK and has completed her own personal Nurture accreditation, enabling us to extend our nurture provision. Mrs Ellis is also trained in using the Boxall profile which provides a framework for the precise assessment of children's social and emotional aptitudes. This provides staff with insights and suggests points of entry into the child's world, allowing teachers to think about what lies behind their children's behaviour, and how to plan accordingly.

The children will find Mrs Ellis in The Squirrel’s Room feeding the fish or making a hot chocolate.

Stacey King – Pastoral Teaching Assistant

Miss King supports our children with their pastoral needs in both small groups with interventions such as Lego Therapy and 1:1 talk time in the afternoons. Miss King works closely with our playground buddies at lunchtimes, leading them to support good play practices on the playground. Miss King is also a trained Rainbows practitioner working collaboratively with our Rainbows team to support pupils experiencing bereavement and loss.

Miss King can be found in ‘The Den’, our beautiful, tranquil quiet room or at lunchtime in ‘Chill Zone’.

Mrs Ades – Lead Rainbows Facilitator

Mrs Ades has a wealth of pastoral experience having previously worked in school as a teaching assistant, often supporting children with complex SEND needs and is a trained ASD champion.  Her current role in school as SENCO Assistant, sees Mrs Ades playing an instrumental role in liaising with outside agencies and managing SEND referrals, including those to the school nursing team or related to mental health concerns.  As our Rainbows Lead Facilitator, Mrs Ades delivers our Rainbows programme to children experiencing loss and bereavement through small group sessions and on an individual level, where children require an additional level of kindness and support. Mrs Ades is always an excellent listening ear and cares passionately about our children’s wellbeing.

Miss Jill Talbot – Headteacher

Headteacher, Jill Talbot is the school’s Senior Mental Health Lead and Senior Attendance Champion.  She is also the lead Designated Safeguarding Lead for the school, has undertaken trauma informed school training and lead’s the Staff Wellbeing Working Party. Miss Talbot draws our whole school team together to champion strong nurture, pastoral, wellbeing and mental health support for the children at Godinton Primary.

Pastoral and Nurture Spaces at Godinton Primary School