Support
Pastoral and Wellbeing Provision
At Chipstead Valley Primary we ensure that everyone within our school community feels well supported. We believe that good pastoral support focuses on nurturing the individual needs of each child and building trusting relationships. Pastoral care underpins personal development and we ensure that our children feel they belong to our community. Through the pastoral support we provide, our children are able to flourish as they feel valued and cared for. Here is some of the pastoral and wellbeing provision that we offer:
Parent and Children Mental Health Support Services
Our Safeguarding Team support children and families through difficult times. If you are in need of support, out of school hours or within the school holidays, here is a list of services to contact:
Mac the Pets as Therapy (PAT) Dog
We are very excited to introduce our CVPS Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog… Mac!
The value of having an animal in school is becoming widely recognised as having a positive impact on children’s and adult’s well-being. Studies have shown that the presence of companion animals can lower rates of anxiety, creating calmer states of mind.
Launched in 2010, Read2Dogs is a scheme developed to help children gain confidence in reading. Some children find reading in front of others daunting and can become nervous, however when a PAT Dog enters the group, they often become less stressed and self-conscious, relaxing as the dogs are non-judgemental. PAT Dogs provide comfort, encourage positive social behaviours, enhance self-esteem, motivate speech and inspire children to have fun. It has been proven to help children gain confidence and they enjoy and benefit greatly from the reading experience. Our aim is to provide opportunities for children to have some time with Mac, where they will interact through reading to him around the school.
To become a registered PAT dog, Mac’s behaviour and temperament have been assessed to ensure that he is safe to be in school and he passed with flying colours! As part of the PAT guidelines and our thorough risk assessment, Mac will be always be accompanied by his trained PAT handler, as well as a member of school staff.
We are very much looking forward to welcoming Mac into our school community and look forward to sharing further updates with you!
Zones of Regulation
At CVPS, we use the Zones of Regulation to teach children how to regulate their emotions by categorising feelings into four coloured zones. The Zones of Regulation framework provides strategies to teach children to become aware of and independent in recognising, naming and choosing a ‘tool’ to manage their emotions and impulses. This approach aims to improve their ability to solve potential conflicts and help to manage behaviour. There is a consistent approach to the use of the Zones of Regulation throughout CVPS, from EYFS to Year 6, with displays in each classroom.
Young Carers
A young carer is a child or young person (under 18 years old) who is helping to look after someone. This may be at home, but could also be a person who lives away from the family home. Most are caring for a parent, but some may be taking responsibility for a sibling, grandparent or other relative. It may also be the case that the young carer is looking after a family friend. In some instances, a young carer may care for more than one person. The person(s) they look after will have one or more of:
- Physical disability (including sensory disability)
- Learning disability
- Mental health problem
- Chronic illness
- Substance misuse problem
When someone is a Young Carer, they may need a little help to get the most out of school and provide some additional support. For more information, please visit the below links or speak to a member of the safeguarding team:
Young Carers Service (talkofftherecord.org)- Croydon
Action for Carers | Supporting carers of all ages across Surrey- Surrey
Children Impacted by Family Imprisonment
