My name is Rachel Loftus, I have worked at Woodlands Academy for over twenty years in various roles, I am very proud to be part of the team supporting our pupils.

My role as Pastoral Lead includes several responsibilities including Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, Thrive Practitioner, Nurture Lead and safeguarding deputy.

Our Woodlands team ensure that we have a positive whole school approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing making sure that our school community feel accepted, valued and empowered.

We are a Nurture school and I work very closely with staff to ensure the six principles of nurture are embedded in to our culture and approach. These are Children’s learning is understood developmentally, the classroom offers a safe base, the importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing, language is a vital means of communication, all behaviour is communication and the importance of transitions in children’s lives.

Our senior leadership team work closely to facilitate a relational approach to behaviour across the academy. We hope to create a whole school environment which promotes a culture of mutual respect, consideration and care for others, where everyone feels safe. As Thrive Practitioner I encourage staff to take a non-judgemental, curious and empathic attitude towards behaviour, we encourage all adults in school to respond in a way that focuses on feelings and emotions that might drive the behaviour, rather than the behaviour. I support with completing assessments of social and emotional need to provide an appropriate approach for individual pupils.

Pupil, staff and parent voice are incredibly important, through chairing the wellbeing Committee and pupil SMILE committee we ensure that all voices are heard in the hope that everyone in the school community feels valued and supported.