Wellbeing

Pupil Support Adviser

My name is Sandra Jarrett and I am the Pastoral Support Officer at Gearies Primary School.

I work in partnership with families, parents, carers and pupils in school, by assisting parents to support their children’s learning.

My work allows me to work directly with parents in a non-judgemental way, empowering them and their families to get the most out of the educational opportunities available and helping them to overcome the barriers to learning.

My focus on preventative and early intervention activities may include the involvement of specialist services and other agencies. I am also a member of the safeguarding team.

I run informal parenting interventions, including parenting programmes, which cover behavioural strategies, support with healthy eating, sleep routines and ways to promote a positive home environment for children’s learning.

The promotion of adult learning opportunities to further support parents learning is also something I am keenly involved with as well as my work supporting our vulnerable families and children who have medical needs.

Pupil Support Adviser

Mrs Haider is the school’s Pupil Support Adviser.  The purpose of her job is to:

• provide guidance to school, families, parents and pupils in a school context to enable positive participation to encourage their involvement in the school environment, and improving learning opportunities for children, with particular emphasis on hard-to-reach families.
• work directly with parents empowering them and their families to get the most out of the educational opportunities available.
• work with school, families, parents and pupils on preventative and early intervention activities by investigating and identifying the circumstances behind the areas of concerns that trigger the involvement of specialist services and other agencies.

 Her main duties and responsibilities are to:

1. Support children with early signs of social, emotional, health or behaviour issues, and work with them school staff and other support agencies to prevent problems worsening and interfering with the pupil’s ability to engage with school and learning.
2. Establish own casework within the school of pupils with behaviour, emotional and health difficulties.
3. At the request of parents and the school to talk to pupils experiencing difficulties and convey the voice of the child to parents and school staff.
4. To support children through transitions within and across schools to ensure continual engagement with school and learning.
5. To encourage good relations and effective dialogue between pupils and teachers about progress.
6. Work with pupils to identify why full attendance is not being achieved.
7. Work closely with EWOs and school attendance officers.
8. Liaise with other agencies and work closely with health, social care and education staff.
9. Provide support, advice and assistance to teaching and other school based staff regarding pupils with behaviour and emotional needs.
10. Maintain records of pupil’s involvement and prepare reports for Head Teacher as required.

She can be contacted through the school office.