At Kingsham Primary School, our PaLS (Pastoral and Learning Support) team is here to help children feel happy, safe, confident and ready to learn.

Our dedicated PaLS Practitioners provide children with a safe, supportive and nurturing space where they can talk about their feelings, explore their emotions and develop strategies to manage challenges they may be experiencing.

We understand that children can face a range of experiences and emotions as they grow. Our team supports children who may be experiencing bereavement, anxiety, anger, worries, friendship difficulties, low confidence or other emotional challenges.

Meet Our PaLS Practitioners

Our PaLS team consists of:

• Mrs Twine 

• Mrs Smith

• Miss Oleman

All three of our PaLS Practitioners are trained in Lego Therapy and Drawing and Talking, giving them a range of creative and child-centred approaches to support children's emotional wellbeing and social development.

 

Supporting Children Through Difficult Times

We recognise that children may sometimes experience difficult or upsetting events that can affect their emotions, behaviour and ability to learn.

Our PaLS Practitioners offer individualised support to children who may be:

• Experiencing grief or bereavement

• Struggling with anxiety, worries or fears

• Finding it difficult to manage anger or frustration

• Experiencing changes in their family or home life

• Struggling with friendships or social situations

• Lacking confidence or self-esteem

• Finding it difficult to express or understand their emotions

• Needing additional pastoral support to help them engage positively with school and learning

We provide children with time, space and trusted adults who will listen without judgement and help them develop positive ways of expressing and managing their emotions.

 

Lego Therapy

Lego Therapy is a fun and structured approach that uses LEGO® activities to help children develop important social and communication skills.

Through carefully planned activities, children can develop:

• Communication and listening

• Turn-taking and sharing

• Teamwork and cooperation

• Problem-solving

• Friendship skills

• Confidence and self-esteem

• The ability to manage challenges and frustrations

The engaging and practical nature of Lego Therapy allows children to develop these skills in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

 

Drawing and Talking

Drawing and Talking is a gentle, creative approach that provides children with a safe space to explore their thoughts and feelings through drawing and conversation.

This can be particularly helpful for children who are experiencing difficult emotions or life experiences, including grief, anxiety, anger or significant change.

The approach is child-led and allows children to work at their own pace. Through regular sessions, children are given the opportunity to express feelings that they may find difficult to communicate through words alone.

 

PaLS Coffee Mornings 

We believe that supporting children also means supporting the families around them.

We aim to hold informal PaLS coffee mornings in our PaLS room, where parents and carers can pop in, enjoy a pastry and a cup of coffee, and have a friendly chat with a member of our PaLS team.

These informal sessions will provide an opportunity for parents and carers to:

• Talk through any concerns or worries they may have about their child

• Ask questions about the support available in school

• Share experiences and seek advice

• Talk about emotional, social or behavioural concerns

• Meet other parents and carers in a relaxed and welcoming environment

• Find out more about the work of our PaLS team

There is no need to wait until you have a big concern. Sometimes having a friendly chat and sharing a worry can make all the difference.

Our PaLS room is a place where children and families can feel welcome, listened to and supported.

 

Working Together to Support Our Children

Our PaLS Practitioners work closely with children, families and school staff to ensure that children feel supported and understood.

We recognise that emotional wellbeing and learning are closely connected. By helping children understand and manage their emotions, develop positive relationships and build confidence, we can help them feel more settled and ready to learn.

Our PaLS team is here to listen, support and encourage.

Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, heard and understood.