Pastoral and Family Support
At St Chad's, we believe that children thrive when schools and families work together. We know that every family is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting or family life. Whether you need advice, practical support, someone to listen, or simply don't know where to start, we are here to help.
Our Family Support Team works alongside children and families in a relational, compassionate and non-judgemental way. We aim to build trusting relationships, celebrate strengths and work together to overcome any barriers that may affect a child's wellbeing, development or learning.
Meet the Family Support Team
We believe that strong relationships are built before challenges arise. Our Family Support Team is here for every family, offering a listening ear, practical support and guidance throughout your child's journey at St Chad's—not just when things feel difficult.
How We Can Help
We can support with:
- school attendance and punctuality
- children's emotional wellbeing
- friendships and relationships
- behaviour at home or school
- school readiness
- routines, sleep and healthy habits
- transitions, including starting school or moving classes
- bereavement or family change
- confidence and self-esteem
- communication and language
- accessing additional support
Sometimes families need support for a short period, while others benefit from ongoing guidance. Whatever your circumstances, we're here to help.
Supporting Parents and Families
We understand that family life can sometimes feel busy, overwhelming or uncertain, and that asking for support isn't always easy. Whatever your circumstances, our Family Support Team is here to work alongside you, offering practical help, advice and encouragement to enable your family to thrive.
We can provide support in a range of ways, including:
- offering advice and guidance on a wide range of family matters;
- helping to complete forms and paperwork, including applications for school places and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support;
- signposting families to local services, community organisations and sources of support, including housing, health and financial advice, and helping families to access these services where needed;
- working alongside families through the Early Help process where additional support may be beneficial;
- providing support with school uniform and, where appropriate, access to food support;
- providing translation and interpretation support to help families communicate confidently with school and other services; and
- supporting families who are new to England, or unfamiliar with the English education system, to understand school routines, expectations and the support available.
If we don't have the answer, we will do our very best to help you find it.
Learning Together at Home
Supporting Learning at Home
Parents and carers are a child's first and most important teachers. The everyday moments you share at home—talking, reading, playing and exploring together—have a powerful impact on your child's confidence, wellbeing and love of learning. We are committed to working in partnership with families, providing practical advice, resources and opportunities to help you support your child's learning at home in ways that fit naturally into family life.
Home Reading
Reading together is one of the most valuable things you can do to support your child's learning. Regular reading helps children develop their language, imagination, confidence and enjoyment of books, while also strengthening the special bond between child and adult.
We encourage all families to read with their child every week and to share their reading through a short video uploaded to Class Dojo. These videos allow teachers to celebrate children's progress, provide encouragement and work in partnership with families to support reading at home. If you are unsure how to upload a video or experience any difficulties using Class Dojo, please let us know. We are always happy to provide support so that every family can take part.
Children also have access to our school library, where they can regularly borrow and enjoy books with their families. Sharing stories together helps to develop a lifelong love of reading, whether your child is reading the words themselves or simply enjoying listening to a story.
Throughout the year, we also offer parent phonics sessions, helping families to understand how early reading is taught in school and providing practical strategies to support reading and phonics confidently at home.
Learning Together Every Day
Learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. Many of the most valuable learning opportunities take place during everyday family life. Small moments spent talking, playing and exploring together help children develop the skills they need to become confident, independent learners.
We encourage families to support learning by:
- talking together about everyday experiences, asking questions and encouraging conversation;
- playing games that develop language, turn-taking, problem-solving and early mathematical thinking;
- singing songs, sharing rhymes and enjoying stories together to develop communication and language;
- finding opportunities to use maths in everyday life, such as counting, measuring, cooking, shopping and recognising numbers. Throughout the year, we offer parent maths workshops to share practical ideas and build confidence in supporting mathematical learning at home; and
- encouraging children to become increasingly independent through everyday routines, such as getting dressed, tidying away toys, looking after their belongings and making simple choices.
For our youngest children, we work in partnership with the Family Hub to offer sessions focused on play, communication and early language development. These sessions give parents and carers practical ideas and strategies to support their child's learning and development through everyday interactions and play, helping to build strong foundations before and during their school journey.
Whether it's reading together, sharing a story, singing a favourite nursery rhyme or chatting about your day, every small interaction makes a difference. By working together, we can help every child develop the confidence, skills and love of learning they need to flourish.
Workshops and Family Learning
We believe that when schools and families learn together, children thrive. Throughout the year, we offer a range of workshops, information sessions and opportunities for parents and carers to develop their understanding of children's learning, development and wellbeing. These sessions provide practical advice, strategies and ideas that can be used at home, while also giving families the opportunity to ask questions, build confidence and share experiences with others.
Our programme of workshops and information sessions may include:
- Phonics workshops to help families support early reading at home;
- Maths workshops, sharing practical ways to develop mathematical understanding through everyday activities;
- Understanding children's emotions and behaviour, exploring how relationships, connection and emotional development influence children's behaviour and wellbeing;
- School readiness sessions for families preparing their child to start Nursery or Reception;
- Transition meetings to support children and families as they move between classes or schools;
- Oral health workshops, promoting healthy teeth and gums through good brushing habits, healthy food and drink choices, and regular dental visits;
- Online safety sessions, helping families to keep children safe when using technology; and
- SEND information sessions, offering guidance on the support available and how we work together to meet children's individual needs.
We want every family to feel welcomed, supported and empowered. Whether you are looking for practical ideas, reassurance or simply the opportunity to learn alongside other parents and carers, we would love you to join us.
Information about upcoming workshops and family learning opportunities is shared regularly with parents and carers through Class Dojo, making it easy to find out what's coming up
Reading Beyond School
At St Chad's, we believe that a love of reading extends far beyond the classroom. We are proud to work closely with our local library to help every family enjoy the lifelong benefits that reading can bring.
Every family joining our school is invited to a special Rhyme Time session, where they enjoy sharing stories and rhymes together before opening their own library membership. Families leave with their new library card and a book to enjoy together at home, helping children to begin their reading journey from the very start of their time at St Chad's.
Throughout the year, we organise regular walks to Normanton Library, giving children and their families opportunities to borrow books, explore the library and take part in the wider reading community. We have also worked closely with the library to ensure that the books from our Reading Spine—the stories children become deeply familiar with throughout their time at St Chad's—are available for families to borrow, making it easy to revisit favourite books and continue reading together at home.
By introducing families to the library from the very beginning, we hope to inspire a lifelong love of reading and ensure that every child has access to high-quality books, stories and opportunities to read for pleasure.
Celebrating Our Diverse Community
Our school community is wonderfully diverse, with families from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. We recognise that every family brings their own experiences, traditions and perspectives on raising children.
For some families, the English education system may be new or unfamiliar, while others may appreciate support in understanding local services, healthcare or school routines. We value the wealth of experiences our families bring and are committed to working alongside every family with respect, curiosity and compassion, ensuring everyone feels welcomed, understood and supported as part of our St Chad's community.
Translation and Language Support
We are proud to be a multilingual school community and are committed to ensuring that language is never a barrier to building strong relationships or accessing support.
Alongside our bilingual staff, we work in partnership with Derby City Council's New Communities Achievement Team (NCAT) to provide translation and interpretation support for families who need it. We are fortunate to have Miss Alena, who works in school through NCAT to support many of our Eastern European families She helps families to communicate confidently with school, understand important information and access the support they need.
If you would benefit from translation or interpretation support, please let us know. We will always do our best to ensure you can communicate with us in a way that is comfortable and accessible.
Working with Other Services
Supporting children and families is a shared responsibility, and we know that the best outcomes are achieved when everyone works together. While we can offer a wide range of support in school, there are times when families may benefit from additional advice or specialist services within the local community.
We work closely with a range of professionals and organisations to help families access the support they need. This may include health visitors, the School Nursing Team, Early Help, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services, housing support, social care, Family Hub services and a range of local community organisations.
We are proud of the strong relationships we have with local partners, including the Pakistani Community Centre and the St James Centre, who provide valuable support, activities and services for many of our families.
Where appropriate, we can help families understand what support is available, make connections with local services and work alongside professionals to ensure children and families receive the right support at the right time.
Confidentiality
We understand that asking for support can sometimes feel difficult, and we want families to feel confident that they can speak to us openly. Conversations with our Family Support Team are treated with sensitivity and respect, and information will be kept confidential wherever possible.
There may be occasions when we need to share information with other professionals in order to provide the best possible support for a child or family, or where we have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child. In these circumstances, we will always follow our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and statutory guidance, keeping families informed wherever it is appropriate and safe to do so.
Get in Touch
No concern is too small. If something is worrying you or your child, please speak to us. Often, a conversation at the right time can make all the difference.
You can contact the school office to arrange a conversation with a member of the Family Support Team or speak to us on the gate.