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Lough View Integrated Primary School, Belfast

Pastoral Care

Our school motto ‘Learning and growing together’ underpins everything we do at Lough View and our approach to Pastoral Care promotes an environment where everyone feels mutually respected, supported and safe (UNCRC Article 19). Rewarding positive behaviour is central to our overall approach to pastoral care and is fundamental in helping to build a happy and respectful school community.

 As is important to all the staff at Lough View that every pupil feels valued and respected the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is at the heart of our school’s planning, policies, practices and ethos. As a Rights Respecting School we not only teach about children’s rights but we also model rights and respect in all relationships. We also promote a caring environment; working with parents and staff to promote values are built on mutual trust and respect for all. We place great importance on emotional well-being.

The principles underpinning our approach to Pastoral Care underpin can be found in all our policies; in particular,

  • Child Protection Policy (Safeguarding)
  • Anti bullying
  • Promoting Positive Behaviour

At Lough View we do not tolerate bullying of any kind. If an act of bullying or intimidation has been alleged, we act immediately to ascertain what has happened and identify ways of addressing any negative behaviour.

In our school community we promote positive relationships and positive learning outcomes for all. The select rules that we have seek to promote positive relationships, positive teaching and learning experiences for all (UNCRC Article 28 and 29).  We strive to allow everyone to work together in an effective and considerate way by promoting good citizenship and mutual respect.

We treat all children fairly through the application of our positive behaviour management policy. We encourage children to become active citizens (UNCRC Article 12) by providing them with opportunities to contribute to the formation of classroom charters via School/Class Council meetings, Rights Respecting Steering Group meetings and the implementation of Barnardo’s PATHS Plus Programme (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies).

At Lough View we recognise how important it is that children to grow in a safe, secure and stimulating environment where each child is seen as an individual and encouraged to become positive, responsible, increasingly independent and active global citizens. We promote the growth of emotional intelligence (EQ) across the school and it underpins the Personal Development for Mutual Understanding (PDMU) curriculum.

This work is further extended by additional programmes such as:

  • Helping hands – (Woman’s Aid)
  • Roots of Empathy – rootsofempathy.org
  • Mindfulness taught to encourage attention and focus.
  • 1-1 bereavement support.
  • Paths Plus - social skills/friendship group.
  • Restorative Justice practice

As a Rights Respecting School the children and their teacher, each year, agree a class charter which clearly outlines expectations for how children and adults should behave. These charters reference our core health and safety commitments as well as acknowledging the rights to which children are entitled and which need to be safeguarded within school e.g. to be safe from bullying/harassment.

 

Behaviours or actions which are in contravention of these charters are addressed in an appropriate and restorative manner by staff. Details are outlined in the ‘roles’ section of the Promoting Positive Behaviour policy.

The school’s expectations of behaviour are communicated and explained to parents and guardians in a number of ways – sharing of policy documents, news sheets, class welcome meetings, parent/teacher meetings and parent workshops.

We believe that it is in a culture of mutual trust and respect that the interests of all our children can be met and so we work hard to maintain a positive and constructive relationship with all children, parents and guardians.

 

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